Lake Forest, California
Encyclopedia
Lake Forest is a city in Orange County
, California
. The population was 77,264 at the 2010 census.
Lake Forest incorporated as a city on December 20, 1991. Prior to a vote of the residents in that year, the community had formerly been known as El Toro since the 1880s. Since being incorporated, Lake Forest has expanded its limits to include the communities of Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills. Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills are master planned developments that brought new homes and commercial centers to the Eastern boundary of Lake Forest throughout the 1990s. Lake Forest (along with its neighboring cities Mission Viejo and Irvine
) is ranked as one of the safest cities in the country. The private research firm Morgan Quitno
ranked Lake Forest as the 15th safest city and another firm later ranked Lake Forest 10th in 2007 in the United States.
The city has two "lakes" from which the city gets its name. The lakes are man-made, and condominiums and custom homes ranging from large to small line their shores. The Lake Forest Beach and Tennis Club and Sun and Sail Club feature tennis courts, gyms, basketball courts, barbecue pits, volleyball courts, multiple swimming pools, saunas, hot tubs and club houses for social events. The "forest" for which the city is also named lies in the area between Ridge Route, Jeronimo, Lake Forest and Serrano roads, and consists mostly of Eucalyptus
trees. It began in the 1900s when a local landowner, Dwight Whiting, planted 400 acres (1.6 km²) of Eucalyptus groves in the vicinity of Serrano Creek as part of a lumber operation. In the late 1960s
, the Occidental Petroleum
company developed a residential community in and around the Eucalyptus groves which had long since expanded and grown much more dense.
Freeway was the epicenter of the Saddleback Valley from the late 19th century to the end of the 20th century. However, the area gradually deteriorated, and most of the shops closed or moved to other cities. After years of planning, the City has worked with the property owners of some ageing strip malls and developed the "Arbor at Lake Forest" commercial district. The new center can now compete with large shopping centers in cities that surround Lake Forest.
; metals company Kaiser Aluminum
, in-flight entertainment provider Panasonic Avionics
; Karem Aircraft
an aircraft company developing UAV's with major aircraft companies; telecommunications software developer Greenlight Wireless Corp.; barbecue retailer Barbeques Galore
; restaurant chain Johnny Rockets
; medical equipment maker Apria Healthcare; and skateboarding companies Sole Technology
, Inc., Etnies
, and Tilly's; among others. It is also the home of the corporate headquarters for Eagle Community Credit Union, a credit union focused on serving postal and federal employees who live or work in Orange County.
However, along with Oakley, the city is probably best known as the home of Rick Warren's
famed megachurch
, Saddleback Church
, currently the eighth-largest church in the United States.
Heritage Hill historical park is home to some of the oldest buildings in the county, including the Serrano Adobe, the old El Toro School House, and St. Georges Episcopal Church.
Lake Forest has one high school, El Toro High School
. The high school was opened in 1973. It has established itself as one of the top schools in Southern California, along with the other three comprehensive high schools in the Saddleback Valley Unified School District. The mascot is a bull and its teams are known as the Chargers. School colors are blue and gold.
Lake Forest is served by two libraries of the Orange County Public Library
.
Lake Forest also has etnies Skatepark, which is the largest public skatepark
with over 40000 square feet (3,716.1 m²).
, the city has a total area of 17.9 square miles (46.4 km²). 17.8 square miles (46.1 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.48%) is water.
Lake Forest is bordered by Irvine
on the west, Laguna Hills
on the southwest, Mission Viejo
on the southeast, Trabuco Canyon
on the east, and Limestone Canyon Regional Park on the north.
El Toro/Lake Forest/Portola is located in the heart of the Saddleback Valley. It is also in the northern section of South Orange County.
It has two man-made lakes identified by the clubhouses on the lakes — the Beach and Tennis Club (Hidden Lakes, formerly Lake I) and the Sun and Sail Club (Lake II).
was 4,315.9 people per square mile (1,666.4/km²). The racial makeup of Lake Forest was 54,341 (70.3%) White, 1,295 (1.7%) African American, 384 (0.5%) Native American, 10,115 (13.1%) Asian, 191 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 7,267 (9.4%) from other races
, and 3,671 (4.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19,024 persons (24.6%).
The Census reported that 76,749 people (99.3% of the population) lived in households, 299 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 216 (0.3%) were institutionalized.
