Mission Viejo and Santa Clarita 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
Measured values
| Metric | Mission Viejo | Santa Clarita | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 92,151 | 230,221 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $136,123 | $123,062 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $61,910 | $51,072 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,218/sq mi | 3,127/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,009,600 | $784,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,839 | $2,544 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.9% | 71.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.1% | 39.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.6% | 7.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 5 | 263 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -50.0% | -45.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 49°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.2" | 13.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 31 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 37.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.5 | 38.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 23 | 44 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.16 | 24.31 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 40.1% | 40.2% | 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
Mission Viejo
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Santa Clarita
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Your best match
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Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Mission Viejo, CA · Santa Clarita, CA · How this is calculated: methodology