Mission Viejo, California
Encyclopedia
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. The city has a 2011 estimated population of 93,483,
Mission Viejo is suburb
an in nature and culture. The city is mainly residential, although there are a number of offices and businesses within its city limits. The city is known for its picturesque tree-lined neighborhoods, receiving recognition from the National Arbor Day Foundation
. The city's name is a reference to Rancho Mission Viejo
, a large Spanish land grant from which the community was founded.
Mission Viejo was named the safest city in the United States in a 2007 Morgan Quitno crime statistic survey (compiled from FBI data). In 2009, it was named the safest city in California and third safest in the nation, according to CQ Press.
land, since it was of little use to farmers. This city was one of the last regions of Orange County to be urbanized due to its geologic complexity. Mission Viejo was purchased by John Forster, a Mexican also known as Don Juan. During the Mexican-American War, Foster provided fresh horses to United States military forces which were used on the march of San Diego to retake Los Angeles.
In 1960, early developers dismissed most of the land in Mission Viejo as simply "undevelopable". Donald Bren, an urban planner who later became the president of the Irvine Company
, drafted a master plan which placed roads in the valleys and houses on the hills, and contoured to the geography of the area. The plan worked, and by 1980 much of the city of Mission Viejo was completed. During the late 1970s and the 1980s, houses in Mission Viejo were in such high demand that housing tracts often sold out before construction even began on them. The houses and shopping centers in the city are almost uniformly designed in a Spanish mission style, with "adobe"-like stucco walls and barrel-tile roofs. Many point to Mission Viejo as the first and largest manifestation of Bren's obsession with Spanish architecture. Bren's company was also the creator of the developments in Irvine, and Newport Beach suburbs. The company expanded its operations and went on to build the Lakes project in Tempe Arizona, Mission Viejo Aurora in Colorado and was the initial master planner of Highlands Ranch, both suburbs of the Denver Metropolitan area.
The seal of the city of Mission Viejo was designed and drawn by Carl Glassford, an artist and former resident of the city.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 18.1 square miles (46.9 km²). 17.7 square miles (45.8 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of it (2.12%) is water. A significant portion of the surface water is held in Lake Mission Viejo
, an artificial lake stretching approximately one mile from Olympiad Road to Alicia Parkway along Marguerite Parkway.
It is bordered by Lake Forest
on the northwest, Trabuco Canyon
on the northeast, Rancho Santa Margarita
and Ladera Ranch
on the east, San Juan Capistrano
on the south, and Laguna Niguel
and Laguna Hills
on the west.
(Köppen climate classification
BSh/Csa).
was 5,148.3 people per square mile (1,987.8/km²). The racial makeup of Mission Viejo was 74,493 (79.8%) White, 1,210 (1.3%) African American, 379 (0.4%) Native American, 8,462 (9.1%) Asian, 153 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 4,332 (4.6%) from other races
, and 4,276 (4.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15,877 persons (17.0%).
The Census reported that 92,363 people (99.0% of the population) lived in households, 859 (0.9%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 83 (0.1%) were institutionalized.
There were 33,208 households, out of which 11,767 (35.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 20,792 (62.6%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 2,967 (8.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,306 (3.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,211 (3.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 225 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 6,314 households (19.0%) were made up of individuals and 2,949 (8.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78. There were 25,065 families
(75.5% of all households); the average family size was 3.18.
The population was spread out with 21,270 people (22.8%) under the age of 18, 7,852 people (8.4%) aged 18 to 24, 21,648 people (23.2%) aged 25 to 44, 29,003 people (31.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 13,532 people (14.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.2 years. For every 100 females there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.
There were 34,228 housing units at an average density of 1,888.6 per square mile (729.2/km²), of which 25,859 (77.9%) were owner-occupied, and 7,349 (22.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.9%. 72,390 people (77.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 19,973 people (21.4%) lived in rental housing units.
, there were 93,102 people, 32,449 households and 25,212 families residing in the city. The population density
was 4,990.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,926.4/km²). There were 32,986 housing units at an average density of 1,767.9 per square mile (682.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 79.7% white, 1.6% African American, 0.4% Native American, 8.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 6.2% from other races
, and 3.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.9% of the population. There were 32,449 households out of which 39.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.1% were married couples
living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were non-families. 17.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.22.
Age distribution was 27.1% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.
According to a 2008 estimate, the median household income
was $93,330, and the median family income was $113,439. Males had a median income of $74,703 versus $53,196 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $41,459. 1.9% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 6% of those age 65 or over.
