Anaheim vs Lake Forest
Anaheim, California versus Lake Forest, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Lake Forest edges out Anaheim on overall objective livability (50 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Anaheim | Lake Forest |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $89k | $128k |
| Cost of Living | $83k | $83k |
| Home Value | $714k | $837k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.69% | 0.64% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 21.74% | 20.40% |
| Unemployment | 5.4% | 5.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 57°F | 57°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.5 in | 15.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 277 days | 277 days |
| Summer Humidity | 55°F | 55°F |
| Comfortable Days | 246 days | 254 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 80.1 | 72.1 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 48 AQI |
| School Quality | 68.5 | 49.8 |
| Violent Crime | 1331/100k | 427/100k |
| Property Crime | 2778/100k | 1062/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 347,111 | 85,583 |
| Median Age | 35.4 | 40.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.69 | 0.62 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 23.6% | 48.9% |
| Black (%) | 2.4% | 2.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 53.3% | 23.5% |
| Asian (%) | 17.4% | 19.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.3% | 6.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 28 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 13.3/20 | 12.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 11 mi | 11 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.4% | 96.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 18.47 | 62.63 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Anaheim or Lake Forest more affordable?
- Lake Forest has the lower cost of living: its index is $83k, compared with Anaheim's $83k and Lake Forest's $83k. Median rent is $2k in Anaheim versus $2k in Lake Forest.
- Is Anaheim or Lake Forest safer?
- Lake Forest has the lower violent crime rate. Anaheim reports 1331/100k and Lake Forest reports 427/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Anaheim or Lake Forest?
- The median home value is $714k in Anaheim and $837k in Lake Forest, so homes are more affordable in Anaheim.