Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 8,381, settled in 1876. 2.2 times the nonprofits per person than the typical California town.
Trash & recyclingOrland earns a D, ranked 639th of 841 in California, mostly because of incomes. The median household income is $65K, and 17% of residents live below the poverty line. In its favor, it is more walkable than 78% of U.S. towns. 34% of residents are under 18 in Orland, where California’s towns sit at 22% and U.S. towns at 22%. Orland's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 87% of U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Lely Aquatic Park, at 20 acres.
Where Orland beats most towns.
7,291 counted in 2010 and 8,298 in 2020; an estimated 8,381 in 2025.
Growth has leveled off: within 1% of 2020, after 13.8% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Orland is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 292 in 1880, 8,298 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2022 and 4 maps from 1906 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Orland, and how to reach them.
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 Orland.
Orland has hotter summers than nearly all U.S. towns, has seen reported crime fall by a third or more and has commutes shorter than most of California.
The median property tax bill is $2,109, against $5,124 across California, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
The typical Orland home is worth about $391,000, up 2.5% in a year, 49% below the California typical home. The median rent in Orland is $1,146 a month.
| Orland | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,146 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 59% | 64% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Orland Joint Unified school district. Two of its 8 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Orland High, with 725 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mill Street ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–2 | Grades K–2 | 521 | – |
| Orland HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 725 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
The average commute for its 3,669 working residents takes 20.4 minutes, against 28.7 across California.
Most working residents leave Orland for work: only 15% work in town. Orland’s average trip to work is 20 minutes. Jobs based in Orland grew to 1,922 in 2023, 418 more than in 2013.
| Orland | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 15% | 6.6% | 8% |
| Median household income | $65,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Orland beats the California average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 16. 28% of Orland adults say their health is fair or poor.
| Orland | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 22% | 19% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 9% | 8.1% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 16% | 14% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 71% | 72% | 79% |
| What stands out | Orland | CA |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 17.9% | 10.6% |
| More uninsured adults | 15.6% | 10.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 7.2% | 5.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 72% of U.S. communities. Since 2023, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Orland.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
July afternoons average 95.5°, hotter than in 97% of U.S. towns; January nights average 38.4°.
Orland has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Orland | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 96°F | 89°F | 85°F |
| January low | 38°F | 41°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Reported crimes fell from 141 to 84 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Within California, it does better than 71% of towns.
| Orland | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 6.9 per 1,000 residents | 13.4 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.8 per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
0.5 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves.
| Orland | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.4% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lely Aquatic Park | 0.2 mi | 20 |
| 2. Vinsonhaler Park | — | 16 |
| 3. Library Park | 0.1 mi | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Orland; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Orland residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
Where Orland’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in California, United States
Orland is a city in Glenn County, California, United States. The population was 8,298 at the 2020 census, up from 7,291 at the 2010 census, making Orland the most populous city in Glenn County. Orland is located 16 miles (26 km) north of Willows, at an elevation of 259 feet (79 m). Interstate 5, (north–south) passes west of the downtown area while State Route 32 (east–west) passes through downtown. A member of Bee City USA, Orland is the "Queen Bee Capital of North America" owing to its robust local and regional queen bee production as part of the county's agricultural products. It is home of the Honeybee Discovery Center museum. Annual events include the Queen Bee Festival in June and Okto…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Orland grades D overall, better than 8% of U.S. towns and #639 of 841 in California. It grades C for health, C+ for safety and C for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Within California, it does better than 71% of towns.
Yes. That is 5.8 years of the area's median household income ($67,139 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
2 notable people were born here, including George Wright and Lynn S. Beedle.