San Clemente and Mission Viejo 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 | San Clemente | Mission Viejo | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 63,273 | 92,151 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $140,062 | $136,123 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $78,623 | $61,910 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,447/sq mi | 5,218/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,398,400 | $1,009,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,460 | $2,839 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.5% | 76.9% | 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 | 53.8% | 52.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.8% | 5.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 19 | 5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -59.6% | -50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 31 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.0 min | 28.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.6 | 45.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.59 | 22.16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 36.4% | 40.1% | 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
San Clemente
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, wildfire, inland flooding.
Mission Viejo
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
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Full profiles: San Clemente, CA · Mission Viejo, CA · How this is calculated: methodology