Mission Viejo has numerous recreational areas such as the Norman P. Murry Community and Senior Center there are about two parks per square mile. The city has three golf courses, The Mission Viejo Country Club, Casta del Sol Golf Course, and the Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club. At the center of the city is a man-made lake, Lake Mission Viejo
, a private association for Mission Viejo residents with custom waterfront homes, condominiums, boat rentals, and swim beaches.
, 14,319 (25.4%) are Democrats
, 8,790 (15.6%) declined to state political affiliation, and the remaining 2,087 (3.8%) are registered with a minor party.
In the state legislature
Mission Viejo is located in the 33rd Senate
District, represented by Republican
Mimi Walters
, and in the 71st Assembly
District, represented by Republican Jeff Miller
. Federally, Mission Viejo is located in California's 42nd congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of R +10 and is represented by Republican Gary Miller
.
The Mission Viejo Nadadores Swimming and Mission Viejo Nadadores Diving Team won a string of national championships and produced a number of Olympians and world record holders in the 1970s and 1980s. Olympians included Shirley Babashoff, Brian Goodell, Larson Jenson, Maryanne Graham, Nicole Kramer, Casy Converse, Marcia Morey, Dara Torres
, and Greg Louganis
.
Mission Viejo hosted the Road Cycling Events
during the 1984 Summer Olympics
held in Los Angeles. The old O'Neill Road was renamed Olympiad Rd. in honor of the Olympic events in 1984.
There is also a soccer facility, now used by the town's youth soccer program, that was used as a training field by the United States men's national soccer team before and during the 1994 FIFA World Cup
, hosted by the United States. Mission Viejo is the largest AYSO Region in the country.
The Saddleback College ballpark hosted the Mission Viejo Vigilantes
minor league baseball team of the Western Baseball League
from 1996–2001. Now the ballpark has a semi-pro collegiate team, the Orange County Fire.
Mission Viejo is also the hometown of New York Jets
quarterback Mark Sánchez
, New York Yankees
pitcher Phil Hughes, and Arizona Diamondbacks
first baseman Adam LaRoche
, former Milwaukee Brewers
pitcher Don August
and Saint Louis Cardinals outfielder Allen Craig
.
and Saddleback Valley Unified School District
s. Capistrano Unified serves the eastern, northeastern, and southern portions of the city with eight schools. As of 2006, all high school students in the Capistrano Unified portion of Mission Viejo attend Capistrano Valley High School
. Students from western Mission Viejo (north of Oso Parkway and west of Marguerite until Alicia Parkway) attend Saddleback Valley's Mission Viejo High School
. Far northern Mission Viejo attends Saddleback Valley's Trabuco Hills High School
, though most of that school has students from Rancho Santa Margarita and Lake Forest. A few residents attend Tesoro High School
in Las Flores or the private Santa Margarita Catholic High School
in Rancho Santa Margarita.
Silverado High School, Mira Monte High School, and Pathfinder are continuation and adult schools within the city. Silverado High School provides a day school environment while Mira Monte, which shares the same campus, is strictly independent study.
Saddleback College
, near The Shops at Mission Viejo
and Capistrano Valley High School
, is a large community college in the southern half of the city. In addition, the University of California, Irvine
, Chapman University
, Soka University of America
, and California State University, Fullerton (El Toro Campus), are nearby in adjacent cities.
La Tierra Elementary shut down in June 2009 due to budget cuts. It was chosen due to its small size and minimal student body. The school will remain closed until further notice. Mission Viejo residents refer to La Tierra as "The Little School With a Big Heart." Students there are reassigned to Del Cerro Elementary.
O'Neill Elementary, the city's first elementary school, closed in June 2009 also due to budget cuts in SVUSD. Students in the Deane Home community surrounding the school will be moved to nearby De Portola Elementary. Students living in the homes north of the lake will be moved to Melinda Heights Elementary in Rancho Santa Margarita.
Elementary
Capistrano Unified
Saddleback Valley Unified
Private
Middle school
High school
College
Notable residents
Brian Goodell, gold medal and world record holding swimmer
Kina Grannis, singer and songwriter
Jordan Harvey, soccer player
Phil Hughes, pitcher, Major League Baseball, New York Yankees
Jason Miller, American mixed martial artist
Gator, Hotdog dog
Noah Munck, actor, iCarly[16]
Mark Muñoz, fighter, American mixed martial artist
Carson Palmer, quarterback, National Football League, Oakland Raiders
Mark Sanchez, quarterback, National Football League, New York Jets
Kaitlin Sandeno, swimmer
Larry Sherry (1935–2006), Major League Baseball relief player
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...
