South Bay families, often coming from Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Palo Alto, and similar cities, tend to be comparing Orange County directly against what a similar budget buys in Silicon Valley.
What a similar budget buys
Depending on the specific South Bay city, an equivalent Orange County budget can go noticeably further in square footage and lot size, particularly in inland cities like Irvine, Tustin, or Anaheim Hills.
Schools and family fit
South Bay families researching school districts closely will find Irvine and similarly master-planned OC cities set up with the same priorities in mind.
What South Bay transplants ask about most
Job market diversification beyond tech, commute options, and which OC cities have a similar community feel to what they're leaving.