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The Best Industrial & Warehouse Space in Orange County, CA

Where to find industrial and warehouse space across Orange County, from Santa Ana and Anaheim's larger, lower-cost options to Irvine and San Clemente's higher-end R&D and lab-industrial product.

Aerial view of industrial and warehouse buildings in Orange County, California
The best cities in Orange County for industrial and warehouse space, from lower-cost options in Santa Ana and Anaheim to higher-end R&D and lab-industrial product in Irvine and San Clemente.

Orange County pairs a coastal, laid-back identity with a genuinely diverse industrial base: commerce-driven inland cities, a well-established tech and life-sciences corridor in the south, and a long manufacturing history stretching from action-sports apparel to aerospace. That mix means the right industrial or warehouse space depends heavily on which city you're looking at.

Below is a breakdown of eight Orange County cities worth considering, along with what kind of industrial and warehouse product each one tends to offer.

Quick Answer

Santa Ana and Anaheim offer the most industrial volume and the most cost-efficient pricing. Huntington Beach and Tustin have a strong mix of larger and mid-size options. Irvine and San Clemente carry higher-end, climate-controlled space built for R&D and lab-industrial tenants. Costa Mesa and Orange fill in with smaller-footprint, drive-in-door product suited to small and midsize businesses.

Costa Mesa

Sitting at the intersection of several interstates between the coast and the county's industrial core, Costa Mesa mixes vibrant neighborhoods, a retail center in South Coast Plaza (reported at nearly $2 billion in annual revenue as of a 2017 estimate), and a manufacturing base concentrated in electronics, pharmaceuticals, and plastics, particularly in the southwestern part of the city. The action-sports industry has long been associated with Costa Mesa, home to companies including Hurley, Volcom, RVCA, and Vans.

Industrial and warehouse options: Costa Mesa is geared toward smaller industrial space suited to small and midsize businesses. Most available space uses drive-in doors rather than dock-high loading, with office parking in front and warehouse space in back. Clearance heights typically run 16 to 18 feet, making it a fit for companies that need a combination of office and warehouse with drive-up loading rather than heavy distribution.

Huntington Beach

Known worldwide for its beaches and surf culture, Huntington Beach also anchors a real aerospace and defense presence. Boeing's Huntington Beach campus is now the company's primary Southern California site for space programs, employing an estimated 3,500 people on work including the SLS Exploration Upper Stage and Starliner spacecraft. Cambro Manufacturing, an international food-service equipment company, also runs manufacturing operations within city limits.

Industrial and warehouse options: Huntington Beach carries roughly an 80/20 split of industrial to office space, more distribution-oriented product, some dock-high availability, and several larger big-box options. It also tends to run more affordable than several neighboring coastal cities.

Santa Ana

One of the county's oldest cities and among the most densely populated in the country, Santa Ana sits centrally within Orange County with direct or adjacent access to the 5, 22, 55, and 57 freeways, plus proximity to John Wayne Airport.

Industrial and warehouse options: Santa Ana consistently offers some of the county's more affordable industrial pricing, with a heavier industrial tenant mix than neighboring cities and landlords generally more accommodating to a wider range of uses. A stronger power grid and less office buildout make it an appealing choice for small and midsize companies that need more industrial-oriented space without paying for finish they don't need.

Tustin

Just two miles north of John Wayne Airport and bisected by the I-5, 55, and 57, Tustin covers over 11 square miles in Central Orange County and includes a retail district built on the former grounds of Tustin Air Force Base.

Industrial and warehouse options: Tustin offers a wide range of sizes, from roughly 1,000 square feet up to 100,000 square feet or more. Existing tenants span industrial, flex (a combination of office and warehouse), and service-oriented uses, making it a workable fit for everything from professional services to light manufacturing.

Orange

Home to nearly 140,000 residents, the City of Orange sits at the "Orange Crush," where the 5, 22, 55, and 57 freeways converge within a mile of each other. It also hosts several of the county's largest medical employers, including UCI Medical Center, St. Joseph Hospital, and CHOC.

Industrial and warehouse options: Industrial space in Orange falls in the medium price range for the region. Inventory skews older, but the city's central location within North and Central Orange County keeps demand steady among established industrial users, and several auto-zoned areas are also available.

Anaheim

Anaheim is best known as the home of the Disneyland Resort, along with Angel Stadium and the Honda Center. Tourism drives much of the city's economy: a 2015 OC Register-cited study put the resort's annual economic contribution to Southern California at roughly $5.7 billion.

Industrial and warehouse options: Despite the tourism concentration, Anaheim offers a wide range of larger industrial spaces, generally on land priced lower than neighboring cities, which keeps space cost-efficient for bigger footprints. Proximity to the 405 and several other freeways also makes it a practical choice for companies that need to move product in and out of the region.

San Clemente

Set on the coast between Los Angeles and San Diego, San Clemente pairs Spanish Colonial architecture with a surprising concentration of manufacturing and life-sciences companies. ICU Medical, the infusion-therapy device maker, remains headquartered here. Stance, the sock and apparel brand, is also still based in San Clemente, though it was acquired by Marquee Brands in late 2025 and has since shifted from a direct retail model toward licensing. Cameron Health, a defibrillator maker once headquartered here, was acquired by Boston Scientific back in 2012; manufacturing for its S-ICD device has continued in the city since. DealerSocket, a longtime San Clemente software company, moved its headquarters to Texas after being acquired by Solera in 2021 and is no longer based locally.

Industrial and warehouse options: San Clemente skews toward higher-end, pricier industrial product, with a focus on modern, climate-controlled facilities that include HVAC and R&D or lab space, well suited to medical device and life-sciences tenants rather than standard distribution users.

Irvine

A master-planned city between the county's more industrial north and pricier south, Irvine sits close to the 405, 5, John Wayne Airport, and a network of toll roads. It's consistently rated among the top cities in the country for startup activity, anchoring much of the county's broader tech economy.

Industrial and warehouse options: Like San Clemente, Irvine offers higher-end industrial parks with HVAC and ample lab space, making it a popular choice for medical-sciences and technology companies that need modern, R&D-ready inventory rather than basic warehouse product.

Looking for industrial or warehouse space in Orange County?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which Orange County cities have the most industrial and warehouse space?

Santa Ana and Anaheim carry the most volume and the widest price range. Huntington Beach runs closer to an 80/20 split of industrial to office space. Tustin and Orange offer a broad mix of sizes. Irvine and San Clemente lean toward higher-end, climate-controlled space built for R&D and lab-industrial uses.

Where should a company look for cheaper industrial space in Orange County?

Santa Ana and Anaheim typically offer the most cost-efficient industrial product in the county, with Santa Ana benefiting from a stronger power grid and less built-out office finish, and Anaheim offering lower land costs for larger footprints.

Which Orange County cities are best for R&D or lab-industrial space?

Irvine and San Clemente both offer higher-end industrial parks with HVAC and lab-ready buildouts, making them popular with medical device, biotech, and technology companies that need more than standard warehouse space.

How does TenantBase help with an Orange County industrial or warehouse search?

TenantBase matches tenants with a local tenant-rep broker who knows the specific submarket, from clearance heights and dock-high availability to zoning restrictions, at no direct cost to the tenant in most U.S. markets.

Ready to find industrial or warehouse space in Orange County? Get matched with a local broker, or join TenantBase as a partner broker.