, U.S. in the Saddleback Valley
Saddleback Valley
Saddleback Valley is located in South Orange County, California and is home to the cities of Mission Viejo, Ladera Ranch, Rancho Santa Margarita, and Lake Forest, among others....
. Mission Viejo is considered one of the largest master-planned communities
Planned community
A planned community, or planned city, is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are less frequent in planned communities since...
ever built under a single project in the United States, and is rivaled only by Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Highlands Ranch is a census-designated place in Douglas County, Colorado, United States. The population was 96,713 at the 2010 census; it is one of the most populous unincorporated communities in the United States...
, in its size. The city has a 2011 estimated population of 93,483,
Mission Viejo is suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
an in nature and culture. The city is mainly residential, although there are a number of offices and businesses within its city limits. The city is known for its picturesque tree-lined neighborhoods, receiving recognition from the National Arbor Day Foundation
National Arbor Day Foundation
The Arbor Day Foundation is the world's oldest and largest tree-planting organization. The foundation began September 3, 1971 with a mission "to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees". The Foundation is supported by donations, selling trees and merchandise, and by corporate sponsors...
. The city's name is a reference to Rancho Mission Viejo
Rancho Mission Viejo
Rancho Mission Viejo was a land grant given in 1845 to John Forster. Later it became a cattle ranch and leased land operation in what is now Mission Viejo, California, in southeast Orange County, California.-Mexican land grant:...
, a large Spanish land grant from which the community was founded.
Mission Viejo was named the safest city in the United States in a 2007 Morgan Quitno crime statistic survey (compiled from FBI data). In 2009, it was named the safest city in California and third safest in the nation, according to CQ Press.
History
Mission Viejo was a hilly region primarily used as cattle and sheep grazingGrazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
land, since it was of little use to farmers. This city was one of the last regions of Orange County to be urbanized due to its geologic complexity. Mission Viejo was purchased by John Forster, a Mexican also known as Don Juan. During the Mexican-American War, Foster provided fresh horses to United States military forces which were used on the march of San Diego to retake Los Angeles.
In 1960, early developers dismissed most of the land in Mission Viejo as simply "undevelopable". Donald Bren, an urban planner who later became the president of the Irvine Company
Irvine Company
The Irvine Company is a privately held real estate development company based in Newport Beach, Orange County, Southern California. The corporate center of the company lies in Newport Center. A large portion of its operations are centered in and around the City of Irvine, a planned city of 250,000...
, drafted a master plan which placed roads in the valleys and houses on the hills, and contoured to the geography of the area. The plan worked, and by 1980 much of the city of Mission Viejo was completed. During the late 1970s and the 1980s, houses in Mission Viejo were in such high demand that housing tracts often sold out before construction even began on them. The houses and shopping centers in the city are almost uniformly designed in a Spanish mission style, with "adobe"-like stucco walls and barrel-tile roofs. Many point to Mission Viejo as the first and largest manifestation of Bren's obsession with Spanish architecture. Bren's company was also the creator of the developments in Irvine, and Newport Beach suburbs. The company expanded its operations and went on to build the Lakes project in Tempe Arizona, Mission Viejo Aurora in Colorado and was the initial master planner of Highlands Ranch, both suburbs of the Denver Metropolitan area.
The seal of the city of Mission Viejo was designed and drawn by Carl Glassford, an artist and former resident of the city.
Geography
Mission Viejo is located at 33°36′46"N 117°39′22"W (33.612739, −117.656038).According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 18.1 square miles (46.9 km²). 17.7 square miles (45.8 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of it (2.12%) is water. A significant portion of the surface water is held in Lake Mission Viejo
Lake Mission Viejo
Lake Mission Viejo is a reservoir entirely within Mission Viejo, in Orange County in the U.S. state of California. About south of Santiago Peak, a peak in the Santa Ana Mountains, the reservoir is formed by an earthfill dam across the canyon of Oso Creek, which is part of the Trabuco Creek and San...
, an artificial lake stretching approximately one mile from Olympiad Road to Alicia Parkway along Marguerite Parkway.
