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The county is famous for its tourism, the home of such attractions as Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm, as well as several beaches along more than forty miles of coastline. It is often portrayed in the media as an affluent and politically conservative region. Whereas most population centers in the United States tend to be identified by a major city, there is no defined urban center to Orange County. It is mostly suburban, except for some traditional downtown areas such as those of Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine, Huntington Beach, and Fullerton. There are also several city-style developments such as the South Coast Metro and Newport Center. Thirty-four incorporated cities are located in Orange County; the newest is Aliso Viejo, which was incorporated in 2001. Anaheim is the oldest, incorporated in 1870 when the region was still part of neighboring Los Angeles County.

The population of Riverside County is estimated at 1,651,698. Large numbers of Los Angeles workers have moved to the county in recent years to take advantage of relatively affordable housing. Alongside neighboring San Bernardino County, it is one of the fastest growing parts of the Inland Empire. In addition, smaller, but significant, numbers of people have been moving into southern Riverside County from the San Diego metropolitan area. The cities of Temecula and Murrieta account for 20% of the increase in population of Riverside County between 2000 and 2007. The famous resorts of the Coachella Valley, such as Indian Wells, La Quinta, Rancho Mirage, Palm Springs and Palm Desert, are located in Riverside County. Indio is the center of an important date-growing region.

The major population centers are the Los Angeles Basin and the San Fernando and San Gabriel Valleys. Moderate populations are in the Santa Clarita, Crescenta and Antelope Valleys. The county is home to 88 incorporated cities and many unincorporated areas. This county holds most of the principal cities encompassing the Greater Los Angeles Area. As of 2004, the county's population was larger than the individual populations of 42 states considered separately and is home to over a quarter of all California residents. According to the United States Conference of Mayors, if Los Angeles County were a nation, it would boast a GDP among the twenty largest countries in the world. Los Angeles County is similar in land area to the state of Connecticut and in population to the state of Michigan, and is home to internationally famous areas such as Beverly Hills, Bel-Air, Malibu, Hollywood and Santa Monica.

The mountains are home to the San Bernardino National Forest, and include the communities of Crestline, Lake Arrowhead, Running Springs, Big Bear City, Forest Falls, and Big Bear Lake. The San Bernardino Valley is at the eastern end of the San Gabriel Valley, and is part of the Inland Empire. The San Bernardino Valley includes the cities of Ontario, Chino, Chino Hills, Upland, Fontana, Rialto, Colton, Grand Terrace, Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino, Loma Linda, Highland, Redlands, and Yucaipa. The Inland Empire area of Southern California is made up of the southwestern portion of San Bernardino County and western portion of Riverside County.

The region is comprised of nine incorporated cities - Cathedral City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells, Indio, La Quinta, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, and Rancho Mirage - accounting for a total population of 603,032. State projections estimate that the valley's population will pass 600,000 by the year 2020 and 1.1 million by 2066. The popular resort and golfing community of Palm Springs sits at the northwest end of the valley. Unincorporated areas and towns include Bermuda Dunes and Thousand Palms in the west end of the valley, with Indio Hills, Sky Valley, North Palm Springs, and Garnet along the northern rim and Thermal, Valerie Jean, Vista Santa Rosa, Oasis, and Mecca to the southeast. A retirement and vacation haven throughout the area's history, the Coachella Valley attracts senior citizens and the affluent. A large percentage of residents are age 65 or older.

San Diego County lies just north of the Mexican border—sharing a border with Tijuana—and lies south of Orange County. It is home to miles of beaches, a mild Mediterranean climate and 16 military facilities hosting the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, and the United States Marine Corps. North San Diego County is known locally as "North County"; the exact geographic definitions of "North County" vary, but it includes the northern suburbs such as Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Cardiff-by-the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, La Jolla, and sometimes certain northern neighborhoods of the city of San Diego. The eastern suburbs are collectively known as "East County", though most still lie in the western third of the county, and include Poway, Santee, San Marcos, and El Cajon. The southern suburbs and southern detached portion of the city of San Diego, extending to the Mexican border, is collectively referred to as "South Bay", and include Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, and San Ysidro.