In 1890 a wealthy land owner named Lewis Moulton purchased 8,000 acres called Niguel Ranch. It was part of this ranch that was turned into Laguna Niguel. Originally built as a master planned community, Laguna Niguel became Orange County’s 29th city when it was incorporated in 1989.
Over one-third of Laguna Niguel is designated for open space. The ideal climate year-round, and proximity to the Pacific coast, allows for unlimited enjoyment of Laguna Niguel’s beautiful parks and nearby attractions.
Location/Distances Between Towns/Cities
Laguna Niguel is in Orange County, approximately halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego. It is near the Pacific Ocean coast just south of Newport Beach, and surrounded by the cities of Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo, San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point, Laguna Beach and Laguna Hills
Airports
John Wayne International Airport in Costa Mesa is the major airport serving residents in Orange County. Ontario International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport are the other major airports in the area.
Terrain
Laguna Niguel is primarily a hillside town with approximately 65% open space. The total land area is 14.7 square miles. Laguna Niguel is at an elevation of 420 feet. The Pacific Ocean is less than 10 minutes away, and it is a spectacular coastline, with many breathtaking coves in the stretch from Newport Beach to the north, through Laguna Beach, and on to Dana Point to the south.
Population
The estimated population is 67,014. Over ninety-five percent of the adult residents have graduated from high school, and more than sixty-four percent have a bachelor’s, graduate or professional degree.
Jobs
The City has a strong business center and healthy economic environment. Commercial, business and industrial land uses comprise eight percent of the total land area of the city. Many people are employed at the Federal Building in Laguna Niguel, but the main industry in this area is real estate.
The median household income in Laguna Niguel is $93,939.
Colleges/Universities
Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California State University – Fullerton, California State University – Irvine, and Irvine Valley College are all within 10 miles of Laguna Niguel.
Housing
The median home value is $473,833. Seventy-three percent of Laguna Niguel’s 24,316 housing units are owner occupied. There are a variety of housing options in Laguna Niguel, including single family homes, luxury apartments, condominiums and townhouses.
Parks/Sports/Recreation/Golf
The Parks and Recreation Department provides a variety of recreation programs and opportunities for the residents of Laguna Niguel, attracting over 240,000 people annually for the programs scheduled by the Department.
In June 1994, the Sea Country Senior and Community Center opened. It is a 14,000 square foot multi-purpose facility, offering a full range of senior citizen recreation, social, and health programs and services.
Aliso & Wood Canyon is an expansive park that sits at the south end of the Laguna Greenbelt. Its pastoral canyons are unmatched in Orange County, where you can “discover” petroglyphs etched by native people.
Other parks in the vicinity are Sulphur Creek Park, Crown Valley Community Park, La Hermosa Park, La Plata Park, Niguel Woods Park, Ridgeview Park, and Laguna Niguel Regional Park. There are also miles of walking and biking trails in Laguna Niguel.
The El Niguel Country Club is a private 18-hole golf course in Laguna Niguel, and there are many other golfing opportunities in the surrounding area.
Special Attractions/Events
There are many annual community events in Laguna Niguel. The 4th of July Celebration has various activities including a pancake breakfast, free swimming at CVCP Pool, and an evening concert followed by fireworks.
In the autumn, spooks abound at Haunted Trails, a haunted house for all ages.
Every November Laguna Niguel hosts a juried fine art show “Echoes and Visions”, held at the Sea Country Center, and the Christmas season brings the annual Holiday Parade, with Santa as the always special guest!
Interesting Facts
The community name derives from Spanish for "lagoon" and "Nigueli," the name of a Juaneno Indian village.
In 1821, California became Mexican territory and many rancheros were formed in Southern California, including Rancho Niguel. During this period, Rancho Niguel was primarily used as a sheep ranch.
