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Laguna Hills is a city in southern Orange County, California, set within the Saddleback Valley between the Santa Ana Mountains and the Pacific coast. The land was part of the sprawling Moulton Ranch, a 19th-century cattle and sheep operation, until the ranch was subdivided beginning in the early 1960s. The community incorporated as a city in December 1991 and today has a population of roughly 31,000. The city's growth unfolded in waves. Early neighborhoods from the 1960s featured single-story ranch-style homes aimed at growing families, while the 1980s brought larger tract developments such as Aliso Meadows, Indian Creek, and Stratford Ridge, many with the Mediterranean-inspired architecture that became a South Orange County signature. Part of the original Moulton Ranch also became Leisure World Laguna Hills, the large retirement community that later incorporated separately as the city of Laguna Woods in 1999. Laguna Hills is primarily residential, with a dense suburban feel and high rates of homeownership, and it functions as a suburb within the broader South County region anchored by Irvine and Mission Viejo. Commercial development is concentrated along the El Toro Road and Avenida de la Carlota corridors, including retail centers and healthcare facilities. Public schools belong to the Saddleback Valley Unified School District, which serves Laguna Hills and neighboring communities and includes Laguna Hills High School. Transportation access is a defining advantage: Interstate 5 runs along the city's western edge, the San Joaquin Hills toll road (Route 73) begins nearby, and the Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park borders the city to the west, offering more than 30 miles of trails. Laguna Hills thus combines established suburban neighborhoods, strong school access, and proximity to both employment centers and open space.

Population 31,374

County Orange County

Active Listings 109

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Frequently Asked Questions

What county is Laguna Hills in?

Laguna Hills is in Orange County, California, within the Saddleback Valley of South Orange County. It sits between the Santa Ana Mountains and the Pacific coast, near Irvine, Lake Forest, and Mission Viejo.

What school district serves Laguna Hills?

Laguna Hills is served by the Saddleback Valley Unified School District, which also covers Lake Forest and parts of Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita. Laguna Hills High School is located within the city.

When was Laguna Hills incorporated?

Laguna Hills was incorporated as a city in December 1991. The land was originally part of the 19th-century Moulton Ranch, which was subdivided for residential development beginning in the early 1960s.

How far is Laguna Hills from the beach?

Laguna Beach and the Pacific coast lie a short drive to the west, reached via State Route 133 and local roads. The San Joaquin Hills toll road (Route 73) also provides a faster route toward Newport Beach.

What was Leisure World Laguna Hills?

Leisure World Laguna Hills was a large retirement community founded in 1964 on former Moulton Ranch land. It later became known as Laguna Woods Village and incorporated separately as the city of Laguna Woods in 1999.

City Guide

About Laguna Hills

Real Estate & Housing

Laguna Hills' housing stock reflects its development history, with single-story ranch homes from the 1960s and larger 1980s tract homes carrying Mediterranean-inspired styling in neighborhoods such as Aliso Meadows, Indian Creek, and Stratford Ridge. The city also contains townhomes, condominiums, and senior communities, and shares its origins with the neighboring Laguna Woods retirement village that began as Leisure World. Homes sit on compact to moderate lots in a dense suburban pattern, with some hillside streets offering views. The market skews heavily toward owner-occupied single-family housing.

Neighborhoods

Laguna Hills is organized around a collection of established subdivisions rather than a single historic core. Aliso Meadows, Indian Creek, and Stratford Ridge are among the neighborhoods developed or completed during the 1980s, featuring tract and Mediterranean-style homes. Older 1960s-era ranch-home subdivisions lie closer to the city's center, while newer development and commercial nodes cluster along El Toro Road and Avenida de la Carlota. The neighboring city of Laguna Woods, incorporated separately in 1999, grew out of the same Moulton Ranch land and remains closely tied to Laguna Hills' story.

Lifestyle in Laguna Hills

Laguna Hills offers the comfortable, car-oriented lifestyle characteristic of South Orange County. Residents are within easy reach of the retail and dining along El Toro Road and the Irvine Spectrum area, while the city itself remains primarily residential and family-oriented. The Saddleback Valley's employment, healthcare, and shopping hubs are close at hand, and the coast at Laguna Beach is a short drive west. Homeownership rates are high, and the community skews toward families and professionals drawn by schools and the central South County location.

Schools & Education

Public education in Laguna Hills is provided by the Saddleback Valley Unified School District, which serves all of Laguna Hills and Lake Forest along with parts of Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, and nearby unincorporated areas. Laguna Hills High School, whose mascot is the Hawk, is located within the city. The district's broad footprint and established reputation make school access a central factor in the city's residential appeal.

Getting Around

Laguna Hills sits along the Interstate 5 corridor, which runs the length of South Orange County and connects the city to Irvine, Mission Viejo, and San Diego. The San Joaquin Hills toll road (State Route 73) begins nearby and offers a faster route toward Newport Beach and the coast, while State Route 133 links the city to the Laguna Coast area. Local arterials including El Toro Road, Alicia Parkway, and Moulton Parkway handle intra-city and regional travel. The city's central position makes it a practical base for commuting across South County.

Parks & Recreation

Laguna Hills borders the Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, which protects mature oaks, sycamores, two year-round streams, and more than 30 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. The paved Aliso Creek Trail runs along the park's length and continues north toward Laguna Hills. City parks and community facilities supplement the wilderness access, and the beaches of Laguna Beach and the San Joaquin Hills are a short drive west.

MARKET SNAPSHOT

The Market at a Glance

How homes have been selling here over the last 90 days.

home_work New This Week 13

Went Under Contract 1

trending_down Price Reductions 0

payments Median Sale Price $1,360,000 +25.9%

square_foot Price per Sq Ft $691

schedule Avg Days on Market 20

sell Homes Sold 49

percent Sale-to-List Ratio 101.0%

inventory_2 Months of Inventory 4.8

Price & Sales History

Market data reflects closed sales over the last 90 days and is provided for informational purposes.

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