Signals
Rancho Mission Viejo
Huntington Beach
Opportunity
62 · Top 37%
vs58 · Top 46%
Climate
93 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
12 · Bottom 7%
vs12 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 26%
vs39 · Bottom 4%
Access
82 · Bottom 25%
vs98 · Top 15%
Economic stability
75 · Top 16%
vs67 · Top 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Rancho Mission Viejo | Huntington Beach | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,971 | 195,240 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $192,813 | $120,919 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $86,989 | $64,102 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 317/sq mi | 7,236/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,110,100 | $1,100,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,501 | $2,510 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.9% | 55.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.9% | 49.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 2.7% | 7.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 80°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 38 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.7 min | 30.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.4 | 44.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 31 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 24.78 | 23.14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 18.6% | 41.4% | 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
Rancho Mission Viejo
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Huntington Beach
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.
Rancho Mission Viejo
65
Your Score
—
Area Score
Huntington Beach
59
Your Score
52
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Rancho Mission Viejo, CA · Huntington Beach, CA · How this is calculated: methodology