There were 26,224 households, out of which 10,407 (39.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 15,603 (59.5%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 2,710 (10.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,299 (5.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,217 (4.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 201 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 4,883 households (18.6%) were made up of individuals and 1,432 (5.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93. There were 19,612 families
(74.8% of all households); the average family size was 3.30.
The population was spread out with 19,115 people (24.7%) under the age of 18, 6,775 people (8.8%) aged 18 to 24, 22,099 people (28.6%) aged 25 to 44, 22,184 people (28.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 7,091 people (9.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.2 years. For every 100 females there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.5 males.
There were 27,088 housing units at an average density of 1,513.1 per square mile (584.2/km²), of which 18,579 (70.8%) were owner-occupied, and 7,645 (29.2%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.3%. 54,082 people (70.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 22,667 people (29.3%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 58,707 people, 20,008 households, and 14,745 families residing in the city. The population density
was 4,698.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,814.8/km²). There were 20,486 housing units at an average density of 1,639.7 per square mile (633.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.02% White, 1.83% African American, 0.50% Native American, 9.70% Asian, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 7.51% from other races
, and 4.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.59% of the population.
There were 20,008 households out of which 39.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.1% were married couples
living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.3% were non-families. 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.31.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.0% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $86,285, and the median income for a family was $96,133. Males had a median income of $52,019 versus $37,100 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $28,583. About 3.2% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.0% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.
was located one mile (1.6 km) from the city of Lake Forest in the city of Irvine
. At one time, El Toro was considered a military town, but the city blossomed independently in the 1980s and 1990s after the base closed in 1999.
Of the 40,352 registered voters in Lake Forest; 25.8% are Democrats and 53.4% are Republicans. The remaining 20.8% either declined to state political affiliation or are registered with one of the many minor political parties. Peter Herzog serves as Lake Forest's Mayor and Mark Tettemer serves as Mayor Pro Tem. The three other City Council members are Kathryn McCullough, Marcia Rudolph, and Scott Voigts.
In the state legislature
Lake Forest is located in the 33rd Senate
District, represented by Republican
Mimi Walters
, and in the 70th Assembly
District, represented by Republican Chuck DeVore
. Federally, Lake Forest is located in California's 48th congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of R +6 and is represented by Republican John Campbell.
Popular hang-outs for Lake Forest includes:
"Regal" (the Foothill Town Center's Regal Cinemas
Stadium 22),
The Spectrum (the Irvine Spectrum Center
, an outdoor shopping center in neighboring Irvine, CA), various restaurants along the El Toro Road and Lake Forest Boulevard corridors (this includes The Orchard Shopping Center, and the Laguna Hills Mall
in the neighboring city of Laguna Hills), and several beaches in southern Orange County (most notably: Trestles
in San Clemente, Corona del Mar State Beach
in Newport Beach, Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, and 1000 Steps in Laguna Beach).
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The population was 77,264 at the 2010 census.
Lake Forest incorporated as a city on December 20, 1991. Prior to a vote of the residents in that year, the community had formerly been known as El Toro since the 1880s. Since being incorporated, Lake Forest has expanded its limits to include the communities of Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills. Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills are master planned developments that brought new homes and commercial centers to the Eastern boundary of Lake Forest throughout the 1990s. Lake Forest (along with its neighboring cities Mission Viejo and Irvine
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
) is ranked as one of the safest cities in the country. The private research firm Morgan Quitno
Morgan Quitno
Morgan Quitno Press is a research and publishing company based in Lawrence, Kansas, which compiles books with statistics of crime rates, health care, education, and other categories, ranking cities and states in the United States...
ranked Lake Forest as the 15th safest city and another firm later ranked Lake Forest 10th in 2007 in the United States.
The city has two "lakes" from which the city gets its name. The lakes are man-made, and condominiums and custom homes ranging from large to small line their shores. The Lake Forest Beach and Tennis Club and Sun and Sail Club feature tennis courts, gyms, basketball courts, barbecue pits, volleyball courts, multiple swimming pools, saunas, hot tubs and club houses for social events. The "forest" for which the city is also named lies in the area between Ridge Route, Jeronimo, Lake Forest and Serrano roads, and consists mostly of Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
trees. It began in the 1900s when a local landowner, Dwight Whiting, planted 400 acres (1.6 km²) of Eucalyptus groves in the vicinity of Serrano Creek as part of a lumber operation. In the late 1960s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
, the Occidental Petroleum
Occidental Petroleum
Occidental Petroleum Corporation is a California-based oil and gas exploration and production company with operations in the United States, the Middle East, North Africa, and South America...
company developed a residential community in and around the Eucalyptus groves which had long since expanded and grown much more dense.
El Toro Road business corridor revitalization
El Toro Road at the Interstate 5Interstate 5
Interstate 5 is the main Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific Ocean coastline from Canada to Mexico . It serves some of the largest cities on the U.S...
Freeway was the epicenter of the Saddleback Valley from the late 19th century to the end of the 20th century. However, the area gradually deteriorated, and most of the shops closed or moved to other cities. After years of planning, the City has worked with the property owners of some ageing strip malls and developed the "Arbor at Lake Forest" commercial district. The new center can now compete with large shopping centers in cities that surround Lake Forest.
Notable businesses and organizations
The city is home to the headquarters of eyewear manufacturer Oakley, Inc.Oakley, Inc.
Oakley, Inc., based in Foothill Ranch, California, makes sport equipment including sunglasses, sports visors, and ski goggles, as well as watches, clothing, bags, backpacks, shoes, prescription glasses, football and hockey eyewear, Golf gear and other accessories...
; metals company Kaiser Aluminum
Kaiser Aluminum
Kaiser Aluminum is an American aluminum producer. The company was founded in 1946 by American industrialist Henry J. Kaiser. Kaiser entered the aluminum business by leasing, then purchasing three government-owned aluminum facilities in Washington state. These were the primary reduction plants at...
, in-flight entertainment provider Panasonic Avionics
Panasonic Avionics Corporation
Panasonic Avionics Corporation is a subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation and is headquartered in Lake Forest, California with major business functions also shared with the former headquarters located in Bothell, WA.Established in 1980, the product engineering and development departments are...
; Karem Aircraft
Karem Aircraft
Karem Aircraft, Inc. is an American aerospace company with offices in Lake Forest, California and Fort Worth, Texas, founded by Abraham Karem as a rapid development firm specializing in advanced tiltrotor transport aircraft. Karem was the former chief designer for the Israeli Air Force and migrated...
an aircraft company developing UAV's with major aircraft companies; telecommunications software developer Greenlight Wireless Corp.; barbecue retailer Barbeques Galore
Barbeques Galore
Barbeques Galore is an Australian and U.S. chain of retail stores specializing in barbecue grills, accessories and consumables. There are 40 stores in the United States of America...
; restaurant chain Johnny Rockets
Johnny Rockets
Johnny Rockets is an American restaurant franchise whose concept is to create a classic American restaurant atmosphere. The theme is the diner-style restaurant that had become a common sight by the 1950s...
; medical equipment maker Apria Healthcare; and skateboarding companies Sole Technology
Sole Technology
Sole Technology, Inc. is an American footwear company, specialising in skateboarding shoe production and distribution. It is owned and run by Pierre André Senizergues, a former professional freestyle skateboarder. The company is head quartered in Lake Forest, California.Soletech has seven...
, Inc., Etnies
Etnies
thumb|Picture of an etnies shoeEtnies is an American footwear brand based in Lake Forest, California, and owned by Sole Technology, Inc. In 2003, etnies, along with the city of Lake Forest, California opened etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest, the largest public skatepark in the state, with over of...
, and Tilly's; among others. It is also the home of the corporate headquarters for Eagle Community Credit Union, a credit union focused on serving postal and federal employees who live or work in Orange County.
However, along with Oakley, the city is probably best known as the home of Rick Warren's
Rick Warren
Richard Duane "Rick" Warren is an American evangelical Christian minister and author. He is the founder and senior pastor of Saddleback Church, an evangelical megachurch located in Lake Forest, California, currently the eighth-largest church in the United States...
famed megachurch
Megachurch
A megachurch is a church having 2,000 or more in average weekend attendance. The Hartford Institute's database lists more than 1,300 such Protestant churches in the United States. According to that data, approximately 50 churches on the list have attendance ranging from 10,000 to 47,000...
, Saddleback Church
Saddleback Church
Saddleback Church is an evangelical Christian megachurch located in Lake Forest, California, situated in southern Orange County, affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. The church was founded in 1980 by pastor Rick Warren...
, currently the eighth-largest church in the United States.
Top employers
According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakley Oakley, Inc. Oakley, Inc., based in Foothill Ranch, California, makes sport equipment including sunglasses, sports visors, and ski goggles, as well as watches, clothing, bags, backpacks, shoes, prescription glasses, football and hockey eyewear, Golf gear and other accessories... |
2,740 |
| 2 | Panasonic Avionics Corporation Panasonic Avionics Corporation Panasonic Avionics Corporation is a subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation and is headquartered in Lake Forest, California with major business functions also shared with the former headquarters located in Bothell, WA.Established in 1980, the product engineering and development departments are... |
1,200 |
| 3 | Stanley Black & Decker (Pfister) | 397 |
| 4 | Apria Healthcare | 350 |
| 5 | The Home Depot The Home Depot The Home Depot is an American retailer of home improvement and construction products and services.The Home Depot operates 2,248 big-box format stores across the United States , Canada , Mexico and China, with a 12-store chain... |
350 |
| 6 | Wonderware Wonderware Wonderware is a brand of industrial automation and information software products, owned by Invensys Operations Management , itself a division of the UK technology company Invensys. More than 500,000 software licenses have been sold and installed in over 100,000 plants worldwide... |
322 |
| 7 | Wet Seal Wet Seal Wet Seal is a young women's clothing retailer headquartered in Foothill Ranch, California. It carries moderately priced brand name and company-designed apparel and accessories... |
272 |
| 8 | EyeShot | 250 |
| 9 | U.S. Real Estate Services | 230 |
| 10 | Walmart | 211 |
| 11 | Sole Technology Sole Technology Sole Technology, Inc. is an American footwear company, specialising in skateboarding shoe production and distribution. It is owned and run by Pierre André Senizergues, a former professional freestyle skateboarder. The company is head quartered in Lake Forest, California.Soletech has seven... |
205 |
| 12 | Casa Pacifica | 200 |
| 13 | Saddleback Valley Unified School District Saddleback Valley Unified School District Saddleback Valley Unified School District is a public school district in South Orange County, California. It includes 26 elementary schools, four intermediate schools and four comprehensive high schools.-High schools:*El Toro High School... |
200 |
| 14 | Agilent Technologies Agilent Technologies Agilent Technologies , or Agilent, is a company that designs and manufactures electronic and bio-analytical measurement instruments and equipment for measurement and evaluation... |
165 |
Parks and education
Lake Forest is also home to two county parks. Whiting Ranch in the eastern part of the city was the site of an infamous mountain lion mauling in 2004 that captured the attention of the West Coast news media.Heritage Hill historical park is home to some of the oldest buildings in the county, including the Serrano Adobe, the old El Toro School House, and St. Georges Episcopal Church.
Lake Forest has one high school, El Toro High School
El Toro High School
El Toro High School is a public high school in Lake Forest, California, United States and is one of five high schools in the Saddleback Valley Unified School District . The school has served the area since 1973. The current principal of the school is Dr...
. The high school was opened in 1973. It has established itself as one of the top schools in Southern California, along with the other three comprehensive high schools in the Saddleback Valley Unified School District. The mascot is a bull and its teams are known as the Chargers. School colors are blue and gold.
Lake Forest is served by two libraries of the Orange County Public Library
Orange County Public Library
The OC Public Libraries is a network of communitylibraries in Orange County, California. With 34 branches covering the countyfrom the Pacific Coast to the inland canyons of Southern California,...
.
Lake Forest also has etnies Skatepark, which is the largest public skatepark
Skatepark
A skatepark is a purpose-built recreational environment made for skateboarding, BMX, aggressive inline skating and scooters. A skatepark may contain half-pipes, quarter pipes, spine transfers, handrails, funboxes, vert ramps, pyramids, banked ramps, full pipes, pools, bowls, snake runs stairsets,...
with over 40000 square feet (3,716.1 m²).
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 17.9 square miles (46.4 km²). 17.8 square miles (46.1 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.48%) is water.
Lake Forest is bordered by Irvine
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
on the west, Laguna Hills
Laguna Hills, California
Laguna Hills is a city located in southern Orange County, California, United States. Its name refers to its proximity to Laguna Canyon and the much older Laguna Beach. Other newer cities nearby—Laguna Niguel and Laguna Woods—are similarly named.-Geography:...
on the southwest, Mission Viejo
Mission Viejo, California
Mission Viejo is a city located in southern Orange County, California, U.S. in the Saddleback Valley. Mission Viejo is considered one of the largest master-planned communities ever built under a single project in the United States, and is rivaled only by Highlands Ranch, Colorado, in its size...
on the southeast, Trabuco Canyon
Trabuco Canyon, California
Trabuco Canyon is a small unincorporated community located in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains in eastern Orange County, California, and lies partly within the Cleveland National Forest.Trabuco Canyon is north of the town of Rancho Santa Margarita...
on the east, and Limestone Canyon Regional Park on the north.
