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CITY · 2020 ACS

Lake Forest

California · 85,858 residents · 16.7 sq mi
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With 85,858 people, Lake Forest is a city in California. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $682,700. 49% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 33% nationally. Renters pay $2,121 a month at the median. The population is up 46% since 2000. Households here earn about 44% more than in California as a whole.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 39.5
US median: 38.8
More educated
49% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 76%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
85,858
+46%since 2000
from 58,707 in 2000
2000 – 2025
Median age
39.5
+13%since 2000
from 35.1 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
16.7 sq mi
Population, 2000 – 2024
56K64K72K81K89K2000201020202024Lake Forest
202486K
2000201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.8%(4,971)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.9%(5,105)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 145.9%(5,038)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196%(5,179)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246%(5,175)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3413.4%(11,475)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4414.4%(12,368)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5413.8%(11,871)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6414.2%(12,223)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 749%(7,735)
US avg: 10%
75 to 844%(3,394)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.5%(1,324)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$112,988
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $67,967 in 2000
US average: $66,278
2000 – 2024
Per capita income
$48,474
+70%since 2000
from $28,583 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
67.3%
+6.4 ptssince 2009
from 60.9% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
6.5%
+1.2 ptssince 2000
from 5.3% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade11.9%
US avg: 10%
Information10.5%
US avg: 11.1%
Other services8.4%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration6%
US avg: 4.7%
Wholesale trade5.2%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance3.8%
US avg: 5.5%
Transportation & warehousing3.3%
US avg: 2.5%
Professional, scientific, technical3.2%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food2.7%
US avg: 2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.8%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services0.7%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$682,700
+76%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $258,500 in 2000
US average: $265,253
2000 – 2024
Median gross rent
$2,121
+30%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $1,085 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
68.7%
−3.3 ptssince 2000
from 72.0% in 2000
31.3% rent
Persons per household
2.87 people
−2%since 2009
from 2.92 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
6.0
−7%since 2009
from 6.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic66.7%(39,161)
Black1.7%(998)
Hispanic / Latino18.6%(10,913)
Asian9.6%(5,647)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic47.2%(40,506)
Black1.5%(1,312)
Hispanic / Latino25.6%(21,945)
Asian19.4%(16,650)
Other5.3%(4,561)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican17.5%(14,775)
South American1.5%(1,243)
Salvadoran0.9%(804)
Guatemalan0.6%(526)
Spaniard0.6%(493)
Peruvian0.4%(378)
Puerto Rican0.4%(376)
Argentine0.3%(247)
Bolivian0.3%(220)
Colombian0.2%(194)
Ecuadorian0.2%(142)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Panamanian0.1%(123)
Cuban0.1%(121)
Costa Rican0.1%(104)
Honduran0.1%(104)
Chilean0%(41)
Asian origin
Chinese3.8%(3,244)
Filipino3.6%(3,039)
Asian Indian2.4%(2,069)
Vietnamese2.2%(1,864)
Korean2%(1,675)
Japanese1.4%(1,170)
Indonesian0.4%(317)
Thai0.3%(281)
Laotian0.3%(275)
Sri Lankan0.2%(175)
Taiwanese0.2%(162)
Nepalese0.2%(131)
+ 3 more asian origin groups with data
Burmese0.1%(89)
Hmong0%(20)
Pakistani0%(13)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(52)
Fijian0.1%(52)
Samoan0%(12)
Ancestry
German10.9%(9,254)
English9.2%(7,814)
Irish7.5%(6,377)
Italian5.7%(4,865)
American3.6%(3,038)
Polish2.3%(1,924)
French2.1%(1,764)
Scottish2%(1,670)
Swedish1.7%(1,480)
Norwegian1.7%(1,468)
Russian1.3%(1,124)
Dutch1.1%(969)
+ 39 more ancestry groups with data
Iranian1.1%(961)
British0.9%(731)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(672)
Egyptian0.7%(632)
Danish0.7%(610)
Greek0.7%(583)
Hungarian0.7%(560)
Welsh0.5%(439)
Armenian0.4%(326)
Swiss0.3%(286)
Canadian0.3%(283)
Portuguese0.3%(283)
Czech0.3%(282)
Ukrainian0.3%(250)
Jordanian0.3%(230)
Croatian0.3%(228)
Lebanese0.2%(208)
Lithuanian0.2%(190)
Austrian0.2%(189)
Romanian0.2%(154)
Finnish0.2%(152)
Belgian0.1%(117)
Syrian0.1%(113)
Serbian0.1%(113)
Turkish0.1%(89)
Ghanaian0.1%(78)
Arab0.1%(66)
Slovak0.1%(59)
Bulgarian0.1%(58)
Palestinian0.1%(48)
Israeli0%(29)
Brazilian0%(28)
Moroccan0%(20)
Jamaican0%(11)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
49.2%
+15.3 ptssince 2000
from 33.9% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
92.6%
+3.8 ptssince 2000
from 88.7% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
17.6%
+7.8 ptssince 2000
from 9.8% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
25.6 min
+47%since 2000
from 17.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
78.2%
−2.7 ptssince 2009
from 80.9% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
3.2%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.9%
−1.3 ptssince 2011
from 6.2% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
70.1%
−3.8 ptssince 2011
from 73.9% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
74.6%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
51.0%
+5.6 ptssince 2009
from 45.4% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.7%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 49.7% in 2009
Female
51.3%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 50.3% in 2009
Foreign born
24.7%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 23.8% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
5.8%
−6.6 ptssince 2013
from 12.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
96.5%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
88.0%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married32.6%(11,374)
Married60.2%(20,979)
Widowed1.4%(480)
Divorced5.8%(2,009)
Women 15+
Never married26%(9,294)
Married56.5%(20,214)
Widowed6.6%(2,349)
Divorced10.9%(3,909)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
5.8%
−6.6 ptssince 2013
from 12.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
65.0%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
13.4%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
13.7%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
12.9%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
0.7%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
76.6%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
25.1%
US average: 35.2%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)20.2%(571)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)22%(621)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era30%(846)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War9.6%(270)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II4.3%(121)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 2,822 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Lake Forest, California?

Lake Forest, California has about 85,858 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Lake Forest, California?

The typical household in Lake Forest, California earns about $112,988 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Lake Forest, California expensive?

In Lake Forest, California, the median home is worth about $682,700, and the typical rent is about $2,121 a month.

How educated are people in Lake Forest, California?

About 49.2% of adults age 25 and over in Lake Forest, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Lake Forest, California?

About 6.5% of people in Lake Forest, California live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →