Location OC

AbOUT

The website was launched by OCBC- Orange County Business Council. to provide information on Orange County's economic climate, business incentives and resources, transportation network, diverse and educated workforce, world-class education system, growing industry clusters, and much more. Location OC looks in-depth at how each of these factors CREATES a business-friendly climate where companies can grow and thrive.

Business Climate

LocationOC.com 1 links users to information on state and local incentives and resources: enterprise zones, foreign trade zones, employee training, business permitting, and business support organizations. According to the California Employment Development Department, as of May 2013, Orange County’s unemployment rate was at 5.7%; below the state average of 8.5%.

Business Snapshot

• With over 3.1 million residents, Orange County is the 6th most populous county in the U.S.
• If Orange County were a separate state, it would rank 30th in the nation based on the size of its population.
• With a total civilian labor force of 1.6 million, Orange County enjoys a diverse economy, with economic output and employment well-distributed among sectors.
• The county’s Gross Domestic Product in 2011 was estimated to be $184.6 billion, an increase of 5.7% over 2010.
• Orange County ranks 15th among the nation’s metro areas based on its Gross Metropolitan Product.
• If Orange County were a separate country, it would be ranked 45th in the world based on the volume of gross production, just ahead of Singapore.
• In 2011, there were over 2,200 patents granted to Orange County inventors, marking an increase of 48% since 2007.
• According to research compiled by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association, Orange County companies received $785.6 million in venture capital investments in 2012.
• Orange County enjoys of multiple industry clusters that further drive the economic recovery:

:*High Tech 2

:*Health Care 3

:*Life Sciences 4

:*Action Sports 5

:*International Trade 6

:*Tourism 7

:*Business and Professional Services 8

:*Green Economy 9

Transportation

LocationOC.com highlights the wide variety of infrastructure and modes of transportation available to Orange County residents such as:

Toll Roads and Express Lanes

Orange County is the Toll Road capitol of the state. Today, 51 miles of Toll Roads are providing traffic relief to hundreds of thousands of drivers who travel in and through Orange County each day. Orange County’s Toll Roads comprise California’s largest toll road system and its 51 miles represent 20 percent of Orange County’s highway network.

Bus/Metrolink and Amtrak

Orange County offers a countywide bus system with 77 bus routes and 6,200 bus stops to get you practically anywhere you want to go in Orange County. The county’s Metrolink rail service has three lines with 11 stations in Orange County including connections to Metrolink lines in Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

Air Travel

Serving almost 9 million passengers and handling more than 15,000 tons of cargo each year, John Wayne Airport is the only airport in Orange County that provides commercial passenger and air-cargo service and is the primary provider of general aviation services and facilities in the county. The 2011 completion of Terminal C at John Wayne Airport resulted in the addition of 300,000 square feet, six new gates, commuter terminals, and a new international arrivals area, allowing for service to both Canada and Mexico. In addition, in 2012 it began its first regularly scheduled commercial flights between Orange County and Mexico.

Measure M

In 2006, Orange County voters approved the renewal of a ½ cent transportation dedicated sales tax known as Measure M. The extension of Measure M is infusing $15 billion of investments in Orange County’s transportation system during the next 30 years with improvements designed to reduce traffic congestion, strengthen the economy and improve Orange County’s quality of life by:

• Upgrading freeways
• Fixing major freeway interchanges
• Maintaining streets and roads
• Synchronizing traffic signals countywide
• Building a visionary, integrated transit system
• Protecting the environment from the oily street runoff that pollutes Orange County's beaches.
• Mitigating freeway impacts by protecting open space while streamlining the permitting process.

Education

LocationOC.com stresses the role of a diverse and well-educated workforce supported by leading universities, community colleges and top ranked high schools.

High Schools

• Newsweek Magazine’s 2013 list of America’s top high schools included 22 Orange County public high schools ranked in the top 100 in California. Included in the top five were Oxford Academy (California) in Cypress and Troy High School (California) in Fullerton.

Community Colleges

Community Colleges play a key role in Career Technical Education by offering expanded opportunities in STEM-related fields (science, technology, engineering, and math) as well as job training in high demand occupations such as public safety, nursing and other health-related careers, and information technology.
List of community colleges:

• Coastline Community College
• Golden West College
• Irvine Valley College
• Orange Coast College
• Saddleback College
• Santa Ana College

Universities

Orange County is home to some of the nation’s best universities:

• University of California, Irvine, ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top 50 universities in the nation. As the 4th most selective University of California campus, UCI is recognized for its nationally ranked UC Irvine Medical Center and graduate programs including the Paul Merage School of Business and the Henry Samueli School of Engineering. The Times Higher Education in 2013 ranked UCI 5th among global universities under 50 years old, and 1st among U.S. universities under 50 years old.

