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Living in
Laguna Niguel.
About
Life in Laguna Niguel
Laguna Niguel is a solidly affluent, mature suburb built around the idea of planned-community living—think manicured neighborhoods with names like Coronado Pointe and Palmilla, connected by a network of arterial roads that don't follow a grid. The median home value sits at $1.1 million and median household income at $140,605, so this is decidedly an upper-middle-class enclave. Most of the workforce commutes 26 minutes or so to jobs up north in Irvine, Newport Beach, and other Orange County centers, though the jobs that do exist locally cluster in service industries.
Laguna Niguel at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
47.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.4%
Foreign-Born
25.8%
Broadband Internet
96.5%
of households
Population Growth
-0.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics25.8% foreign-born, most often from Iran
Who lives in Laguna Niguel: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Laguna Niguel, the largest foreign-born group is from Iran (25.6%), and 10.7% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
17.9%
of residents
65 and Older
22.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
23.5%
of households
Married Couples
56.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.48
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 43% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Laguna Niguel
In Laguna Niguel, rent runs 43% above the CA average, and home values are 62% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
55.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
31.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
113.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$7,206
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
67.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1986
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $1,493,093 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.4 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Laguna Niguel and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Laguna Niguel is 1.4 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Laguna Niguel Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area
Commute25.9 min avg
How Laguna Niguel residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Laguna Niguel, most residents drive alone to work (63%), and 63% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 14 mi
John Wayne Orange County International Airport (SNA)
Medium hub5.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 50 mi
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Major hub36.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 65% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Laguna Niguel runs 65% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
113.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
650.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Laguna Niguel Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 16 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
99.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Orange County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Orange County, which includes Laguna Niguel, the most common type is high wind, with 16 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | Heavy Rain | $40,000 |
| 2024 | 25 | High Wind | $30,000 |
| 2023 | 37 | High Wind | $50,000 |
| 2022 | 42 | High Wind | $60.0M |
| 2021 | 40 | High Wind | $952,000 |
| 2020 | 30 | High Wind | $105,000 |
| 2019 | 33 | High Surf | $125,500 |
| 2018 | 23 | High Surf | $20,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
147 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Orange County, county-wide
Laguna Niguel is about 2% of Orange County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality53 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Orange County, which includes Laguna Niguel, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
53
Good Days
138
per year
Moderate Days
214
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Orange County, county-wide
Laguna Niguel is about 2% of Orange County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate79°F summers, 44°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Laguna Niguel has mild summers (avg high 79°F) and mild winters (avg low 44°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
72°/51°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
79°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
77°/54°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
68°/44°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
12.7"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
4
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
1
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
31
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°F | 44°F | 2.78" |
| Feb | 68°F | 45°F | 3.39" |
| Mar | 69°F | 48°F | 1.62" |
| Apr | 73°F | 50°F | 0.80" |
| May | 75°F | 55°F | 0.20" |
| Jun | 76°F | 58°F | 0.11" |
| Jul | 80°F | 60°F | 0.11" |
| Aug | 81°F | 61°F | 0.02" |
| Sep | 81°F | 59°F | 0.16" |
| Oct | 77°F | 55°F | 0.49" |
| Nov | 72°F | 49°F | 1.13" |
| Dec | 67°F | 44°F | 1.87" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Laguna Niguel
Uninsured
3.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Laguna Niguel's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Aliso Ridge Behavioral Health, Llc
Psychiatric · 2.8 mi away · Aliso Viejo
Providence Mission Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.2 mi away · Mission Viejo
Children's Hospital at Mission
Childrens · ER available · 3.2 mi away · Mission Viejo
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education21.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Laguna Niguel
Laguna Niguel's student/teacher ratio is 21.5:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 59.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
6
within city limits
College Degree Rate
59.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
21.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Laguna Niguel (within 15 miles)
University of California-Irvine
11.5 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 30,197 students · in-state tuition $16,235 · 88% graduate · median earnings $83,432 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 17,684 students · in-state tuition $1,156 · 29% graduate · median earnings $51,222 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 10,286 students · in-state tuition $1,156 · 33% graduate · median earnings $53,719 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Massachusetts Global
4 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 4,491 students · in-state tuition $12,560 · 56% graduate · median earnings $68,286 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 4-year · 2,643 students · 63% graduate · median earnings $67,293 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 4-year · 2,363 students · in-state tuition $18,558 · 43% graduate
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail, 37 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Laguna Niguel
Laguna Niguel has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (37 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
37 mi awayCabrillo National Monument
National Monument
65 mi awaySanta Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
73 mi awayPublic Libraries in Laguna Niguel
Laguna Niguel Branch Library
30341 Crown Valley Parkway, Laguna Niguel
Cities Near Laguna Niguel
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Laguna Niguel?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Laguna Niguel FAQ
Is Laguna Niguel, California affordable?⌄
Laguna Niguel's median rent is $2,903/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $140,452/year. Median home value is $1,190,900.
Is Laguna Niguel, California safe?⌄
Laguna Niguel's violent crime rate was 114 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 651 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Laguna Niguel, California?⌄
Laguna Niguel has an unemployment rate of 4.1%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Laguna Niguel, California?⌄
The cost of living in Laguna Niguel is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,903/month and median household income is $140,452/year. The median home value is $1,190,900. About 55% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Laguna Niguel, California?⌄
The average commute in Laguna Niguel is 26 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from