El Toro/Lake Forest/Portola is located in the heart of the Saddleback Valley. It is also in the northern section of South Orange County.
It has two man-made lakes identified by the clubhouses on the lakes — the Beach and Tennis Club (Hidden Lakes, formerly Lake I) and the Sun and Sail Club (Lake II).
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Lake Forest had a population of 77,264. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,315.9 people per square mile (1,666.4/km²). The racial makeup of Lake Forest was 54,341 (70.3%) White, 1,295 (1.7%) African American, 384 (0.5%) Native American, 10,115 (13.1%) Asian, 191 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 7,267 (9.4%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3,671 (4.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19,024 persons (24.6%).
The Census reported that 76,749 people (99.3% of the population) lived in households, 299 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 216 (0.3%) were institutionalized.
There were 26,224 households, out of which 10,407 (39.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 15,603 (59.5%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 2,710 (10.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,299 (5.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,217 (4.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 201 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 4,883 households (18.6%) were made up of individuals and 1,432 (5.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93. There were 19,612 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(74.8% of all households); the average family size was 3.30.
The population was spread out with 19,115 people (24.7%) under the age of 18, 6,775 people (8.8%) aged 18 to 24, 22,099 people (28.6%) aged 25 to 44, 22,184 people (28.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 7,091 people (9.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.2 years. For every 100 females there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.5 males.
There were 27,088 housing units at an average density of 1,513.1 per square mile (584.2/km²), of which 18,579 (70.8%) were owner-occupied, and 7,645 (29.2%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.3%. 54,082 people (70.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 22,667 people (29.3%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 58,707 people, 20,008 households, and 14,745 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,698.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,814.8/km²). There were 20,486 housing units at an average density of 1,639.7 per square mile (633.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.02% White, 1.83% African American, 0.50% Native American, 9.70% Asian, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 7.51% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 4.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.59% of the population.
There were 20,008 households out of which 39.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.3% were non-families. 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.31.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.0% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $86,285, and the median income for a family was $96,133. Males had a median income of $52,019 versus $37,100 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $28,583. About 3.2% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.0% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.
Government and politics
Marine Corps Air Station El ToroMarine Corps Air Station El Toro
Marine Corps Air Station El Toro was a United States Marine Corps Air Station located near Irvine, California.Before it was decommissioned in 1999, it was the home of Marine Corps aviation on the West Coast. Designated as a Master Jet Station, its four runways could handle the largest aircraft...
was located one mile (1.6 km) from the city of Lake Forest in the city of Irvine
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
. At one time, El Toro was considered a military town, but the city blossomed independently in the 1980s and 1990s after the base closed in 1999.
Of the 40,352 registered voters in Lake Forest; 25.8% are Democrats and 53.4% are Republicans. The remaining 20.8% either declined to state political affiliation or are registered with one of the many minor political parties. Peter Herzog serves as Lake Forest's Mayor and Mark Tettemer serves as Mayor Pro Tem. The three other City Council members are Kathryn McCullough, Marcia Rudolph, and Scott Voigts.
In the state legislature
California State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Lake Forest is located in the 33rd Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Mimi Walters
Mimi Walters
Mimi K. Walters is a Republican State Senator from the state of California, representing the 33rd District since 2008. She previously served in the Assembly for four years from 2004 to 2008, where she served in the Republican leadership as Assistant Republican Leader and Vice Chair of the...
, and in the 70th Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Republican Chuck DeVore
Chuck DeVore
Charles S. "Chuck" DeVore is an American politician who served as a Republican member of the California State Assembly from 2004 to 2010 and represented the 70th District, which includes portions of Orange County...
. Federally, Lake Forest is located in California's 48th congressional district
California's 48th congressional district
California's 48th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in Orange County in Southern California...
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of R +6 and is represented by Republican John Campbell.
Culture
The city of Lake Forest puts on an annual summer concert at Pittsford park. Other public events include the Fourth of July 5K run and fireworks display over the lake at the Sun & Sail clubPopular hang-outs for Lake Forest includes:
"Regal" (the Foothill Town Center's Regal Cinemas
Regal Cinemas
Regal Cinemas is a UK-based cinema chain since the early days of the cinema. In 1928, Regal Cinemas became part of Associated British Cinemas but has retained the name 'Regal Cinemas'....
