Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
For most people who can afford it, yes. Laguna Woods grades B overall, ranked 153rd of 841 in California. It is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 87% of U.S. towns. Its schools rank ahead of 81% of California towns and crime is low: it reports less per resident than 77% of U.S. towns. The trade-off is money: homes are expensive, about $459K for a typical one and 4.8 times the Los Angeles metro’s $96K median household income. 83% of residents are 65 or older in Laguna Woods, where California’s towns sit at 16% and U.S. towns at 18%. Among 847 California towns, just 1 have a higher median age than Laguna Woods. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 80% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top.
Where Laguna Woods beats most towns.
Where Laguna Woods’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Laguna Woods is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 16,507 in 2000, 17,644 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2013 and 4 maps from 1948 on.
Explore the history →Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Laguna Woods. Close and well known come first.
Big draw17 mi Theme parkDisneyland17.3M visitors a year
Big draw22 mi Theme parkKnott's Berry Farm4.5M visitors a year
Big draw33 mi MuseumUSS Iowa
Big draw16 mi Stadium & arenaAngel Stadium of Anaheim
Big draw17 mi Theme parkDisney California Adventure10.1M visitors a year
16 mi Stadium & arenaHonda CenterDisneyland: HarshLight from San Jose, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 · Knott's Berry Farm: Phydend at English Wikipedia, Public domain · USS Iowa: PH1 Jeff Hilton, Public domain · Angel Stadium of Anaheim: Staff Sgt. Chad McMeen, Public domain · Disney California Adventure: CrispyCream27, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Honda Center: Arnold C (Buchanan-Hermit), Attribution
Who provides power, water and the rest in Laguna Woods, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Laguna Woods.
Laguna Woods reports less crime than Aliso Viejo or any other graded neighbor, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has milder winter nights than nearly all U.S. towns.
Its A− for schools comes with a D for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $459K.
Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Geneva School PrivateLargest elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 135 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
3.9 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves. The trail density in Laguna Woods is 1.2 miles per square mile. James Dilley Greenbelt Preserve, at 228 acres with 2.5 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. James Dilley Greenbelt Preserve | 2.5 mi | 228 |
| 2. Aliso Creek Park and Wildlife Sanctuary | 0.5 mi | 14 |
| 3. Laguna Coast Wilderness Park | — | 228 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its typical home is the least expensive on its borders; Aliso Viejo is next at $992K. 75.7% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 55.3% across California.
Laguna Woods’ median rent is $2,328 a month. The typical Laguna Woods home is worth about $459,000, up 3.9% in a year, 40% below the California typical home. 76% of renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent in Laguna Woods.
| Laguna Woods | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 76% | 55% | 48% |
| Median rent | $2,328 a month | $1,895 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 72% | 64% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its A− tops all 4 graded towns on its borders; Aliso Viejo (B+) comes closest. At 9.3 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 96% of California’s graded towns.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
One flood insurance claim has been paid in Laguna Woods since 1983.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The average commute for its 5,343 working residents takes 19.8 minutes, against 28.7 across California.
Most working residents leave Laguna Woods for work: only 4% work in town. 21% of Laguna Woods workers work from home. The top destinations are Irvine (11%), Los Angeles (7%) and Laguna Hills (4%).
| Laguna Woods | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 21% | 14% | 11% |
| Median household income | $59,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 10% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
January nights average 47.6°, milder than in 98% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 80.8°.
Laguna Woods has warm winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Laguna Woods | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 48°F | 40°F | 22°F |
| July high | 81°F | 89°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Against the 8,734 U.S. towns with household incomes like Laguna Woods’s, it is healthier than 85%, so its B isn’t only a matter of income. All 4 graded neighbors score healthier than its B, from Laguna Hills (A) to Irvine (A+).
Of the 847 California towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Laguna Woods. Laguna Woods beats the California average on 19 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. Only 10 of the 847 California towns we compare have a lower share of adults who feel lonely than Laguna Woods.
| Laguna Woods | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 29% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 9.1% | 17% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 5.1% | 16% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 35% | 36% |
| What stands out | Laguna Woods | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 3.6% | 14.9% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 2.1% | 7.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 19.4% | 6.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
19 within 15 miles of the center of Laguna Woods
About 2 of every 100 Laguna Woods residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
City in California, United States
Laguna Woods (luh-GOO-nuh; laguna being Spanish for 'lagoon') is a city in Orange County, California, United States. The population was 17,644 at the 2020 census, up from 16,192 at the 2010 census, with a median age of 74.5 (as of 2021). Laguna Woods became Orange County's 32nd city on March 24, 1999, after local residents voted to incorporate. About ninety percent of the city consists of Laguna Woods Village, a private gated retirement community, formerly known as Leisure World. The other ten percent consists of businesses, some homes, and the city hall, which are accessible to the public. Incorporation efforts in the late 1990s were largely driven by the need for residents to have a stron…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
4 towns share a border with Laguna Woods.
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laguna Woods | #153 | B | D | A− | A− | B |
| Aliso Viejo | #47 | A− | D− | B+ | A | A |
| Laguna Hills | #158 | B | D− | B− | A− | A |
| Irvine | #74 | B+ | D− | B− | A | A+ |
| Laguna Beach | #86 | B+ | D− | C+ | A | A |
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
For most people who can afford it, yes. Laguna Woods grades B overall, better than 57% of U.S. towns and #153 of 841 in California. It grades B for health, A− for safety and A− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D.
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