CotodeCazaCALM, 2005
Coto de Caza’s story
Coto de Caza in pictures
Census counts: 2,853 in 1990, 14,710 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 5 maps from 1948 on.
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Coto de CazaCA
15,190 people call this town in California home.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Don Ramey Logan · CC BY 4.0
Population
15,190
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$1.98M
+2.8% in a year
Household income
$244K
median
Median age
45.7
years
Jobs based here
1,151
A commuter town
TownGrade
B+
#75 of 841 in CA
Is Coto de Caza a good place to live?
Coto de Caza’s best grade is for health (A+): it is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns. The catch is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $2.0 million, 20.6 years of the Los Angeles metro’s $96K median household income. All told, that adds up to a B+ overall, better than 72% of U.S. towns. It ranks 75th of 841 in California. The town has 1 place on the National Register. The biggest place to walk is Thomas F. Riley Wilderness Park, 545 acres with 5.9 miles of trail. 67% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in the town, against 29% in California’s towns and 29% across U.S. towns.
Figures: health, CDC PLACES · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · National Register of Historic Places · OpenStreetMap.
What makes Coto de Caza stand out
Where Coto de Caza beats most towns.
Get outside
22 miles of trails in Coto de Caza
18.7% of the town is conserved land, across 3 parks and preserves.
2
Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park0.9 mi of trails · 102 acres
3
Cypress Point Park0.1 mi of trails · 3 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
How Coto de Caza grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Coto de Caza is from typical.
Its grades run from A+ for jobs and income (better than 96% of comparable towns) to D− for cost of living (better than 3%), so the B+ overall blends very different results.
Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesD−Open →Jobs & income$244K median household incomeA+Open →HealthProvidence Mission Hospital 5.2 miles awayA+Open →SchoolsAmong the best of the towns comparedAOpen →Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.3 of 20; 1.2% of households have no car; 1.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 87° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market$1.98M typical home, up 2.8% in a year; 59 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 45.7–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 266 attractions →Disneyland and 80 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Coto de Caza. Close and well known come first.
Big draw24 mi Theme parkDisneyland17.4M visitors a year
Big draw29 mi Theme parkKnott's Berry Farm4.3M visitors a year
Big draw24 mi Theme parkDisney California Adventure10.1M visitors a year
Big draw22 mi Stadium & arenaAngel Stadium of Anaheim
22 mi Stadium & arenaHonda Center
Big draw39 mi MuseumOldest McDonald's restaurantSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Disneyland: HarshLight from San Jose, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 · Knott's Berry Farm: Phydend at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Disney California Adventure: CrispyCream27, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Angel Stadium of Anaheim: Staff Sgt. Chad McMeen, Public domain · Honda Center: Arnold C (Buchanan-Hermit), Attribution · Oldest McDonald's restaurant: Northwalker, CC0
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Getting set up
Moving to Coto de Caza: who provides what
Coto de Caza is unincorporated, so Orange County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerSDG&E45.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSanta Margarita Water DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesOrange CountyOrange County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereOrange County Registrar of VotersOrange County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code9267992679 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Coto de Caza.
Coto de Caza has less no health insurance than most of California and has milder winter nights than nearly all U.S. towns, but it has homes that cost more against local pay than most of California.
HousingCost of living grade D−
Compared with most of California and the rest of the country, more of Coto de Caza’s households live in a home they own
At 20.6 years of the Los Angeles metro’s $96K median household income, the typical home (about $1.98M) costs more against local pay than in 97% of California towns; that ratio is one input to its D− for cost of living. Home values rose 47% in five years, to about $1.98M, against 13% across California.
Values rose 2.8% in the 12 months to September 2026. The going rate for rent for Coto de Caza comes to $3,501 a month. Homes in Coto de Caza sold for 97.1% of their list price on average.
$1.98MZillow home value
| Coto de Caza | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $3,501 a month | $1,895 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 93% | 64% | 73% |
Typical home value
Coto de Caza$1.98M
California$762K
Market temperature
59
days on market
97.1%
sale-to-list price
+2.8%
value change, 1 year
17
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsA
Public schools in Coto de Caza beat 88% of California districts
Its A for schools comes with a D− for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $1.98M.
The Capistrano Unified school district runs its public schools. Its one school is below. 441 students attend Coto de Caza’s public school.
88%of CA districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wagon Wheel ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 441 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
OutdoorsA+
In Coto de Caza, 18.7% of the land is conserved
Trails run 22 miles in 3 parks and preserves. The density of trails in Coto de Caza is 2.8 miles per square mile.
