City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Mission Viejo, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Mission Viejo - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

92,415
Residents
$136,071
Median income
$946,300
Median home
$3,236
Median rent (state)

Mission Viejo - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Mission Viejo lands in the 92nd percentile for household income and the 52nd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

92nd
percentile, household income
97th
percentile, home value
98th
percentile, median rent
52nd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Mission Viejo, CA

California's Mission Viejo is a small city, with 92,415 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Mission Viejo brings in $136,071 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 3.1%. Typical homes in Mission Viejo are valued around $946,300, and the median resident age is 46.1 years. Educational attainment runs 51.1% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 60.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 37 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Low Activity). Mission Viejo reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1285.4 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts California at 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Above Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $3,236 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Mission Viejo report an average commute of 21.8 minutes, with 69.8% driving alone and 20.0% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 99.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

92,415 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$136,071 /yr

Poverty 3.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Mission Viejo compare to other US cities?

Mission Viejo measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 92% higher than other cities
Home value 97% pricier than other cities
Median rent 98% pricier than other cities
Safety 52% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just California and the picture shifts: Mission Viejo ranks #110 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Mission Viejo's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in California, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

92ndIncome percentile
52ndSafety percentile

92nd percentile nationally for median household income · 52nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Mission Viejo's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Mission Viejo's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 49 Avg. percentile National median
Mission Viejo's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Mission Viejo's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$946,300 3rd percentile more affordable than 3% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Mission Viejo $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Mission Viejo, CA Mission Viejo, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Mission Viejo, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Mission Viejo, CA median $136,071/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Mission Viejo, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Mission Viejo, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 51.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
92,415
Median Income
$136,071
Median Home Value
$946,300
Median Age
46.1
Poverty Rate
3.1%
Labor force participation
60.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
51.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1285.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
99.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1186.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
22
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
90,000 residents91,000 residents92,000 residents93,000 residents94,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 93,459 residents 90,484 residents ▼ -3.2%
Mission Viejo's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Low Activity
Total Permits (2024)
37
housing units authorized
Single-Family
15
detached homes
Multifamily
22
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 39
2021 210
2022 65
2023 70
2024 37

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
21.8 minutes
Drive Alone
69.8%
Carpool
6.4%
Public Transit
0.5%
Walk
1.5%
Work from Home
20.0%
Other
1.8%

Based on 44,808 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Mission Viejo sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$3,236/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

South Gate
91,836 people
Chino
91,775 people
Redding
93,268 people
Santa Monica
91,535 people
Carson
93,523 people
Compton
93,525 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Mission Viejo's 92,415 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hoover, AL
92,401 people
Bellingham, WA
92,367 people
Roswell, GA
92,577 people
Mount Pleasant, SC
92,662 people
O'Fallon, MO
92,697 people
Fort Myers, FL
91,730 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Mission Viejo's $136,071 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Rutherford, NJ
$136,069 median income
Cape St. Claire, MD
$136,064 median income
Big Bend, WI
$136,042 median income
Peach Lake, NY
$136,136 median income
Pelican Marsh, FL
$136,141 median income
Greenwich, CT
$136,154 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Mission Viejo, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Mission Viejo, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 64.2% 14.4% 14.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 19.8% White 64.2% Black or African American 1.0% Asian 14.4% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 5.4% Two or more races 14.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Mission Viejo compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Mission Viejo (this city) 92,415 $136,071
South Gate 91,836 $71,315
Chino 91,775 $103,845
Redding 93,268 $69,443
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Mission Viejo, CA?

What is the population of Mission Viejo, CA? +

Mission Viejo, CA has a population of 92,415 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Mission Viejo, CA? +

In Mission Viejo, the typical household earns $136,071 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Mission Viejo? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Mission Viejo; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Mission Viejo, CA safe? +

Mission Viejo has a total crime rate of 1285.4 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Mission Viejo, CA? +

A typical home in Mission Viejo is worth $946,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.