Laguna Niguel has its origins in theRancho NiguelMexican land grant, which was acquired in 1959 by the Laguna Niguel Corporation to develop one of California's firstmaster-planned communities. As a predominantly residential city, Laguna Niguel serves as a bedroom community for the job centers of northern and central Orange County. Laguna Niguel has a median household income 31 percent above the Orange County average[8] and nearly double the U.S. average.[9] It is known for its mild coastal climate, low crime rate,[10] and its numerous parks and public trails.[11]
The first recorded inhabitants of the Laguna Niguel area were theAcjachemem Native Americans, who may have had a village called "Niguili" near the confluence ofAliso Creek andSulphur Creek.[12] Aliso Creek marked the boundary between the Acjachemem andTongva people. In the 1700s, during theSpanish colonization of the Americas, Spanish missionaries established the nearbyMission San Juan Capistrano to convert the Acjachemem to Christianity. The Mission lands, which included the present-day boundaries of Laguna Niguel, were divided into privateland grants in 1821 uponMexico's independence from Spain.
In 1842, the 13,316-acre (5,389 ha)Rancho Niguel was granted toJuan Avila; he retained ownership of the land through theMexican–American War (when California became part of the United States) until 1865, when a severe drought forced him into bankruptcy. In 1895 Lewis Moulton and Jean Pierre Daguerre bought the Rancho Niguel and other portions of the surrounding area from farmers who were struggling due to persistent drought conditions. The Moulton Company was established to oversee 19,000 acres (7,700 ha) of local land which was used, mainly for orchards and sheep ranching, well into the mid-20th century.[12] In 1951 the land was divided between the Moulton and Daguerre families, the latter inheriting 8,056 acres (3,260 ha) in the future location of Laguna Niguel. In 1954 the Daguerres sold 7,200 acres (2,900 ha) to the Shumaker Group and
Laguna Nigel City Limit Sign
856 acres (346 ha) of oceanfront toGeorge Capron, a former Major League Baseball player who established the Capron Ranch.[13]
The completion ofInterstate 5 in 1959 enabled easy access to job centers in Los Angeles County, creating a boom in the Orange County housing market. In 1959,Cabot, Cabot & Forbes andPaine Webber partnered to form the Laguna Niguel Corporation, which purchased the Daguerre land to develop one of California's first master planned communities. Cabot Road and Forbes Road were named in legacy after the company. The initial 7,100-acre (2,900 ha) town plan was created by Viennese architectVictor Gruen and expanded beginning in 1971 byAVCO Community Developers after they acquired the Laguna Niguel Corporation.[12][13][14] The name of the city was created from "Laguna", a reference to the tidal lagoon that once formed at the mouth of Aliso Creek, and the name of the Acjachemem village Niguili that once occupied the area. As the city would be developed in stages, ranchers and farmers signed annual leases with the Laguna Niguel Corporation to use the land until the planned communities were built.
Terrace model home, Laguna Niguel, 1961
Los Serranos Drive, 1966
In contrast to a traditionalbedroom community, Laguna Niguel was designed so that "families should have most of their economic needs and their social and cultural interests met by facilities within the community".[13] The plan was also notable for its emphasis on parks and open space – comprising nearly a third of the land to be developed. The Laguna Niguel Corporation went public in April 1959 and raised an initial $8.2 million from investors. In 1962 the first tracts of Monarch Bay and Niguel Terrace were completed, consisting of 565 homes.[13] In 1960, the Moulton Niguel Water District (which today serves all of Laguna Niguel) was established by a conglomerate of ranchers, to import water from theColorado River Aqueduct as the area lacked a sufficient natural water supply.[15] In 1964, Crown Valley Parkway was completed from I-5 to the Pacific Coast Highway, facilitating transport through the growing city.[13] By 1965 the population of Laguna Niguel reached 1,000.[16]
