97 years in pictures
The archive holds 9 old photos and papers going back to 1921 and 8 maps from 1896 on.
- 1929Midway City is settled
Each edition grades its towns against each other only.

With 7,999 residents, this town was settled in 1929.
Some subjects shine; others lag. Where it falls short is cost of living — the typical home is worth about $789K, 8.2 years of the Los Angeles metro’s $96K median household income. Overall, Midway City earns a C−, which places it 481st of 841 in California. Set against the rest, it does better than just over a fifth of U.S. towns. Its strongest subject is schools: its schools outperform 81% of the state's. Hazard risk is weaker too — FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 82% of U.S. communities, with earthquakes at the top. The town is easier to get around on foot or by transit than nearly three quarters of U.S. towns.
Figures: schools, state test and graduation results · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · FEMA National Risk Index.
Where Midway City beats most towns.
Where Midway City’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Midway City is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
The archive holds 9 old photos and papers going back to 1921 and 8 maps from 1896 on.
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Midway City. Close and well known come first.
Big draw6 mi Theme parkDisneyland17.3M visitors a year
Big draw25 mi Stadium & arenaSoFi Stadium
Big draw7 mi Theme parkKnott's Berry Farm4.5M visitors a year
Big draw32 mi LandmarkHollywood Walk of Fame10.0M visitors a year
Big draw17 mi MuseumUSS Iowa
Big draw26 mi MuseumLucas Museum of Narrative ArtDisneyland: HarshLight from San Jose, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 · SoFi Stadium: Thank You (21 Millions+) views, CC BY 2.0 · Knott's Berry Farm: Phydend at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Hollywood Walk of Fame: BenSherman, Public domain · USS Iowa: PH1 Jeff Hilton, Public domain · Lucas Museum of Narrative Art: Kriddl, CC0
Midway City is unincorporated, so Orange County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Midway City.
Midway City has milder winter nights than nearly all U.S. towns, sends most of its workers to Westminster and beyond and is mostly renters.
77% of Midway City’s expected losses from natural hazards come from earthquakes, followed by inland flooding at 22%. Paid flood insurance claims in the town since 1992: 6. Households here have drawn federal disaster aid in 2 declared disasters, most recently in 2017.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Midway City has 626 jobs for its 3,547 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. The average commute takes 22.6 minutes, against 28.7 across California.
In Midway City, 18% of residents live below the poverty line. Just 1% of the town’s working residents have a job in town. The town had 626 jobs in 2023, up 109 from 2013. Also worth knowing: the average trip to work in the town is 23 minutes.
| Midway City | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 18% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $67,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.5% | 6.6% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Among adults in Midway City, 33% have high blood pressure, against 31% in California’s towns and 35% across U.S. towns. Against the California average, Midway City comes out ahead on 5 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 20. For adults here, the share who binge drink is 11%.
| Midway City | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 16% | 16% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 24% | 25% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 12% | 12% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 22% | 19% |
| What stands out | Midway City | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11.1% | 15.3% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.1% | 6.4% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 20.1% | 10.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
January nights average 47.1°, milder than in 98% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 79.9°.
Midway City’s peak summer temperature is 80°F, below both California’s towns (89°F) and U.S. towns (85°F). In Midway City, the January low is 47°F. Snowfall is close to zero.
| Midway City | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 47°F | 40°F | 22°F |
| July high | 80°F | 89°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
67.5% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 55.3% across California.
Midway City’s rent at the middle of the market comes in at $1,611 a month.
| Midway City | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 28% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,611 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
41 within 15 miles of the center of Midway City
About 6 of every 100 Midway City residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
Place in California, United States
Midway City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) that forms part of the county land controlled by Orange County, California. The only area in Orange County that incorporates its chamber of commerce and homeowners association to act in concert like a city council, the area mostly is surrounded by Westminster with Huntington Beach bordering it on the southwest. Midway City was so named because it is horizontally midway between Seal Beach, to the west, and Santa Ana, to the east. The 2020 census listed the population as 8,825. Midway City is one of Orange County's oldest communities, and many of its homes are of 1950s construction. The area includes two mobile home …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with Midway City.
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midway City | #481 | C− | D | — | A− | C |
| Westminster | #519 | C− | D− | C− | A− | C+ |
| Huntington Beach | #167 | B− | D− | C | A | A− |
Midway City reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Midway City with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Midway City grades C− overall, better than 22% of U.S. towns and #481 of 841 in California. It grades C for health and A− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Yes. The typical home is worth about $789,000, 4% above the California typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.