Orange County Retail Market Report
By CREhunt Research · Data through Q2 2026 · Aggregated from Cushman & Wakefield, Kidder Mathews, JLL
Quarterly retail market indicators for Orange County, aggregated by CREhunt from Cushman & Wakefield, Kidder Mathews, JLL. As of Q2 2026, average asking rent was $30.96/SF/yr and vacancy was 4.5%, per Cushman & Wakefield.
Projected current retail pricing — Orange County
Modeled estimate (income approach) shown as a range — not an appraisal. No market-specific cap rate is published for Orange County retail yet, so this applies the typical cap rate across comparable retail markets — treat it as a rough, indicative range that sharpens as sourced cap rates arrive. Projected asking rent × occupancy × net-operating-income margin band ÷ a benchmark cap rate, from Q2 2026 multiple brokerages asking-rent data (benchmark cap rate 6.1%–7.2%, asking rent held flat). Assumes ~92% occupancy (vacancy not reported) and a 65–82% net-operating-income margin.
| Quarter | Asking rent | Vacancy | Net absorption | Under constr. | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q2 2026 Cushman & Wakefield | $30.96/SF/yr | 4.5% | 330K SF | 1 SF | Cushman & Wakefield |
| Q2 2026 Kidder Mathews | $32.64/SF/yr | 3.8% | 241K SF | 284K SF | Kidder Mathews |
| Q4 2025 Cushman & Wakefield | $30.24/SF/yr | 3.2% | — | — | Cushman & Wakefield |
| Q2 2025 Cushman & Wakefield | $31.20/SF/yr | 3.2% | -157K SF | — | Cushman & Wakefield |
| Q2 2025 JLL | $39.17/SF/yr | 4.0% | -195K SF | — | JLL |
Retail asking rents by submarket
The newest asking rent a named brokerage's report published for each Orange County retail submarket, with its publisher and quarter. Submarkets whose newest figure cannot be attributed, or falls outside a plausible range, are left out.
| Submarket | Asking rent | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Central County | $2.49/SF/mo Cushman & Wakefield · Q2 2026 | Cushman & Wakefield, Q2 2026 |
| Community | $2.54/SF/mo Cushman & Wakefield · Q2 2026 | Cushman & Wakefield, Q2 2026 |
| Greater Airport Area | $5.07/SF/mo Cushman & Wakefield · Q2 2026 | Cushman & Wakefield, Q2 2026 |
| Lifestyle | $3.25/SF/mo Cushman & Wakefield · Q2 2026 | Cushman & Wakefield, Q2 2026 |
| Neighborhood | $2.48/SF/mo Cushman & Wakefield · Q2 2026 | Cushman & Wakefield, Q2 2026 |
| North County | $2.30/SF/mo Cushman & Wakefield · Q2 2026 | Cushman & Wakefield, Q2 2026 |
| Power | $1.98/SF/mo Cushman & Wakefield · Q2 2026 | Cushman & Wakefield, Q2 2026 |
| Regional | $3.00/SF/mo Cushman & Wakefield · Q2 2026 | Cushman & Wakefield, Q2 2026 |
| South County | $2.93/SF/mo Cushman & Wakefield · Q2 2026 | Cushman & Wakefield, Q2 2026 |
| Strip | $2.83/SF/mo Cushman & Wakefield · Q2 2026 | Cushman & Wakefield, Q2 2026 |
| West County | $2.40/SF/mo Cushman & Wakefield · Q2 2026 | Cushman & Wakefield, Q2 2026 |
How the brokerage sources compare
For Q2 2026, the brokerages CREhunt aggregates for Orange County retail did not fully agree. On vacancy, the sources span 0.7 points — from 3.8% (Kidder Mathews) to 4.5% (Cushman & Wakefield). Asking-rent estimates differ by $1.68/SF/yr — from $30.96/SF/yr to $32.64/SF/yr. CREhunt reconciles these into a single consensus median rather than relying on any one brokerage.
| Source | Vacancy | Asking rent | Cap rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kidder Mathews | 3.8% | $32.64/SF/yr | — |
| Cushman & Wakefield | 4.5% | $30.96/SF/yr | — |
Per-brokerage figures for Q2 2026, aggregated from published brokerage market reports.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average asking rent for retail space in Orange County?
- As of Q2 2026, the average asking rent for retail space in Orange County was $30.96/SF/yr, per Cushman & Wakefield.
- What is the retail vacancy rate in Orange County?
- The retail vacancy rate in Orange County was 4.5% as of Q2 2026 (Cushman & Wakefield).
- Where does CREhunt's Orange County market data come from?
- This report aggregates quarterly retail market data for Orange County from Cushman & Wakefield, Kidder Mathews, JLL.
- How much do brokerage estimates differ for retail space in Orange County?
- For Q2 2026, the brokerage sources CREhunt aggregates for Orange County did not fully agree. On vacancy, the sources span 0.7 points — from 3.8% (Kidder Mathews) to 4.5% (Cushman & Wakefield). Asking-rent estimates differ by $1.68/SF/yr — from $30.96/SF/yr to $32.64/SF/yr. CREhunt reconciles these into a single consensus median rather than relying on any one brokerage.