In 1965 the Laguna Niguel Corporation had purchased George Capron's oceanfront property and began to develop the Niguel Shores neighborhood, known in its early days as the "Coastal Strip" and today asMonarch Beach. By the 1970s, unincorporatedDana Point began expressing interest in including the Niguel Shores in a new city. In 1977 Dana Point briefly proposed incorporation with Laguna Niguel as a single city. Both cities submitted incorporation requests in December 1986, when a controversy immediately erupted over the coastal Monarch Beach community. Although Monarch Beach had been developed by the Laguna Niguel Corporation, its residents voted 61 percent in favor of joining with Dana Point.[19]: 103 Laguna Niguel filed a lawsuit, which was ultimately turned down by a judge. Laguna Niguel was formally incorporated on December 1, 1989, without the coastal strip, as Orange County's 29th city.[20][21]
The population increased quickly during the last few decades of the 20th century, from 12,237 in 1980 to 61,891 in 2000. Growth since 2000 has been slower, with an estimate of 65,806 in 2015, due to the fact that the city has been fully built out.[22] In 1992, Alicia Parkway was completed to I-5, providing a shorter route for northbound commuters; in 1996 the73 San Joaquin Hills toll road opened, linking Laguna Niguel to theInterstate 405 inCosta Mesa. The Laguna Niguel City Hall, which had been planned as early as 1989, finally opened on October 15, 2011.[16]
In 1994 local residents first noticed damage toretaining walls and roads near an artificial slope on Via Estoril in the Niguel Summit community, and geologists warned that the area could be subject to a landslide. After heavy rains caused by the1997–98 Super El Niño, the hill collapsed on March 19, 1998, destroying 5 or 6 homes at the top and five condominium units at the bottom. There were no deaths as the area had been evacuated only a few hours prior to the collapse. An investigation revealed that the company responsible for development, J.M. Peters Inc., had improperly packed and graded the 275,000 tons of fill supporting the Niguel Summit homes.[23] In addition, the project had been plagued by instability throughout its construction, and halted repeatedly "after complaints of mudslides, slope washouts, erosion and dust."[24] TheLos Angeles Times reported that "according to county records, the developers were warned that building on "ancient landslides" could be unsafe, but they were able to continue construction after producing their own geological report that persuaded county officials to let the project go forward."[25] However the most recent disaster to the Niguel Summit Subdivision has been the coastal fire in 2022 which flattened 20 homes and damaged many more. This fire started after problems and circuit activity was reported on a Southern California Edison short distance electricity tower in Laguna Beach.[26]
Evening view over Niguel Summit, with the San Joaquin Hills neighborhood in the distance
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, thecity has a total area of 14.8 square miles (38 km2). 14.7 square miles (38 km2) of it is land and 0.05 square miles (0.13 km2) of it (0.35%) is water.[3]
The main watercourses in Laguna Niguel areSalt Creek, which flows through the southern part of the city, andSulphur Creek, which drains much of the northern half. Sulphur Creek is a tributary ofAliso Creek, which flows through the wide and deepAliso Canyon before reaching the Pacific Ocean.Laguna Niguel Lake, formed by damming Sulphur Creek, is the largest body of water in the city.[27] Although Laguna Niguel is located very close to the Pacific, it does not border it, the result of a controversy over the coastline with Dana Point in 1989 (see#History).
Like much of coastal Southern California, Laguna Niguel has pleasant weather year-round. On average, August is the hottest month and December the coolest. The highest recorded temperature was 108 °F (42 °C), which occurred in 1963, and the lowest temperature was 21 °F (−6 °C), which was recorded in 1949. Precipitation is sparse in Laguna Niguel, as only five months out of the year receive rainfall greater than one inch, with an annual average of 14.2 inches (360 mm). The highest monthly rainfall on average occurs in February and is 3.4 inches (86 mm).[29]
Neighborhoods include Bear Brand Ranch, San Marin, El Niguel Heights and Golf Course, Ocean Ranch, Laguna Crest, Laguna Sur. Coronado Pointe,South Peak, Crest de Ville, Niguel Coast, Palmilla, Beacon Hill, Monarch Point, and the Highlands, which offer city, canyon, and ocean views. Other neighborhoods include Rancho Niguel, Marina Hills, Concord Hill, Niguel West, Niguel Summit, Kite Hill, Rolling Hills, andSan Joaquin Hills.
Interstate 5 travels along the eastern border of Laguna Niguel, forming the border withMission Viejo. I-5 has two interchanges in the city: Avery Parkway and Crown Valley Parkway.
