2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Lake Forest, CA vs Mission Viejo, CA

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Highlights
Are people in Mission Viejo older or younger than people in Lake Forest?
- The Median Age in Mission Viejo is 5.6 years older than in Lake Forest.

Are housing costs cheaper in Mission Viejo or Lake Forest?
- Mission Viejo housing costs are 0.7% more expensive than Lake Forest housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Mission Viejo or Lake Forest?
- The average commute for residents of Mission Viejo is 1.8 minutes longer than it is for residents of Lake Forest.

Things to do in Lake Forest?
Lake Forest, California markets itself as the ultimate Southern California lifestyle with numerous parks, shopping centers, and miles of trails giving visitors plenty of options for an active lifestyle.

Things to do in Mission Viejo?
Mission Viejo, California is a suburban city located in Orange County. It's peaceful atmosphere provides plenty of opportunities to explore attractions such as the Mission Viejo Mall and the OC Zoo at Irvine Park. After exploring, sample delicious food from eateries like Kabab House or Taste of India. With its many sights and exciting experiences, Mission Viejo is the perfect destination for an unforgettable vacation!

 Lake Forest, CAMission Viejo, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock93,932329,725,481
 Median Income$117,374  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock45.738.4
 Avg. Home Price$937,500  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock5.8%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time26  Unlock26.38
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 Mission Viejo    22 Reviews

Beautiful, but for the wealthy. If you make less than 150K, you won't be able to afford to live here. Even for Southern California, MV is off-the-chart expensive. A  More

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Over 12 years ago

Mission Viejo does not charge a business license tax for businesses located in the community and home-based businesses are allowed under current zoning laws as long as  More

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Please give me your advisese i need to know how is the best place to live near los angeles, safe, earthquakes, snakes, best schools, no racism, etc...,i don´t know  More

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