City comparison
Brea, CA is about 20 miles (30 km) from Lakewood, CA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 20 miles, or about 20 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Brea, CA to Lakewood, CA takes about 2 min, covering roughly 20 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Lakewood has a population of 81,499, vs 47,099 in Brea — about 1.7× larger by population. By land area, Brea covers about 13 sq mi vs 9.4 sq mi for Lakewood.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Brea | Lakewood | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,218/mo | $2,233/mo | 0.7% higher in Lakewood |
| Median home value | $834,600 | $695,200 | 20.1% higher in Brea |
| Median household income | $120,226 | $113,030 | 6.4% higher in Brea |
| Groceries index | 106.4 | 106.4 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 155.6 | 155.6 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 104.4 | 104.4 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 104.3 | 104.3 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Brea, you'd need $100,036 in Lakewood to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Brea and Lakewood have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Brea, you'd need about $80,029 in Lakewood to keep the same standard of living.