Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Lake Forest, CA

    Is Lake Forest a good place to live?

    Watch Lake Forest

    Lake Forest ranks #13 of 304 California cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (75/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 0.3% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $876,300
    +4.7% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $2,616
    per month
    Household income
    $131,378
    median
    Unemployment
    4.6%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Lake Forest

    The median home value in Lake Forest is $876,300 and median rent is $2,616 a month, against a median household income of $131,378. Homes cost about 6.7× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Lake Forest crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across California the 2025 rate was 435 violent and 1,821 property crimes per 100,000 people — #9 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Lake Forest, CA

    Lake Forest has about 85,846 residents, 4.6% unemployment and 32% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Lake Forest with

    Lake Forest vs Los AngelesLake Forest vs San DiegoLake Forest vs San JoseLake Forest vs San FranciscoLake Forest vs FresnoLake Forest vs SacramentoLake Forest vs Long BeachLake Forest vs Oakland

    More: Where to move in California · Best counties in California

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report