Is Rancho Mission Viejo, CA a Good Place to Live?
Rancho Mission Viejo is a small city of 10,697 in California, with a median household income of $176,000 and a 3.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 116 (US average = 100), which is 16% above the national average.
Strengths: Rancho Mission Viejo stands out for solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes. Whether Rancho Mission Viejo is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Rancho Mission Viejo city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 115.5Rancho Mission Viejo's overall cost of living index is 115.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Rancho Mission Viejo costs roughly 16% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Rancho Mission Viejo, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $979,900 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,746 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.9% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $176,000 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageRancho Mission Viejo's violent crime rate is 302.5 per 100,000 residents — 20% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Rancho Mission Viejo is served primarily by Capistrano Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23.0:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Rancho Mission Viejo, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Capistrano Unified | — |
| Elementary Schools | 36 | — |
| Middle Schools | 13 | — |
| High Schools | 9 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 23.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 98.1% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Rancho Mission Viejo sees average highs of 68.4°F in January and 79.5°F in July, with 15.2 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Rancho Mission Viejo, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 68.4°F |
| Average High — July | 79.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Rancho Mission Viejo, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,697 | — |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 31.1 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 73.1% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5.8% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 13.8% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 29.9% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 16.3% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Rancho Mission Viejo
Rancho Mission Viejo, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: