What Is the ORA Score?
The ORA Score is a 0–100, monthly-updated, unbiased resident experience metric for an apartment community, based on real renter feedback from 13+ review sites across 22 operational categories.
What Is the ORA Score?
Formal Definition: The ORA Score
The ORA Score is a 0–100, monthly-updated, unbiased resident experience metric for an apartment community. It summarizes real renter reviews into a single number and resident experience signals so renters can compare apartment communities more confidently.
What Does the ORA Score Tell You?
The ORA Score reflects overall resident experience patterns across the topics renters mention most, organized into 22 operational categories. It is designed to help you evaluate what a tour often cannot show:
How consistent follow-through is after move-in
How responsive communication tends to be
Whether maintenance feels reliable over time
How day-to-day life is described by residents
The ORA Score reflects patterns, not one-off opinions.
Why the Month and Year Matter
Resident experience changes. That is why ORA updates monthly and why ORA Scores are referenced with a month and year. If you are comparing communities, always compare ORA Scores from the same month and year.
The ORA app shows the most current ORA Score in comparison to the national average and whether it is trending up or down. It does not display the month and year.
Reviews are the raw input. ORA® is the standardized monthly interpretation.
What Does a Strong ORA Score Mean?
A strong ORA Score indicates avoidance of sustained negative reviews in critical resident experience categories within the last 6–12 months, suggesting a more predictable resident experience relative to the National Average ORA Score benchmark. Even strong scores can have opportunity areas worth verifying.
What If an ORA Score Is Near the National Average Benchmark?
Scores near the National Average ORA Score benchmark can still represent a strong fit. Context matters. That is why ORA pairs the score with strengths and opportunities, so you can see what is driving the number.
What If an ORA Score Is Below the National Average Benchmark?
A below-average ORA Score may reflect repeated patterns that deserve slower verification before signing. It does not automatically mean a community is a poor choice. It means you should look at strengths and opportunities carefully and verify what matters most to you.