92653 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
92629
92653
Opportunity
64 · Top 31%
vs61 · Top 38%
Growth
31 · Bottom 18%
vs37 · Bottom 29%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 7%
vs11 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
36 · Bottom 4%
vs45 · Bottom 9%
Access
84 · Bottom 26%
vs87 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 43%
vs68 · Top 34%
Measured values
| Metric | 92629 | 92653 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,579 | 29,624 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $142,807 | $133,194 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $87,443 | $67,451 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,056/sq mi | 4,277/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,347,700 | $1,063,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,113 | $2,745 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.4% | 69.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.5% | 54.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 8.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 21 | 7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 16.7% | 250.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 49°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.2" | 11.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.4 min | 27.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 48.0 | 41.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.02 | 22.77 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 42.9% | 55.3% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
92629
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
92653
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 92629 — Dana Point, CA · 92653 — Laguna Hills, CA · How this is calculated: methodology