What it's like to live in San Juan Capistrano
San Juan Capistrano is a small city in California with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. San Juan Capistrano deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
How San Juan Capistrano compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to San Juan Capistrano
Based on San Juan Capistrano's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,876
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $97,520 a year
- 46% of San Juan Capistrano renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$198,760
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $99,380
- Homes cost 7.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 73% above US
$2,438/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,438 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $993,800. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $993,800 · 46% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 16% below US
3.6% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.6%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 49% below US
169 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 712/100k · San Juan Capistrano Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
27 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 26.5 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 17% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 79°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 44°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 21% above US
43% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 43% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
15 public schools inside the boundary
There are 15 public schools inside the boundary and 10 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 25:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (36 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
San Juan Capistrano's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,438/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (17% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
See all the data for San Juan Capistrano →·All California cities →
Other places near San Juan Capistrano
All California guides →Moving to Dana Point →
3 mi away · pop. 32,790
Rent $3,106/mo · Income $141,520
Compare with San Juan Capistrano →Moving to Laguna Niguel →
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Compare with San Juan Capistrano →Moving to Ladera Ranch →
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Compare with San Juan Capistrano →Moving to San Clemente →
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