Lake Forest, CA

Census Place

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2023 Population

85,846

0.307% 1-year growth

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

US Senator

Adam Schiff

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

40.4

1% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

8.26%

13% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$131,378

2.35% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$876,300

4.72% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

45,730

0.742% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Lake Forest, CA had a population of 85.8k people with a median age of 40.4 and a median household income of $131,378. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Lake Forest, CA grew from 85,583 to 85,846, a 0.307% increase and its median household income grew from $128,358 to $131,378, a 2.35% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Lake Forest, CA are White (Non-Hispanic) (46.3%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (20.3%), Two+ (Hispanic) (10.3%), Other (Hispanic) (8.17%), and White (Hispanic) (5.88%).

None of the households in Lake Forest, CA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

88.8% of the residents in Lake Forest, CA are U.S. citizens.

In 2023, the median property value in Lake Forest, CA was $876,300, and the homeownership rate was 70.7%.

Most people in Lake Forest, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 25.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Lake Forest, CA was 2 cars per household.

United States California Orange County, CA Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Orange County (Northeast)--Lake Forest, Irvine (North) Cities & Silverado PUMA, CA Orange County (Central)--Irvine City (South) PUMA, CA Orange County (South Central)--Mission Viejo and Laguna Hills Cities PUMA, CA Orange County (Southeast)--Rancho Santa Margarita City & Ladera Ranch PUMA, CA

Population & Diversity

Lake Forest, CA is home to a population of 85.8k people, from which 88.8% are citizens. As of 2023, 27.3% of Lake Forest, CA residents were born outside of the country (23.4k people).

In 2023, there were 2.28 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (39.8k people) in Lake Forest, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 17.5k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 8.81k Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

88.8%

2023 Citizenship

88.7%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 88.8% of Lake Forest, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Lake Forest, CA was 88.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Lake Forest, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Lake Forest, CA

White (Non-Hispanic)
39.8k ± 1.47k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
17.5k ± 1.56k
Two+ (Hispanic)
8.81k ± 1.43k

25.6%

Hispanic Population

22k people

25.6% of the people in Lake Forest, CA are hispanic (22k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Lake Forest, CA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for California.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
3,899,021 ± 46,015 people
Philippines
824,230 ± 22,055 people
China
685,370 ± 20,148 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,899,021 California residents, followed by Philippines with 824,230 and China with 685,370.

Foreign-Born Population

27.3%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

23.4k people

26.8%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

22.9k people

As of 2023, 27.3% of Lake Forest, CA residents (23.4k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Lake Forest, CA was 26.8%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Lake Forest, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
827 ± 235
Gulf War (2001-)
502 ± 151
Gulf War (1990s)
343 ± 190

Lake Forest, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.65 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Lake Forest, CA employs 45.7k people. The largest industries in Lake Forest, CA are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (5,507 people), Manufacturing (5,476 people), and Retail Trade (5,263 people), and the highest paying industries are Finance & Insurance ($121,731), Information ($117,574), and Manufacturing ($110,100).

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $75,777. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.498, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

45.7k

2023 Value

± 1,827

−0.742%

1 Year decline

± 5.78%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Lake Forest, CA declined at a rate of −0.742%, from 46.1k employees to 45.7k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Lake Forest, CA, are Management Occupations (7,396 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (4,975 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (4,629 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Lake Forest, CA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in California (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

45.7k

2023 Value

± 1,827

−0.742%

1 Year decline

± 5.78%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Lake Forest, CA declined at a rate of −0.742%, from 46.1k employees to 45.7k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Lake Forest, CA, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (5,507 people), Manufacturing (5,476 people), and Retail Trade (5,263 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Lake Forest, CA, though some of these residents may live in Lake Forest, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$80,910

Median earning men ± $6,679

$54,057

Median earning women ± $4,262

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Public Administration ($150,625), Information ($142,132), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($129,276).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Manufacturing ($100,321), Construction ($92,594), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($80,859).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Y-Axis

2.57%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 17.9M people employed in California. This represents a 2.57% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in California.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Kamala Harris with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (38.3%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.25%).

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing the state of California. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Lake Forest, CA. Showing the available data for California.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (58.5%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (38.3%)
Republican Party
Robert Kennedy (1.25%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Kamala Harris with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (38.3%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.25%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in California for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Alex Padilla

Senator from California

Assumed office on January 20, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.

Adam Schiff

Senator from California

Assumed office on December 8, 2024
Elected to the seat to succeed Laphonza Butler, who had been appointed to the seat following the death of Dianne Feinstein.

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing California.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in California over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from California

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for California have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Measure

In 2022, 2.08% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 2.26% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were Some college (6.9M), High School or Equivalent (6.8M), and Bachelors Degree (6.36M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Lake Forest, CA was $876,300 in 2023, which is 2.89 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $836,800 to $876,300, a 4.72% increase. The homeownership rate in Lake Forest, CA is 70.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Lake Forest, CA have an average commute time of 25.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Lake Forest, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Lake Forest, CA is $131,378. In 2023, the place with the highest median household income in Lake Forest, CA was Census Tract 524.27 with a value of $184,026, followed by Census Tract 524.15 and Census Tract 524.22, with respective values of $170,755 and $154,844.

Housing

Property

$876,300

Median Property Value 2023

±$22,652

$21,383

Median Property Taxes

±$1,106

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Lake Forest, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Lake Forest, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

70.7%

Homeownership

2023

69.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 70.7% of the housing units in Lake Forest, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 70.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Lake Forest, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 524.27
Census Tract 524.15
Census Tract 524.22

In 2023, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Lake Forest, CA was Census Tract 524.27 with a value of $184,026, followed by Census Tract 524.15 and Census Tract 524.22, with respective values of $170,755 and $154,844.

The following map shows all of the places in Lake Forest, CA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$131,378

Median Household Income

± $3,960

30.2k

Number of Households

± 1,358

In 2023, the median household income of the 30.2k households in Lake Forest, CA grew to $131,378 from the previous year's value of $128,358.

The following chart displays the households in Lake Forest, CA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Lake Forest, CA is from California.

0.498

2022 Wage GINI in California

0.497

2021 Wage GINI in California

In 2022, the income inequality in California was 0.498 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.107% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in California in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in California across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (67.3%)
Worked At Home (21.7%)
Carpooled (7.55%)

In 2023, 67.3% of workers in Lake Forest, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (21.7%) and those who carpooled to work (7.55%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

25.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Lake Forest, CA have a shorter commute time (25.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.95% of the workforce in Lake Forest, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Lake Forest, CA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Lake Forest, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Lake Forest, CA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

8.26% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Lake Forest, CA (7.05k out of 85.4k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 55 - 64, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Males 45 - 54.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Lake Forest, CA is Hispanic, followed by White and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

95.7% of the population of Lake Forest, CA has health coverage, with 60.3% on employee plans, 12.2% on Medicaid, 11.3% on Medicare, 11.5% on non-group plans, and 0.376% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Orange County, CA see 995 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.4% decrease from the previous year (999 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 827 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 283 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Orange County, CA.

995 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Orange County, CA

Primary care physicians in Orange County, CA see an average of 995 patients per year. This represents a 0.4% decrease from the previous year (999 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Orange County, CA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.3% under 18 years, 19.4% between 18 and 34 years, 43.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.9% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.5% were men and 50.5% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

4.31%

Uninsured

60.3%

Employer Coverage

12.2%

Medicaid

11.3%

Medicare

11.5%

Non-Group

0.376%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Lake Forest, CA declined by 20.2% from 5.4% to 4.31%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Lake Forest, CA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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