In addition to the highways listed above, Alicia Parkway and Crown Valley Parkway are major north-south thoroughfares and the Street of the Golden Lantern/Moulton Parkway is a major east-west thoroughfare. Minor thoroughfares include Camino del Avion, Marina Hills Drive, Aliso Creek Road, Niguel Road, Cabot Road, La Paz Road, and Pacific Park Drive (Oso Parkway at the Laguna Hills-Laguna Niguel border).
Laguna Niguel was first listed as a city in the1970 U.S. census.[40] Prior to that, the area was part of unincorporated San Juan Township.[38]
Laguna Niguel city, California – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
The census reported that 99.6% of the population lived in households, 0.4% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.1% were institutionalized.[50]
There were 25,425 households, out of which 27.0% included children under the age of 18, 55.7% were married-couple households, 5.2% werecohabiting couple households, 24.9% had a female householder with no partner present, and 14.1% had a male householder with no partner present. 22.9% of households were one person, and 10.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.52.[50] There were 17,952families (70.6% of all households).[51]
The age distribution was 18.2% under the age of 18, 8.0% aged 18 to 24, 21.5% aged 25 to 44, 31.1% aged 45 to 64, and 21.1% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 47.0years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males.[50]
There were 27,281 housing units at an average density of 1,851.3 units per square mile (714.8 units/km2), of which 25,425 (93.2%) were occupied. Of these, 67.1% were owner-occupied, and 32.9% were occupied by renters.[50]
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $140,605, and theper capita income was $77,246. About 3.5% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the poverty line.[52]
The2010 United States census[53] reported that Laguna Niguel had a population of 62,979. The population density was 4,231.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,633.6/km2). The racial makeup of Laguna Niguel was 50,625 (80.4%)White (72.5% Non-Hispanic White),[5] 777 (1.2%)African American, 219 (0.3%)Native American, 5,459 (8.7%)Asian, 87 (0.1%)Pacific Islander, 3,019 (4.8%) fromother races, and 2,793 (4.4%) from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 8,761 persons (13.9%).
The Census reported that 62,731 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 248 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.[53]
There were 24,232 households, out of which 8,085 (33.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 14,077 (58.1%) wereopposite-sex married couples living together, 2,271 (9.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 886 (3.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 994 (4.1%)unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 237 (1.0%)same-sex married couples or partnerships; 5,390 households (22.2%) were made up of individuals, and 1,790 (7.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59. There were 17,234families (71.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.06.[53]
The population was spread out, with 14,216 people (22.6%) under the age of 18, 4,722 people (7.5%) aged 18 to 24, 14,667 people (23.3%) aged 25 to 44, 21,177 people (33.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 8,197 people (13.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.[53]
There were 25,312 housing units at an average density of 1,700.5 per square mile (656.6/km2), of which 17,453 (72.0%) were owner-occupied, and 6,779 (28.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.4%. 45,029 people (71.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 17,702 people (28.1%) lived in rental housing units.[53]
During 2009–2013, Laguna Niguel had a median household income of $99,771, with 6.3% of the population living below the federal poverty line.[5]
The City Council consists of five members, elected from the city at-large, who serve staggered four-year terms. Annually, the City Council appoints a Mayor and a Mayor Pro Tempore from its own membership to serve a one-year term. The City Council currently consists of:[62]
Ray Gennawey (Mayor)
Gene Johns (Mayor Pro Tempore)
Kelly Jennings (Council Member)
Stephanie Winstead (Council Member)
Stephanie Oddo (Council Member)
The City Hall is located at 30111 Crown Valley Parkway.[63]
According to theOrange County Registrar of Voters, as of May 15, 2025, Laguna Niguel has 46,125 registered voters.[66] Of those, 16,071 (39.72%) are registered Republicans, 11,615 (28.71%) are registered Democrats, and 10,843 (26.80%) have no political party preference/are independents.[67]
Laguna Niguel is historically a Republican stronghold in presidential elections. In2020, however,Joe Biden became the first Democratic presidential nominee to win the city since its incorporation.
