92688 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
92688
92691
Opportunity
62 · Top 34%
vs59 · Top 42%
Growth
8 · Bottom 1%
vs13 · Bottom 3%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 7%
vs11 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
66 · Bottom 30%
vs55 · Bottom 17%
Access
87 · Bottom 32%
vs86 · Bottom 31%
Economic stability
84 · Top 5%
vs77 · Top 16%
Measured values
| Metric | 92688 | 92691 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 43,320 | 45,841 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $152,528 | $141,045 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $65,019 | $59,357 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,277/sq mi | 5,223/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $906,100 | $985,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,651 | $2,692 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.9% | 77.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.4% | 47.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.2% | 5.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.1 | 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 | 30 mi | 31 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.3 min | 27.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.1 | 44.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 24.28 | 21.95 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 29.0% | 43.1% | 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
92688
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
92691
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 92688 — Rancho Santa Margarita, CA · 92691 — Mission Viejo, CA · How this is calculated: methodology