• California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) was founded in 1957. As the largest school in the California State University system and the second largest university in California, CSUF ranked 31st in the 2013 U.S. News & World Report among top Regional Universities (West). CSUF is nationally recognized for its graduate programs, most notably the Nursing-Anesthesia program, ranked No. 22 by the U.S. News & World Report. Contributing over $1 billion to the California and local Orange County economy, CSUF sustains nearly 9,000 jobs in the state of California.

• Chapman University ranks sixth in the U.S. News & World Report of the Best Regional Universities (West). Chapman University is nationally recognized for its School of Law, which has been ranked in the top 150 Best Law Schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

• Brandman University was been named No. 8 in the 2013 Best Online Undergraduate Programs by U.S. News & World Report, and is the only California institution ranked in the Top Ten, surpassing all privates and public schools in California. Brandman’s online student services ranked No. 12 out of over 200 schools by the U.S. News & World Report.

• Concordia University (California) has been ranked No. 66 in Best Colleges in Regional Universities (West) by U.S. News & World Report and recognized as a “Top Tier” school in Regional Universities (West) of Best Colleges by the U.S. News Media Group.

• Vanguard University of Southern California, established in 1920, is a private university of liberal arts and professional studies located in Costa Mesa, California. Vanguard University ranks No. 10 in Best Regional Colleges (West) by U.S. News & World Report. It is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and was ranked by The Princeton Review a “Best in the West” College in 2012 and by Forbes magazine in their 2013 list of “America’s Best Colleges”.

Economic Data

The site provides links to economic indicators and forecasts in regards to issues relevant to the business community. It also provides facts and figures compiled by the Center for Demographic Research at Cal State Fullerton. In addition, LocationOC.com makes available to the public a myriad of Economic Development strategies and a Workforce Housing Scorecard.

Economic Indicators and Forecasts

The Orange County Economic Indicators Dashboard 10 provides a series of snapshots of the various issues important to Orange County's workers and business community, including:

• Population, employment and business trends
• Housing and infrastructure statistics
• Healthcare and social services data

Workforce and Community Indicators

• The Orange County Workforce Indicators Report 11 analyzes and showcases the real accomplishment the County's workforce system and business community have achieved, as well as reflect on the challenges yet to be addressed in developing a skilled workforce for the future.

• The 2013 Orange County Community Indicators Report 12 Presented by the Children and Families Commission, County of Orange, and OCBC, serves as an ongoing and dynamic measurement tool that supports local and regional initiatives concerned with the well-being of the county.

Workforce Housing Scorecard

The 2012 Workforce Housing Scorecard 13 examines and analyzes key current and projected workforce housing trends in order to provide a preview of where Orange County is headed in terms of workforce housing and how it will impact demographic, economic, and business competitiveness factors.

Economic Development Strategy

The Orange County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy 14 (CEDS) provides the roadmap for government and the nonprofit community to collaborate more effectively in ensuring Orange County's quality of life is available to everyone. It also helps for the county to understand the needs and ensure that collaboration occurs with Orange County municipalities.

Quality of Life

LocationOC.com highlights the quality of life possible in Orange County. It emphasizes Orange County as home to world class amusement parks, shopping, entertainment, recreation, dining, open space, arts and culture.

Public Safety

Orance County has the nation's lowest overall crime rate. Over the past 10 years, reported crime in Orange County dropped 20%, or an average of approximately 2% each year.

Outdoor Recreation

With over 42 miles of coastline, Orange County is often referred to as the “California Riviera.” Some of Orange County's natural beauties are Sunset Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, San Clemente, and Laguna Beach. The OC also has many regional and wilderness parks.

Arts and entertainment

Orange County is home to the world famous Disneyland Resort, the Angel Stadium, and the Honda Center. In addition, OC is enriched by museums such as the Muzeo and performing arts groups as the Pacific Symphony Orchestra.

Shopping

Orange County enjoys grand shopping centers such as South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island.

Housing

LocationOC.com understands that a diverse housing market is critical to the long-term economic prosperity. From executive housing to entry-level homes and apartments, Orange County offers a wide variety of residential options in order to meet the housing needs of its businesses. Helping to fuel Orange County’s diverse housing supply, the Irvine Company, FivePoints Communities, and Rancho Mission Viejo will add thousands of new housing options to Orange County in the coming years.

External links

• Location OC Website
• 20+ reasons to do business with Orange County
• Center of Demographics at Cal State Fullerton
• Annual Economic Forecasta: October 2012
• Mid-Year Economic Forecast: April 2013
• 2013 Orange County and Southern California International Trade Forecast
• 2012 Orange County Workforce Housing Scorecard