#93for trails in CA
18.7%
conserved · 932 of 4,986 acres
22 mi
of trails · 2.8 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Thomas F. Riley Wilderness Park | 5.9 mi | 545 |
| 2. Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park | 0.9 mi | 102 |
| 3. Cypress Point Park | 0.1 mi | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthA+
For health, Coto de Caza earns an A+
Its widest gap with California is no health insurance: 3.5% of those 18–64 have no health insurance, against 10.6% statewide. Against the 478 U.S. towns with household incomes like Coto de Caza’s, it is less healthy than 77%: its national edge comes with its incomes.
In Coto de Caza, 16% of adults get no exercise outside work. Nearly a quarter of Coto de Caza adults have obesity.
96%healthier than U.S. townsA+Health Grade
| Coto de Caza | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 29% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 7% | 11% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 24% | 25% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. California
22 better9 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Coto de Caza | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 3.5% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 6.9% | 17.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.1% | 6.4% |
Providence Mission Hospital
5.2 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
91st
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
In Coto de Caza, the median household income runs higher than in the typical California or U.S. town
Coto de Caza has 1,151 jobs for its 6,030 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. Jobs based here grew from 799 in 2013 to 1,151.
The share of residents in Coto de Caza who live below the poverty line: 3%. Commuting out is the norm here: 5% of working residents work locally. For Coto de Caza, the average commute is 32 minutes. Employers in Coto de Caza added 352 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 1,151.
5%work in town
| Coto de Caza | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $244,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 3% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 32 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.9% | 6.6% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Coto de Caza5%
Irvine15%
Los Angeles6%
Mission Viejo5%
Rancho Santa Margarita5%
18 mi
median commute distance
1,151
jobs based in Coto de Caza
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 44% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
The biggest natural risk in Coto de Caza is inland flooding, at a high overall level
On expected storm and flood damage, Coto de Caza sits above 77% of U.S. communities. Expected losses in Coto de Caza break down as 44% from inland flooding and 35% from wildfires. Also worth knowing: this California town has had 5 paid flood insurance claims since 1998.
77risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfireEarthquakes
5
paid flood claims since 1998
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Mild winters and pleasant summers: that is Coto de Caza’s year
January nights average 46.9°, milder than in 97% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 84.6°.
Snow almost never falls. The town’s January low is 47°F.
87°summer high
| Coto de Caza | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 47°F | 40°F | 22°F |
| July high | 85°F | 89°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter46–67°
Spring50–72°
Summer60–84°
Fall56–79°
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
87°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Coto de Caza
18pages on Coto de Caza
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
6 within 15 miles of the center of Coto de Caza
Saddleback CollegeCommunity college · Public · Mission Viejo5.5 mi$1,156 in-state tuitionUniversity of Massachusetts GlobalUniversity or college · Public · Aliso Viejo8.2 mi$12,540 in-state tuitionSoka University of AmericaUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Aliso Viejo9.1 mi$38,728 tuition
About 10 of every 100 Coto de Caza residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A commuter town
95% of working residents leave Coto de Caza for work
Where Coto de Caza’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,151jobs based in Coto de Caza
5%of working residents work in town
18 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Coto de Caza
Place in California, United States
Coto de Caza (KOH-toh deh KAH-zuh; Spanish for "hunting reserve") is a census-designated place (CDP) and guard-gated private community in Orange County, California, United States. The population was 14,710 at the 2020 census. The CDP is a suburban planned community of about 4,000 homes and one of Orange County's oldest and most expensive master-planned communities. The project began in 1968, when it was envisioned as a hunting lodge, now the Lodge at Coto de Caza, and the community was completed in 2003. Coto de Caza also includes Los Ranchos Estates, a 355-acre rural community of 75 large custom homes. Los Ranchos Estates is a separate private community behind the gates of Coto de Caza and…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 7.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 709 ft
- Area code
- 949
Coto de Caza’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Coto de Caza.
Rancho Mission ViejoRancho Santa MargaritaCoto de Caza
How the neighbors grade
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coto de Caza | #75 | B+ | D− | — | A | A+ |
| Rancho Mission Viejo | #122 | B | D− | — | A | A+ |
| Rancho Santa Margarita | #36 | A− | D− | A− | A | A |
Coto de Caza and Rancho Mission Viejo report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Coto de Caza with a neighbor →
Questions about Coto de Caza
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Coto de Caza, CA a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Coto de Caza grades B+ overall, better than 72% of U.S. towns and #75 of 841 in California. It grades A+ for health and A for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Coto de Caza, CA expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D−.