What to know when moving to Mission Viejo, CA
Crime & Safety: What the Numbers Say
In California, the annual violent crime rate is 415.5 per 100,000 residents, which is 27.7% higher than the national average of 325.3. Over the past three years, this rate has decreased by 17.4%. Property crime follows a similar trend with a rate of 1,764 per 100,000 residents, surpassing the national rate of 1,546.9 by 14% and showing a significant reduction of 26.1% since 2022.
- Violent crime: 415.5 per 100k (up from 352.3 in 2022)
- Property crime: 1,764 per 100k (down from 2,394.2 in 2022)
- Notable trend: Homicide rate down 44.9% since 2022, now at 3.2 per 100k
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer (state-level summarized data for California).
Schools & Higher Ed
Mission Viejo has a total of 9 postsecondary institutions, all located within Orange County. Among these, 8 are accessible with College Scorecard data.
- Saddleback College
- South Orange County Community College District
- Alliant International University-Irvine
- Concordia University-Irvine
- Irvine Valley College
- Laguna College of Art and Design
- Soka University of America
- University of Massachusetts Global
Source: ArcGIS Postsecondary School Locations (NCES) + College Scorecard (ED).
Weather & Getting Outside
Orange County receives about 15.6 inches of rain annually, spread over an average of 42 rainy days. Winters see the most precipitation at around 8.6 inches, while summers are quite dry with only 0.3 inches.
- O'Neill Regional Park - 4.6 stars (2,204 reviews)
- Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach - 4.6 stars (3,104 reviews)
- Marconi Automotive Museum - 4.7 stars (836 reviews)
- Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park - 4.7 stars (721 reviews)
- Niguel Botanical Preserve - 4.7 stars (775 reviews)
Source: NOAA Climate Data Online, Google Places.
Jobs & the Local Economy
In Orange County, the unemployment rate is currently 3.9%, with a labor force of 1,642,351 individuals. Approximately 1,578,358 people are employed in the area.
- Unemployment rate: 3.9% (December 2025)
- Labor force: 1,642,351
- Employed: 1,578,358
Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).