The Town FilesAliso Viejo, California
City in Orange County · population 52,176 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $917,900
- Household income
- $142,439
- Jan low / Jul high
- 44° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 39.2
Aliso Viejo is a city of 52,176 people in Orange County, California. The median home is worth $917,900, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more of a college town than 97% of California towns, better for young professionals than 96% of California towns, more upscale than 87% of California towns.
How Aliso Viejo ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Aliso Viejo is worth $917,900, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.4 times the median household income of $142,439, which is more affordable than 50% of California towns. Median rent is $2,854 a month. 56.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Aliso Viejo | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $917,900 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,854 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $142,439 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.4× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 56.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Aliso Viejo
| People | Aliso Viejo | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.2 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.8% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57.6% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.1% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 25.4% | — |
| Work from home | 26.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 25.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.3% | 93.3% |
Weather in Aliso Viejo
July highs average 79.5°F and January lows 44.2°F. About 12.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Aliso Viejo since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on November 11, 1997 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 11, 1997.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on September 10, 2011.
Severe weather in Orange County since 1996
Orange County has been included in 43 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, chemical.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 16, 2026 | Fire | FM-5679: Norte Fire |
| May 25, 2026 | Chemical | EM-3646: Chemical Release |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| May 12, 2022 | Fire | FM-5439: Coastal Fire |
Jobs and pay in Orange County
Orange County had 1,661,276 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $81,403 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Aliso Viejo itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Public schools in Aliso Viejo
8 public schools with 7,066 students, about 22.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aliso Niguel High | 9-12 | 2,608 | 22.3 |
| Don Juan Avila Middle | 6-8 | 891 | 21.7 |
| Aliso Viejo Middle | 6-8 | 799 | 20.5 |
| Don Juan Avila Elementary | K-5 | 675 | 26.0 |
| Journey (charter) | K-8 | 591 | 24.6 |
| Oak Grove Elementary | K-5 | 584 | 24.3 |
| Canyon Vista Elementary | K-5 | 508 | 23.1 |
| Wood Canyon Elementary | K-5 | 410 | 24.1 |
Towns near Aliso Viejo
- Laguna Hills, CA2.0 mi · 31,374 people · home $1,012,300
- Laguna Woods, CA2.3 mi · 17,644 people · home $394,600
- Laguna Beach, CA3.1 mi · 23,032 people · home $2,000,001
- Laguna Niguel, CA3.8 mi · 64,355 people · home $1,190,900
- Mission Viejo, CA4.7 mi · 93,653 people · home $1,009,600
- Ladera Ranch, CA5.4 mi · 26,170 people · home $1,151,000
- Lake Forest, CA6.1 mi · 85,858 people · home $937,000
- Las Flores, CA6.1 mi · 5,995 people · home $1,119,100
Aliso Viejo questions
Is Aliso Viejo, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Aliso Viejo scores better for retirees than 48% of California towns and quieter than 9%. 11.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.2).
How much does a house cost in Aliso Viejo?
The median owner-occupied home in Aliso Viejo is valued at $917,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $142,439, so homes cost about 6.4 times income. Median rent is $2,854 a month.
What is the weather like in Aliso Viejo?
July highs average 79.5°F and January lows 44.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Aliso Viejo get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Aliso Viejo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on November 11, 1997. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)