Population 83,872 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Mission Viejo
Household size in Mission Viejo
| Period | Mission Viejo | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.85 | 3.14 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.88 | 3.20 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.89 | 3.16 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.82 | 3.01 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | −0.13 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Mission Viejo holds 2.82 people, more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Still, the typical household here is smaller than in the Los Angeles area as a whole, where it has 3.01 people. Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the southwest.
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 Mission Viejo
| Period | Mission Viejo | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.9 | 35.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.9 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.9 | 38.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.4 | 39.5 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.5 | +4.0 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Mission Viejo skews older: half of its residents are older than 46.4, 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 41.9 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 Mission Viejo
| Period | Mission Viejo | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 14.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.7% | 14.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 12.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.6% of households in Mission Viejo, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 1.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Mission Viejo has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of California cities.
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 Mission Viejo
Renters in Mission Viejo
| Period | Mission Viejo | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.0% | 48.8% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.5% | 50.8% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.4% | 51.4% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.9% | 51.6% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +2.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Mission Viejo is largely a place of homeowners: only 21.9% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 24.2% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 1.9 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Mission Viejo
| Period | Mission Viejo | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 7.0% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.8% | 6.7% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 6.6% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 6.7% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.4% of homes in Mission Viejo are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. That is in line with the rest of the Los Angeles area. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged up 0.6 points, 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 Mission Viejo
| Period | Mission Viejo | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1965 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1966 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1969 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Mission Viejo was built around 1981, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the wider Los Angeles area, where the median home dates to 1969. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the west.
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 Mission Viejo
| Period | Mission Viejo | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,830 | $1,328 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,900 | $1,415 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,679 | $1,755 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,066 | $2,279 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,236 | +$951 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Mission Viejo costs $3,066 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,236 a month since 2006–10, up 68%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 33.3% 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 north and lowest in the southwest.
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 Mission Viejo
Bachelor's degrees in Mission Viejo
| Period | Mission Viejo | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.6% | 29.7% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 45.9% | 30.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 49.3% | 33.7% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 52.3% | 37.6% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.7 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Mission Viejo is highly educated: just over half of adults 25 and older (52.3%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 7.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the northwest.
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 Mission Viejo
| Period | Mission Viejo | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.6% | 76.7% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.4% | 77.7% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.2% | 80.0% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.0% | 82.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | +5.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Mission Viejo is above the national rate: 94.0% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged down 0.6 points, even as the national rate rose.
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 Mission Viejo
| Period | Mission Viejo | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 10.6% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.2% | 5.8% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 6.7% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Mission Viejo is close to the national rate: 5.2% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is lower than in the wider Los Angeles area (6.7%). Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Mission Viejo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mission Viejo | 2.82 | 46.4 | 5.6% | 21.9% | 5.4% | 1981 | $3,066 | 52.3% | 94.0% | 5.2% |
| Lake Forest | 2.88 | 41.1 | 6.5% | 31.5% | 5.8% | 1983 | $2,880 | 46.9% | 93.0% | 4.8% |
| Laguna Hills | 2.74 | 42.6 | 9.8% | 34.6% | 8.4% | 1984 | $2,806 | 54.0% | 94.0% | 5.9% |
| Rancho Santa Margarita | 2.77 | 39.8 | 6.1% | 32.0% | 4.6% | 1992 | $2,930 | 51.7% | 94.9% | 3.5% |
| Laguna Woods | 1.51 | 74.1 | 2.7% | 27.9% | 13.9% | 1971 | $2,385 | 51.8% | 95.9% | 5.8% |
| Coto de Caza | 3.03 | 46.5 | 4.7% | 7.4% | 3.9% | 1994 | $3,297 | 66.7% | 98.7% | 3.2% |
| Ladera Ranch | 3.19 | 36.3 | 12.4% | 25.9% | 7.2% | 2006 | $3,278 | 67.8% | 98.0% | 3.6% |
| Aliso Viejo | 2.61 | 40.4 | 7.1% | 43.2% | 5.5% | 1996 | $2,839 | 57.8% | 95.9% | 4.3% |
| Trabuco Canyon | 2.85 | 46.2 | 4.6% | 14.4% | 5.4% | 1992 | $3,268 | 55.8% | 96.8% | 4.2% |
| Foothill Ranch | 3.09 | 39.2 | 8.6% | 26.5% | 5.6% | 2006 | $3,058 | 69.1% | 97.9% | 4.3% |
| Top-of-the-World | 2.98 | 43.2 | 8.3% | 8.0% | 1.2% | 1997 | $2,950 | 75.6% | 98.2% | 2.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Denver, CO · Dallas, GA · Davenport, IA · Denham Springs, LA · Cumming, GA · Dale City, VA · Des Moines, IA · Delray Beach, FL · Decatur, GA · Denton, TX
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 Mission Viejo. 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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