The Town FilesLake Forest, California
City in Orange County · population 85,858 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $937,000
- Household income
- $135,175
- Jan low / Jul high
- 49° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 40.2
Lake Forest is a city of 85,858 people in Orange County, California. The median home is worth $937,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more of a college town than 90% of California towns, better for young professionals than 88% of California towns, more vibrant than 83% of California towns.
How Lake Forest 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 Lake Forest is worth $937,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.9 times the median household income of $135,175, which is more affordable than 42% of California towns. Median rent is $2,672 a month. 70.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake Forest | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $937,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,672 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $135,175 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.9× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 70.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.0% | — |
Who lives in Lake Forest
| People | Lake Forest | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.2 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.8% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.8% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.5% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 27.4% | — |
| Work from home | 24.4% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.1% | 93.3% |
Weather in Lake Forest
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 48.6°F. About 13.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 62 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 Lake Forest since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on November 11, 1997 about 8.5 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 1.50 inches on March 6, 2000.
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 Lake Forest itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Lake Forest
11 public schools with 8,706 students, about 24.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Toro High | 9-12 | 1,972 | 22.2 |
| Foothill Ranch Elementary | K-6 | 1,065 | 27.3 |
| Ralph A. Gates DLI Magnet Elementary | K-6 | 908 | 29.3 |
| Serrano Intermediate | 7-8 | 887 | 22.2 |
| Lake Forest Elementary | K-6 | 688 | 22.9 |
| Rancho Canada Elementary | K-6 | 630 | 25.2 |
| La Madera Elementary | K-6 | 602 | 28.7 |
| Oxford Preparatory Academy - Middle (charter) | 6-8 | 536 | 24.4 |
| Oxford Preparatory Academy - Saddleback Valley (charter) | K-5 | 509 | 25.5 |
| Santiago STEAM Magnet Elementary | K-6 | 497 | 27.6 |
| Olivewood Elementary | K-6 | 412 | 21.7 |
Towns near Lake Forest
- Mission Viejo, CA3.3 mi · 93,653 people · home $1,009,600
- Laguna Woods, CA4.3 mi · 17,644 people · home $394,600
- Laguna Hills, CA4.6 mi · 31,374 people · home $1,012,300
- Rancho Santa Margarita, CA4.7 mi · 47,949 people · home $971,200
- Irvine, CA5.7 mi · 307,670 people · home $1,191,500
- Las Flores, CA5.8 mi · 5,995 people · home $1,119,100
- Aliso Viejo, CA6.1 mi · 52,176 people · home $917,900
- Coto de Caza, CA6.5 mi · 14,710 people · home $1,535,600
Lake Forest questions
Is Lake Forest, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake Forest scores better for retirees than 46% of California towns and quieter than 27%. 14.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.2).
How much does a house cost in Lake Forest?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake Forest is valued at $937,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $135,175, so homes cost about 6.9 times income. Median rent is $2,672 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake Forest?
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 48.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 13.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Lake Forest get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Forest 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)