Lake Forest and Santa Ana receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Lake Forest
Santa Ana
Opportunity
63 · Top 35%
vs54 · Bottom 46%
Growth
29 · Bottom 15%
vs46 · Bottom 43%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
12 · Bottom 7%
vs12 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
54 · Bottom 13%
vs43 · Bottom 6%
Access
88 · Bottom 37%
vs96 · Top 33%
Economic stability
71 · Top 27%
vs65 · Top 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Lake Forest | Santa Ana | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 86,281 | 312,534 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $135,175 | $93,999 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $60,633 | $30,222 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,162/sq mi | 11,416/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $937,000 | $713,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,672 | $2,082 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.5% | 44.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.8% | 18.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.5% | 10.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 38 | 312 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -45.7% | 88.0% | 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 | 28 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.5 min | 26.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.2 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 64 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 24.29 | 20.54 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 48.8% | 84.6% | 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
Lake Forest
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Santa Ana
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Lake Forest
59
Your Score
54
Area Score
Santa Ana
59
Your Score
53
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lake Forest, CA · Santa Ana, CA · How this is calculated: methodology