La Habra

La Habra sits in the northwest corner of Orange County on the Los Angeles County line, with the separate city of La Habra Heights to the north, Brea to the east and Fullerton to the south. The city marked its centennial in 2025. Most of La Habra is built out with houses, townhomes and apartments on fairly level ground, and hillsides rise along the northern and southern edges, including around Westridge Golf Club.

It tends to suit buyers who want quick arterial access toward Los Angeles County, a choice between condos, townhomes and detached houses, or a home near the southern hills with a plan for fire-zone rules, insurance and old oil wells.

Neighborhoods and housing in La Habra

The California Department of Finance estimated 21,095 housing units in La Habra on January 1, 2026: about 53 percent detached single-family homes, about 9 percent attached single-family units such as townhomes, about 34 percent in buildings with two or more units, and 857 mobile homes.

The older center

Several early civic buildings still anchor the middle of town: the Children's Museum at La Habra occupies the former Union Pacific Railroad depot, the Depot Theater the former Pacific Electric depot, and the La Habra Museum the former City Hall. New apartment and condo projects are reviewed under objective design standards the city adopted in 2024, and condos and townhomes come with an HOA whose documents you should read.

Westridge and the southern hills

The south end of the city climbs toward the West Coyote Hills, where Westridge Golf Club sits on La Habra Hills Drive near Beach Boulevard and Imperial Highway. In October 2024 the city began environmental review of the Westridge Hills proposal, which would replace about 47 acres of the course with 534 homes, from single-family houses to townhomes and affordable apartments, and the applicant may seek a community facilities district to help pay for it. If you are buying nearby, check where the project stands.

Oil field history and old wells

In a November 2024 letter, the state's Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) said the Westridge site lies along the north flank of the abandoned Coyote West oil field, with at least 20 plugged oil and gas wells on or near the property. CalGEM recommends a diligent effort to avoid building over plugged wells and runs a Construction Site Well Review program. Before you plan an addition, pool or ADU in the south of the city, check CalGEM's online well map.

La Habra vs. La Habra Heights

La Habra Heights is a separate city in Los Angeles County, incorporated in 1978, with its own government, zoning and permits. Do not rely on a mailing address or ZIP code to tell the two apart; confirm the city and county on the title report and tax bill. Our Orange County vs. Los Angeles comparison covers the wider differences.

Getting around

• Arterials: Imperial Highway is State Route 90 through La Habra, Fullerton and Brea. Beach Boulevard, Idaho Street, Euclid Street and Harbor Boulevard run north-south, and Lambert Road, La Habra Boulevard and Whittier Boulevard run east-west.
• Freeways: La Habra has no freeway inside its limits. Its main streets lead to SR-57 to the east, I-5 to the southwest and I-605 to the west.
• Rail and bus: Metrolink and Amtrak trains stop at the Fullerton Transportation Center to the south; see our Fullerton guide. OCTA runs local bus service.

Schools

La Habra is split between two districts for the elementary and middle grades. The La Habra City School District runs seven elementary schools and two middle schools, Imperial and Washington. The Lowell Joint School District, based in Whittier, serves families in La Habra, La Habra Heights and Whittier from transitional kindergarten through eighth grade. High schools are in the Fullerton Joint Union High School District, whose La Habra High School and Sonora High School are both in the city.

Confirm the exact address with each district's lookup: La Habra City's School Locator, Lowell Joint's MySchool Locator and boundary map, and Fullerton Joint Union's School of Residence page. Use the California School Dashboard for data on any public school.

Parks, beaches and things to do

• Museums and theater: the Children's Museum at La Habra, the La Habra Museum and the Depot Theater, all in restored early buildings.
• City parks: Brio Park and Oeste Park have splash pads, El Centro-Lions Park and Vista Grande Park serve central La Habra, and Vista del Valle Park sits in the southern hills.
• Golf and beaches: Westridge Golf Club is in the south hills. La Habra is inland, so the coast is a freeway drive away.