It is bordered by Lake Forest
Lake Forest, California
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...
on the northwest, 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 northeast, Rancho Santa Margarita
Rancho Santa Margarita, California
Rancho Santa Margarita is a city in Orange County, California. One of Orange County's youngest cities, Rancho Santa Margarita is a master planned community set upon rolling hills. Most neighborhoods in Rancho Santa Margarita are within various homeowners associations...
and Ladera Ranch
Ladera Ranch, California
Ladera Ranch is a census-designated place and a planned community located in south Orange County, California just outside the city limits of San Juan Capistrano, Rancho Santa Margarita and Mission Viejo....
on the east, San Juan Capistrano
San Juan Capistrano, California
San Juan Capistrano is a city in southern Orange County, California, located approximately southeast of Downtown Santa Ana. The current OMB metropolitan designation for San Juan Capistrano and the Orange County Area is “Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA.” The population was 34,593 at the 2010 census,...
on the south, and Laguna Niguel
Laguna Niguel, California
Laguna Niguel is an affluent city located in southern Orange County, California. The name "Laguna Niguel" is derived from the Spanish word "Laguna" which means lagoon, and the word "Nigueli" which was the name of a Juaneño Indian village that was once located on Aliso Creek. The population was...
and 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 west.
Climate
Mission Viejo experiences a borderline semi-arid/Mediterranean climateMediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
(Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
BSh/Csa).
Demographics
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Mission Viejo had a population of 93,305. 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 5,148.3 people per square mile (1,987.8/km²). The racial makeup of Mission Viejo was 74,493 (79.8%) White, 1,210 (1.3%) African American, 379 (0.4%) Native American, 8,462 (9.1%) Asian, 153 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 4,332 (4.6%) 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 4,276 (4.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15,877 persons (17.0%).
The Census reported that 92,363 people (99.0% of the population) lived in households, 859 (0.9%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 83 (0.1%) were institutionalized.
There were 33,208 households, out of which 11,767 (35.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 20,792 (62.6%) 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, 2,967 (8.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,306 (3.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,211 (3.6%) 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 225 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 6,314 households (19.0%) were made up of individuals and 2,949 (8.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78. There were 25,065 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...
(75.5% of all households); the average family size was 3.18.
The population was spread out with 21,270 people (22.8%) under the age of 18, 7,852 people (8.4%) aged 18 to 24, 21,648 people (23.2%) aged 25 to 44, 29,003 people (31.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 13,532 people (14.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.2 years. For every 100 females there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.
There were 34,228 housing units at an average density of 1,888.6 per square mile (729.2/km²), of which 25,859 (77.9%) were owner-occupied, and 7,349 (22.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.9%. 72,390 people (77.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 19,973 people (21.4%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
At the 2000 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...
, there were 93,102 people, 32,449 households and 25,212 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 4,990.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,926.4/km²). There were 32,986 housing units at an average density of 1,767.9 per square mile (682.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 79.7% white, 1.6% African American, 0.4% Native American, 8.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 6.2% 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 3.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.9% of the population. There were 32,449 households out of which 39.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.1% 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, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were non-families. 17.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.22.
Age distribution was 27.1% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.
According to a 2008 estimate, the median household income
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
was $93,330, and the median family income was $113,439. Males had a median income of $74,703 versus $53,196 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 $41,459. 1.9% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 6% of those age 65 or over.
Recreation and services
Mission Hospital is the largest hospital in south Orange County and serves as the area's regional trauma center. It also offers one of two Children's Hospital of Orange County locations providing care for children.Mission Viejo has numerous recreational areas such as the Norman P. Murry Community and Senior Center there are about two parks per square mile. The city has three golf courses, The Mission Viejo Country Club, Casta del Sol Golf Course, and the Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club. At the center of the city is a man-made lake, Lake Mission Viejo
Lake Mission Viejo
Lake Mission Viejo is a reservoir entirely within Mission Viejo, in Orange County in the U.S. state of California. About south of Santiago Peak, a peak in the Santa Ana Mountains, the reservoir is formed by an earthfill dam across the canyon of Oso Creek, which is part of the Trabuco Creek and San...
, a private association for Mission Viejo residents with custom waterfront homes, condominiums, boat rentals, and swim beaches.
Economy
According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were:| # | Employer | # of employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saddleback College Saddleback College The athletic programs are supported in part by the Associated Student Body at Saddleback College. Revenue generated from attendance at athletic events helps support the entire student activities program.-On-campus media outlets:*The Lariat... |
2,196 |
| 2 | Mission Hospital | 1,349 |
| 3 | Unisys Unisys Unisys Corporation , headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, United States, and incorporated in Delaware, is a long established business whose core products now involves computing and networking.-History:... |
1,000 |
| 4 | Quest Diagnostics | 500 |
| 5 | Coldwell Banker Coldwell Banker Coldwell Banker is a large real estate franchise founded in 1906 in San Francisco.Coldwell Banker has an international presence, with offices on six continents, 46 countries and territories... |
410 |
| 6 | 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... |
400 |
Politics
Of the 56,286 registered voters in the city, 31,090 (55.2%) are RepublicansRepublican 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...
