Population 63,980 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Laguna Niguel
Household size in Laguna Niguel
| Period | Laguna Niguel | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.61 | 3.14 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.64 | 3.20 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.61 | 3.16 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.59 | 3.01 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | −0.13 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
At 2.59 people per household, Laguna Niguel sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is smaller than in the Los Angeles area as a whole, where it has 3.01 people. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the east.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Laguna Niguel
| Period | Laguna Niguel | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.9 | 35.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.0 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.1 | 38.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.5 | 39.5 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.6 | +4.0 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Laguna Niguel skews older: half of its residents are older than 47.5, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 42.9 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Laguna Niguel
| Period | Laguna Niguel | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 14.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 14.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.1% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in twelve households in Laguna Niguel (9.1%), below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 2.0 points, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Laguna Niguel
Renters in Laguna Niguel
| Period | Laguna Niguel | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.1% | 48.8% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.7% | 50.8% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.1% | 51.4% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 30.8% | 51.6% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.7 pts | +2.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Laguna Niguel own their homes; 30.8% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 29.3% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the east and least common in the south. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 6.7 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Laguna Niguel
| Period | Laguna Niguel | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 7.0% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 6.7% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.4% | 6.6% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 6.7% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Laguna Niguel than nationally: 7.8%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The picture is much the same across the Los Angeles area. Vacancy has edged up 1.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Laguna Niguel
| Period | Laguna Niguel | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1985 | 1965 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1966 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1985 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1969 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Laguna Niguel are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1986, versus 1980 across the U.S. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the southwest.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Laguna Niguel
| Period | Laguna Niguel | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,793 | $1,328 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,835 | $1,415 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,526 | $1,755 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,103 | $2,279 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,310 | +$951 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Laguna Niguel pays $3,103 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,310 a month from 2006–10, a 73% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 34.6% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the west and lowest in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Laguna Niguel
Bachelor's degrees in Laguna Niguel
| Period | Laguna Niguel | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 54.0% | 29.7% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 54.7% | 30.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 54.1% | 33.7% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 60.3% | 37.6% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.3 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Laguna Niguel: 60.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 6.3 points, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Laguna Niguel
| Period | Laguna Niguel | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.2% | 76.7% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.1% | 77.7% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.1% | 80.0% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.5% | 82.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | +5.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Laguna Niguel: 96.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has edged down 0.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose. Laguna Niguel has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of California cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Laguna Niguel
| Period | Laguna Niguel | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 10.6% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 5.8% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.4% | 6.7% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Laguna Niguel: 7.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. The picture is much the same across the Los Angeles area. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Laguna Niguel compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laguna Niguel | 2.59 | 47.5 | 9.1% | 30.8% | 7.8% | 1986 | $3,103 | 60.3% | 96.5% | 7.4% |
| San Juan Capistrano | 2.84 | 42.8 | 6.8% | 19.9% | 7.3% | 1993 | $2,916 | 49.5% | 92.0% | 3.8% |
| Aliso Viejo | 2.61 | 40.4 | 7.1% | 43.2% | 5.5% | 1996 | $2,839 | 57.8% | 95.9% | 4.3% |
| Dana Point | 2.32 | 48.2 | 8.7% | 38.0% | 15.8% | 1980 | $3,126 | 59.3% | 96.5% | 3.8% |
| Ladera Ranch | 3.19 | 36.3 | 12.4% | 25.9% | 7.2% | 2006 | $3,278 | 67.8% | 98.0% | 3.6% |
| Laguna Beach | 2.15 | 53.4 | 4.5% | 33.0% | 19.7% | 1965 | $3,134 | 69.7% | 97.3% | 4.9% |
| Laguna Hills | 2.74 | 42.6 | 9.8% | 34.6% | 8.4% | 1984 | $2,806 | 54.0% | 94.0% | 5.9% |
| Top-of-the-World | 2.98 | 43.2 | 8.3% | 8.0% | 1.2% | 1997 | $2,950 | 75.6% | 98.2% | 2.1% |
| Capistrano Beach | 2.38 | 48.5 | 6.6% | 38.2% | 14.3% | 1974 | $2,799 | 50.7% | 95.4% | 4.4% |
| Laguna Woods | 1.51 | 74.1 | 2.7% | 27.9% | 13.9% | 1971 | $2,385 | 51.8% | 95.9% | 5.8% |
| Mission Viejo | 2.82 | 46.4 | 5.6% | 21.9% | 5.4% | 1981 | $3,066 | 52.3% | 94.0% | 5.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Bay City, MI · Decatur, AL · Little Elm, TX · Pottstown, PA · La Habra, CA · Jefferson City, MO · Hickory, NC · Grove City, OH · Eden Prairie, MN · Cupertino, CA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Laguna Niguel. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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