Local rules and costs to know

• Utilities and services: The City of La Habra runs its own water utility and took up its 2025 Urban Water Management Plan in May 2026. Southern California Edison provides electricity and SoCalGas provides natural gas. The Los Angeles County Fire Department is the city's primary firefighting agency.
• Short-term rentals: The zoning code's land use table lists short-term residential rentals, meaning stays of 30 days or less, as not permitted in any zone, and ADUs cannot be rented for less than 31 days. The City Council adopted further zoning amendments in July 2026 that are not yet in the online code, so confirm current rules with the Planning Division.
• ADUs: Section 18.12.150, rewritten in August 2025, allows one ADU and one junior ADU on a single-family lot. New detached ADUs can be up to 1,200 square feet; new attached ADUs up to 850 square feet with one bedroom or 1,000 with two or more, and no more than half the size of the house. Side and rear setbacks are four feet, and an ADU cannot be sold separately. The city has posted pre-approved ADU designs, and applications using one must be decided within 30 days. See our ADU guide.
• Fire hazard zones: The General Plan's Community Safety chapter, updated in 2024, places the city's Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone in the southern section between Westridge Golf Club and the city limit. CAL FIRE issued new local maps in March 2025, so check the address on its viewer and read our homeowners insurance guide.
• Flood zones: Mapped floodplains follow Coyote Creek and a creek in the northwest. Most of La Habra is in FEMA Zone X, an area of minimal flood hazard.
• Property taxes and Mello-Roos: Special taxes and assessments appear parcel by parcel on the tax bill, so read it before you offer. Our Orange County property tax guide and property tax calculator help you estimate the total.

Buying in La Habra

• Confirm whether the home is in La Habra, La Habra Heights or unincorporated county land, since each sets its own permit, ADU and rental rules.
• Check the elementary district for the exact address; the city is split between two.
• In the southern hills, check the fire map and CalGEM well records, and get insurance quotes early in your contingency period.
• Read HOA documents for condos and townhomes, and the tax bill for any special taxes.
• Do not count on short-term rental income.

Selling in La Habra

• Order the Natural Hazard Disclosure report early; our seller disclosure guide covers what else to disclose.
• Gather permits for additions and ADUs. For an ADU built without permits before 2020, the city cannot deny a permit solely because it breaks building or ADU standards unless a health and safety fix is needed, so legalizing it before you list may be possible.
• Near the old oil field, gather any well abandonment or survey records you have.

How Remark Homes can help

Remark Homes is a veteran-owned brokerage based in Tustin. We help La Habra buyers check city lines, school districts, fire maps and well records before they offer, and help sellers prepare permits and disclosures. Contact us, or read how we handle buying and selling.

Frequently asked questions

Is La Habra in Orange County?

Yes. La Habra is in the northwest corner of Orange County on the Los Angeles County line. Its neighbor La Habra Heights is a separate city in Los Angeles County.

What school district is La Habra in?

Elementary and middle grades are split between the La Habra City and Lowell Joint school districts, and high schools are in the Fullerton Joint Union High School District. Confirm a specific address with each district's lookup tool.

Are there oil wells in La Habra?

Yes. CalGEM records show at least 20 plugged wells on or near the Westridge Golf Club site, along the north flank of the abandoned Coyote West oil field. Check CalGEM's well map for any address before you build.

Can I run a short-term rental in La Habra?

No. The zoning code does not permit short-term residential rentals of 30 days or less in any zone, and ADUs must be rented for at least 31 days.

Sources

• City of La Habra Municipal Code: Section 18.12.150, Accessory Dwelling Units
• City of La Habra Municipal Code: Table 18.06.040.A, Land Use Matrix
• City of La Habra General Plan: Community Safety chapter update
• City of La Habra: General Plan Annual Progress Report 2024
• CEQAnet: Westridge Hills Project, SCH 2024101106, with CalGEM comments
• Lowell Joint School District: About
• Fullerton Joint Union High School District: School of Residence
• California Department of Finance: E-5 Population and Housing Estimates, 2020-2026