Signals
Rancho Mission Viejo
Santa Clarita
Opportunity
62 · Top 37%
vs46 · Bottom 28%
Climate
93 · Top 4%
vs96 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
12 · Bottom 7%
vs11 · Bottom 4%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 26%
vs54 · Bottom 14%
Access
82 · Bottom 25%
vs97 · Top 23%
Economic stability
75 · Top 16%
vs72 · Top 24%
Measured values
| Metric | Rancho Mission Viejo | Santa Clarita | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,971 | 230,221 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $192,813 | $123,062 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $86,989 | $51,072 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 317/sq mi | 3,127/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,110,100 | $784,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,501 | $2,544 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.9% | 71.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.9% | 39.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 2.7% | 7.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 80°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 38 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.7 min | 37.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.4 | 38.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 44 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 24.78 | 24.31 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 18.6% | 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
Rancho Mission Viejo
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Santa Clarita
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
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
Santa Clarita
58
Your Score
49
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Rancho Mission Viejo, CA · Santa Clarita, CA · How this is calculated: methodology