, 14,319 (25.4%) are Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, 8,790 (15.6%) declined to state political affiliation, and the remaining 2,087 (3.8%) are registered with a minor party.
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...
Mission Viejo 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 71st 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 Jeff Miller
Jeff Miller (California politician)
Jeff Miller is a California State Assemblyman representing California's 71st State Assembly district, which spans the edge of Eastern Orange County and takes in the majority of Western Riverside County. A small business owner, he served 8 years as both the Mayor and a City Councilman in the City...
. Federally, Mission Viejo is located in California's 42nd congressional district
California's 42nd congressional district
California's 42nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that covers parts of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino counties in Southern California.The district is currently represented by Republican Gary G...
, 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 +10 and is represented by Republican Gary Miller
Gary Miller
Gary Gene Miller is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 41st, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
.
Sports
Mission Viejo has a major youth athletic facility, Mission Viejo Youth Athletic Park. The park consists of eight baseball fields and five soccer fields. It is host to Little League District 68 http://www.district68.com, AYSO Region 84 http://www.ayso84.org/ and four competitive soccer clubs: Pateadores Soccer Club, Mission Viejo Soccer Club, West Coast Futbol Club, and Saddleback United Soccer Club.The Mission Viejo Nadadores Swimming and Mission Viejo Nadadores Diving Team won a string of national championships and produced a number of Olympians and world record holders in the 1970s and 1980s. Olympians included Shirley Babashoff, Brian Goodell, Larson Jenson, Maryanne Graham, Nicole Kramer, Casy Converse, Marcia Morey, Dara Torres
Dara Torres
Dara Grace Torres is an American international swimmer and a twelve-time Olympic medalist. Torres was the first swimmer from the United States to compete in five Olympic Games , and, at age 41, the oldest swimmer ever to earn a place on the U.S. Olympic team...
, and Greg Louganis
Greg Louganis
Gregory "Greg" Efthimios Louganis is an American Olympic diver and author.He received the James E. Sullivan Award from the Amateur Athletic Union in 1984 as the most outstanding amateur athlete in the United States....
.
Mission Viejo hosted the Road Cycling Events
Cycling at the 1984 Summer Olympics
The cycling competition at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles consisted of three road cycling events and five track cycling events. For the first time, women's cycling events were included in the Olympic program, with a single event, the individual road race...
during the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
held in Los Angeles. The old O'Neill Road was renamed Olympiad Rd. in honor of the Olympic events in 1984.
There is also a soccer facility, now used by the town's youth soccer program, that was used as a training field by the United States men's national soccer team before and during the 1994 FIFA World Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
, hosted by the United States. Mission Viejo is the largest AYSO Region in the country.
The Saddleback College ballpark hosted the Mission Viejo Vigilantes
Mission Viejo Vigilantes
The Mission Viejo Vigilantes were a minor league baseball team located in Mission Viejo, California. The team played in the independent Western Baseball League, and was not affiliated with any Major League Baseball team. Their home stadium was Mission Viejo Stadium near Saddleback College.The...
minor league baseball team of the Western Baseball League
Western Baseball League
The Western Baseball League was an independent baseball league based in the Western United States and Western Canada. It's member teams were not associated with any Major League Baseball teams. It operated from 1995 to 2002....
from 1996–2001. Now the ballpark has a semi-pro collegiate team, the Orange County Fire.
Mission Viejo is also the hometown of New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
quarterback Mark Sánchez
Mark Sanchez
Mark Travis John Sanchez is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League . He was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft as the fifth overall selection by the Jets and the second quarterback taken overall...
, New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
pitcher Phil Hughes, and Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
first baseman Adam LaRoche
Adam LaRoche
David Adam LaRoche , is a Major League Baseball first baseman. In 2011, the Washington Nationals signed him to a two-year deal...
, former Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
pitcher Don August
Don August
Donald Glenn August , moved to Mission Viejo, California and graduated from Capistrano Valley Highschool is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Milwaukee Brewers from to . Through his paternal grandmother, he is a first cousin twice removed of Archbishop of...
and Saint Louis Cardinals outfielder Allen Craig
Allen Craig
Allen Thomas Craig is a Major League Baseball utility player for the St. Louis Cardinals.-Amateur career:...