The Uniform Crime Report (UCR), collected annually by the FBI, compiles police statistics from local and state law enforcement agencies across the nation. The UCR records Part I and Part II crimes. Part I crimes become known to law enforcement and are considered the most serious crimes including homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson. Part II crimes only include arrest data.[68] The 2023 UCR Data for Laguna Niguel is listed below:
As abedroom community, most residents commute outside of Laguna Niguel to central and north Orange County cities, such asIrvine andNewport Beach. Most jobs within Laguna Niguel are in theservice industry. According to the city's 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,[70] the top employers in the city are:
Laguna Niguel is protected byOrange County Fire Authority[72] with ambulance services provided byCare Ambulance Service. Police services are provided byOrange County Sheriff.[73] Although there are no hospitals in Laguna Niguel proper, nearby hospitals include Mission Hospital, Saddleback Memorial Hospital and South Coast Medical Center.[74]
Laguna Niguel is served byInterstate 5 on the northeastern border, and theState Route 73 toll road which runs along the northern border.[27] ThePacific Coast Highway (PCH) is located just outside the southern boundary of the city. Within the city, neighborhoods are connected by a network of four- to six-lane arterial roadways with timed intersections. The main thoroughfare is Crown Valley Parkway, which bisects Laguna Niguel roughly from southwest to northeast, linking the PCH inDana Point to I-5 inMission Viejo. The other main roads are Alicia Parkway, Niguel Road, La Paz Road, and Moulton Parkway/Golden Lantern (north-south), and Aliso Creek Road, Marina Hills Drive, and Camino del Avion (east-west). Due to the hilly local geography, Laguna Niguel's streets are not arranged in a grid pattern.[27]
Most major arterial roads in Laguna Niguel are marked with bike lanes. There are about 60 miles (97 km) of such lanes in the city. There are also several dedicated bikeways which link Laguna Niguel's extensive public park system (see#Parks and open space).[11][79]
Laguna Niguel is known throughout Orange County for its extensive park and trail system. Over one-third of Laguna Niguel is public open space, a legacy of the original 1959 Gruen plan,[11] and is divided between 31 city parks and 4 county parks.[80] Laguna Niguel's major roads are designated as "scenic highways" within landscape corridors, which includes parks, decorative medians, and grade-separated recreational paths. The 227-acre (92 ha)Laguna Niguel Regional Park is centrally located and includes an extensive trail network, ball courts andLaguna Niguel Lake, a popular fishing and boating venue.[81] Crown Valley Park, visited by about 240,000 people per year, has the city's main public sports facilities.[82]Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, which borders Laguna Niguel on the west, consists of over 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) of canyons, grasslands andriparian forests along Aliso Creek.[83] Aliso and Wood Canyons is part of the larger South Coast Wilderness, 22,000 acres (8,900 ha) of preserved open space in the San Joaquin Hills that also includes the largerLaguna Coast Wilderness Park andCrystal Cove State Park outside the city limits. The interconnected city and regional park systems provide a significant refuge for wildlife in an area of Orange County otherwise filled with suburban sprawl.[84]
There are about 80 miles (130 km) of non-motorized trails in Laguna Niguel for hiking, biking and horseback riding.[85] Major hiking trails include the Aliso Summit trail, which hugs the rim of Aliso Canyon on the western edge of Laguna Niguel,[86] and the Colinas Bluff Trail on the eastern border, overlooking San Juan Capistrano.[87] The Laguna Ridge Trail passes throughBadlands County Park, which exposes the namesake geological formations, and approaches the summit of Niguel Hill, the highest point in the city.[88] The paved Salt Creek Trail, a popular Class I bikeway, follows Salt Creek and Niguel Road from Dana Point to Laguna Niguel Regional Park. The Aliso Creek andOso Creek trails are mostly outside Laguna Niguel, but link the city viagreenbelts to other parts of south Orange County. The Aliso Creek Trail is also known as the "Forest to the Sea Trail", as it is planned to connect theSanta Ana Mountains in theCleveland National Forest to the Pacific Ocean at Laguna Beach.[11]
^Walker, Doris I.. "Laguna Niguel". Included in: Orange County Historical Commission. (2004).A Hundred Years of Yesterdays: A Centennial History of the People of Orange County and Their Communities. pp. 169–172.
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