Stadium 22),
The Spectrum (the Irvine Spectrum Center
Irvine Spectrum Center
The Irvine Spectrum Center is a large outdoor shopping mall on the south-east edge of Irvine, California, centered on a large Edwards 21 Cinemas movie theater. Built over a 10-year period, the first phase of the mall opened in 1995, with the second phase following soon after in 1998. The third...
, an outdoor shopping center in neighboring Irvine, CA), various restaurants along the El Toro Road and Lake Forest Boulevard corridors (this includes The Orchard Shopping Center, and the Laguna Hills Mall
Laguna Hills Mall
Laguna Hills Mall is an average sized, enclosed shopping mall located in Laguna Hills, California, in southern Orange County. It was built in 1973 and was renovated in 1994, and originally anchored by four major department stores: The Broadway, Buffum's, JCPenney, and Sears. In 1991, Buffum's...
in the neighboring city of Laguna Hills), and several beaches in southern Orange County (most notably: Trestles
Trestles
Trestles is a collection of surfing spots at San Onofre State Beach in San Diego County, California. Trestles consists of, from north to south, Upper Trestles , Lower Trestles , and Middle Trestles . North of Upper Trestles is the surf spot called Cottons...
in San Clemente, Corona del Mar State Beach
Corona del Mar State Beach
Corona del Mar State Beach is a protected beach in the state park system of California, USA. It is located in Corona del Mar, Newport Beach, and managed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation...
in Newport Beach, Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, and 1000 Steps in Laguna Beach).
Notable residents
- Ginger ReyesGinger ReyesGinger A. Pooley , also known by her stage name as Ginger Sling, is an American rock musician of Peruvian heritage. She is best known as the former touring bassist and a backing vocalist for the Chicago alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins...
, American rock bassist with the bands Smashing Pumpkins and Halo FriendliesHalo FriendliesThe Halo Friendlies are an all girl pop-punk band from Long Beach, CA. After snatching up a guitar in a thrift shop while on her first date with then-boyfriend now-husband Matt Wignall of Havalina/Matt Death and the New Intellectuals, Judita Wignall made the decision to start a band... - Christine WoodsChristine WoodsChristine Woods is an American actress who has appeared in numerous television shows. More recently, she could be seen as part of the main cast in ABC's FlashForward, in which she portrayed FBI Special Agent Janis Hawk.-Biography:...
, actress in the ABC network television show FlashForwardFlashforwardA flashforward is an interjected scene that takes the narrative forward in time from the current point of the story in literature, film, television and other media. Flashforwards are often used to represent events expected, projected, or imagined to occur in the future...
. - Elaine YoungsElaine YoungsElaine Youngs is an American beach volleyball player.As of 2010, Youngs has won 51 professional beach volleyball tournaments in her career. In addition, she won a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics with teammate Holly McPeak. In 2002, she was named MVP of the AVP.Youngs graduated from UCLA...
, Olympic volleyball champion - Austin RomineAustin RomineAustin Allen Romine is a catcher for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball.-Baseball career:...
, catcher for El Toro High SchoolEl Toro High SchoolEl Toro High School is a public high school in Lake Forest, California, United States and is one of five high schools in the Saddleback Valley Unified School District . The school has served the area since 1973. The current principal of the school is Dr...
's baseball team, was drafted to the Tampa YankeesTampa YankeesThe Tampa Yankees are a minor league baseball team based in Tampa, Florida. They are currently members of the Florida State League and are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the New York Yankees Major League Baseball team. Home games are played at George M. Steinbrenner Field, a miniature replica of...
in 2007. - Kaitlin SandenoKaitlin SandenoKaitlin Sandeno is a retired American swimmer, and was part of the team that set the world record in the 4x200 m freestyle relay at the 2004 Summer Olympics.-Career:...
, Olympic swimming champion, El Toro High School grad - Lindsay SotoLindsay SotoLindsay Soto is an American sportscaster, journalist, and television personality.-Broadcasting career:...
, American football announcer - Hardcore music act, HORSE the BandHORSE the bandHorse the Band is a band from Lake Forest, California who are best known for their 8-bit Nintendo-influenced sound combined with metalcore. Frontman Nathan Winneke once described their sound as "Nintendocore".-Biography:...
- Brad BufandaBrad BufandaBrad Bufanda is an American actor. He is best known for the role of Larry Wilcox in the TV series Co-Ed Confidential.-Personal life:...
, actor