2025 Compare Cities Job Market:
Lake Forest, CA vs Costa Mesa, CA

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Highlights
- Job Growth in Costa Mesa has been positive.
- Costa Mesa has 0.1% more unemployment than Lake Forest.
- Costa Mesa job growth has increased by 0.1% in the past 10 years.
 Lake Forest, CACosta Mesa, CAUnited States
 Current Unemployment  Unlock5.5%6.0%
 Future Job Growth34.8%  Unlock33.5%
 Recent Job Growth  Unlock-9.6%-6.2%
 3 Yr. Job Growth-6.8%  Unlock-3.6%
 5 Yr. Job Growth  Unlock-6.7%-0.7%
 10 Yr. Job Growth7.2%  Unlock6.3%
Reviews for Lake Forest    16 Reviews

I've lived in Lake Forest for over a decade, before that elsewhere in OC and also up in LA. Lake Forest isn't perfect but it's really improved over the past decade,  More

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As a retired senior who has lived in Lake Forest (formerly El Toro) since 1977 I think LF is a great place if you can afford it. When we moved here in June '77 homes  More

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I’ve lived here for 2 years. Ok, it’s more like a 4 but there are so many idiots downplaying what it’s like here and giving Lake Forest ones and twos. There are a lot of  More

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Reviews for Costa Mesa    8 Reviews

Over 15 years ago

Costa mesa has awesome shopping but is way too crowded and I have had 3 cars stolen in the past 5 years along with countless break-ins and theft. Expensive. Close to  More

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Over 16 years ago

Costa Mesa has a near perfect climate . . . plenty of sun but rarely over 100 degrees (our house doesn't even have AC). Nestled between Newport Beach and Huntington  More

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We have a good amount of low-income, medium-income, and relatively high-income  More

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