Mission Viejo, CA
Census place 0648256 · pop 92,151
One of the largest master-planned communities ever built, and home of the Nadadores swim club that has sent athletes to every Olympics since 1976.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$1,009,600 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
100/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$3,070/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-3.5% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
16 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
54 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
27 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
3.7% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities
1193 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.41 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities
99 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
15.4% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
20.0% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
76.9% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
5.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
52.1% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.58% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
5.8% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
8.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$136,123 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
97.0% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
23.5% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
Frequently asked
- Is Mission Viejo, CA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Mission Viejo scores 53/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is adult obesity and its weakest is housing cost. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Mission Viejo, CA?
- Mission Viejo reports 99 violent crimes per 100k and 1193 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Mission Viejo, CA expensive to live in?
- Mission Viejo has a median home value of $1,009,600 and typical rent around $3,070/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Mission Viejo, CA?
- Its weakest measured area is housing cost ($1,009,600) — 4/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Mission Viejo, CA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is adult obesity (23.5%) — 95/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: One of the largest master-planned communities ever built, and home of the Nadadores swim club that has sent athletes to every Olympics since 1976.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.