Census-designated place · California
Rancho Mission Viejo, California
Rancho Mission Viejo, census-designated place, in Orange County, California. Rancho Mission Viejo had 11,971 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±1,063). GEOID 0659503.
Residents, 2020-2024
11,971
±1,063 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 10,378
Median household income
$192,813
±$21,874 (90% margin)
California: $99,122
Median home value
$1,110,100
±$57,557 (90% margin)
California: $734,700
Median gross rent
$3,500 or more
The survey's top or bottom value; no margin is published
California: $2,036
Where is Rancho Mission Viejo and what county is it in?
Rancho Mission Viejo is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Orange County, California. It covers 37.8 square miles of land, 274 residents per square mile in 2020.
Rancho Mission Viejo is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Rancho Mission Viejo, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Rancho Mission Viejo's population at 11,971 (±1,063). The 2020 Census counted 10,378 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Rancho Mission Viejo is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Rancho Mission Viejo | Orange County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 11,971 ±1,063 | 3,165,820 | – |
| Households | 4,576 ±312 | 1,082,960 | – |
| Average household size | 2.62 ±0.16 | 2.87 | – |
| Housing units | 4,971 ±357 | 1,146,169 | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Rancho Mission Viejo?
The median resident of Rancho Mission Viejo is 37.4 years old; 28.9% are under 18 and 17.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 71.5%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 12.9%. 15.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Rancho Mission Viejo | Orange County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.4 ±2.0 | 39.4 | – |
| Under 18 years | 28.9% ±2.9 pts | 21.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.7% ±3.2 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Male | 43.4% ±3.2 pts | 49.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7.6% ±3.3 pts | 34.2% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 71.5% ±5.6 pts | 36.9% | – |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.4 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 12.9% ±4.2 pts | 22.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 7.2% ±3.4 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.5 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 15.5% ±3.9 pts | 30.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 19.4% ±4.6 pts | 46.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.2% ±1.4 pts | 3.5% | – |
| With a disability | 5.7% ±1.5 pts | 9.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.1% ±4.2 pts | 6.4% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 98.3% ±1.5 pts | 87.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 62.9% ±5.5 pts | 44.1% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 26.2% ±3.9 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.6% ±4.9 pts | 88.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.8% ±4.5 pts | 1.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Rancho Mission Viejo earn?
Half of Rancho Mission Viejo's 4,576 households earn less than $192,813 a year (±$21,874), against $116,289 in Orange County and $99,122 in California. 2.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Rancho Mission Viejo | Orange County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $192,813 ±$21,874 | $116,289 | – |
| Mean household income | $227,524 ±$21,656 | $156,759 | – |
| Per capita income | $86,989 ±$7,917 | $54,557 | – |
| People below the poverty line | 2.7% ±1.3 pts | 9.5% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 2.7% ±1.9 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 99.8% ±0.3 pts | 97.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 98.3% ±1.4 pts | 95.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Rancho Mission Viejo?
Owners occupy 75.9% of Rancho Mission Viejo's occupied homes and renters 24.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $1,110,100 by its owner (±$57,557). The median renter pays $3,500 or more a month including utilities, and 57.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Rancho Mission Viejo | Orange County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $1,110,100 ±$57,557 | $962,600 | – |
| Median gross rent | $3,500 or more | $2,434 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 57.0% ±12.4 pts | 47.0% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $4,000 or more | $3,385 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 75.9% ±4.9 pts | 56.4% | – |
| Renter-occupied homes | 24.1% ±4.9 pts | 43.6% | – |
| Housing units | 4,971 ±357 | 1,146,169 | – |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.6% ±3.1 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.6% ±8.5 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 54.1% ±5.5 pts | 49.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 10.2% ±3.6 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 84.9% ±3.9 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.7% ±2.9 pts | 4.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Rancho Mission Viejo work and get to work?
55.3% of Rancho Mission Viejo's workers drive alone and 35.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 29.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.1%.
| Measure | Rancho Mission Viejo | Orange County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 67.9% ±4.8 pts | 65.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% ±2.0 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 55.3% ±7.6 pts | 67.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.9% ±5.2 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 35.5% ±5.9 pts | 18.5% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 29.0 min ±2.6 | 26.7 min | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Rancho Mission Viejo?
1 census tract lies mostly in Rancho Mission Viejo, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 320.66Orange County | 9,328 | $190,549 |
| Tract 320.61Orange County | 5,945 | $189,091 |
| Tract 320.65Orange County | 5,372 | $230,542 |
| Tract 320.64Orange County | 2,712 | $141,250 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Rancho Mission Viejo) · Census block assignment files
How does Rancho Mission Viejo compare with other places in California?
Rancho Mission Viejo ranks 77th of 1,037 places in California with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 453rd | 1,076 |
| Residents per square mile | 956th | 1,077 |
| Median household income | 77th | 1,037 |
| Per capita income | 118th | 1,073 |
| Median home value | 184th | 1,054 |
| Median gross rent | 1st | 987 |
| Poverty rate | 832nd | 836 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 134th | 988 |
| Median age | 666th | 1,075 |
| Owner-occupied share | 321st | 1,064 |
| Work from home | 65th | 822 |
| Travel time to work | 442nd | 1,069 |
Rancho Mission Viejo's figures with every place in California (CSV)
Every place in California, sortable · Compare Rancho Mission Viejo with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Rancho Mission Viejo?
15 of the 57 figures for Rancho Mission Viejo on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Rancho Mission Viejo are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.