How The ORA® Score Is Calculated

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.

The High Level Methodology

ORA® is designed to be trustworthy and renter-friendly. It provides transparency without turning the process into technical scoring talk.

At a high level, ORA®:

Weights recent reviews more heavily
Accounts for review volume, lifetime star ratings, and review content
Evaluates the rate of complaints and compliments across 22 operational categories renters mention most
Considers relative performance by review site, including trustability and bias
Contextualizes performance based on apartment community details

Example

ORA^® Score

February 2026

A monthly-updated resident experience score based on real renter feedback, designed to help renters compare apartment communities with more confidence.

Strengths:

Maintenance
Cleanliness
Communication

Opportunities:

Parking, Noise

Why ORA® Uses Categories

Renters experience apartment living in moments:

A maintenance request
A billing question
A noise concern
A communication exchange
A shared space that feels cared for, or ignored

Using categories helps reveal consistency across the resident experience topics that shape day-to-day quality of life.

A simple review average can miss the why. Two apartment communities can have similar star ratings but very different lived experience patterns.

Reviews are the raw input. ORA^® is the standardized monthly interpretation.

Why The ORA® Score Updates Monthly

Resident experience changes over time.

Monthly updates help ensure the ORA® Score reflects current patterns rather than distant history.

Even strong scores can have opportunity areas worth verifying.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about the ORA Score

How transparent is ORA® about how the score is created?

ORA® is transparent about what it uses and what it returns: real renter feedback from 13+ review sites and related sources, 22 operational categories, an updated ORA® Score, and strengths and opportunities for context.

The scoring approach is designed to keep the ORA® Score consistent, unbiased, and reliable over time.

Does ORA® name specific review sites?

ORA® is based on 13+ review sites and related sources. ORA® is designed to stay renter-friendly and not overload you with source-by-source details. The ORA App previews the most recent review sites that contributed reviews to the current score.