.
Education
Mission Viejo is served by two school districts, the Capistrano Unified School DistrictCapistrano Unified School District
Capistrano Unified School District is the second largest school district in Orange County, California, the 12th largest in California and the 82nd largest in the United States. The district currently has 51,512 students...
and 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...
s. Capistrano Unified serves the eastern, northeastern, and southern portions of the city with eight schools. As of 2006, all high school students in the Capistrano Unified portion of Mission Viejo attend Capistrano Valley High School
Capistrano valley high school
Capistrano Valley High School is a public high school at the southern border of Mission Viejo, California that belongs to the Capistrano Unified School District. It is set on a hilltop overlooking the I-5 freeway corridor and Saddleback Mountain. It is located on Via Escolar, off the Avery exit of...
. Students from western Mission Viejo (north of Oso Parkway and west of Marguerite until Alicia Parkway) attend Saddleback Valley's Mission Viejo High School
Mission Viejo High School
Mission Viejo High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Mission Viejo, California, United States, as part of the Saddleback Valley Unified School District. The school has served the area since 1966. Students within its attendance boundaries live in western Mission...
. Far northern Mission Viejo attends Saddleback Valley's Trabuco Hills High School
Trabuco Hills High School
Trabuco Hills High School is a high school in Mission Viejo, California, United States. It is the largest school in the Saddleback Valley Unified School District in terms of attendance, with over 3,400 students enrolled as of the 2010-2011 school year....
, though most of that school has students from Rancho Santa Margarita and Lake Forest. A few residents attend Tesoro High School
Tesoro High School
Tesoro High School is a public school found in the southern Orange County area of Las Flores, California. Established in the fall of 2001, Tesoro is 1 of 7 high schools in the Capistrano Unified School District. As of the 2009-2010 year, Tesoro serves nearly 3,000 students in grades 9-12...
in Las Flores or the private Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Santa Margarita Catholic High School is a coeducational college preparatory Roman Catholic high school located in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, United States. SMCHS was opened in the fall of 1987 under the direction of the Bishop of Orange...
in Rancho Santa Margarita.
Silverado High School, Mira Monte High School, and Pathfinder are continuation and adult schools within the city. Silverado High School provides a day school environment while Mira Monte, which shares the same campus, is strictly independent study.
Saddleback College
Saddleback College
The athletic programs are supported in part by the Associated Student Body at Saddleback College. Revenue generated from attendance at athletic events helps support the entire student activities program.-On-campus media outlets:*The Lariat...
, near The Shops at Mission Viejo
The Shops at Mission Viejo
The Shops at Mission Viejo is an upscale shopping mall located in Mission Viejo, California. It is the southernmost mall in Orange County and features major stores including Nordstrom, Macy*s, Tommy Bahama, Apple Store, Williams-Sonoma, and Coach. Recent additions to the mall include Zara,...
and Capistrano Valley High School
Capistrano valley high school
Capistrano Valley High School is a public high school at the southern border of Mission Viejo, California that belongs to the Capistrano Unified School District. It is set on a hilltop overlooking the I-5 freeway corridor and Saddleback Mountain. It is located on Via Escolar, off the Avery exit of...
, is a large community college in the southern half of the city. In addition, the University of California, Irvine
University of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA...
, Chapman University
Chapman University
Chapman University is a private, non-profit university located in Orange, California affiliated with the Christian Church . Known for its blend of liberal arts and professional programs, Chapman University encompasses seven schools and colleges: Lawrence and Kristina Dodge College of Film and Media...
, Soka University of America
Soka University of America
Soka University of America is a university located in Aliso Viejo, California, United States. It describes its mission as the fostering of a steady stream of global citizens committed to living a contributive life—with an emphasis on principles of pacifism, human rights, and the creative...
, and California State University, Fullerton (El Toro Campus), are nearby in adjacent cities.
La Tierra Elementary shut down in June 2009 due to budget cuts. It was chosen due to its small size and minimal student body. The school will remain closed until further notice. Mission Viejo residents refer to La Tierra as "The Little School With a Big Heart." Students there are reassigned to Del Cerro Elementary.
O'Neill Elementary, the city's first elementary school, closed in June 2009 also due to budget cuts in SVUSD. Students in the Deane Home community surrounding the school will be moved to nearby De Portola Elementary. Students living in the homes north of the lake will be moved to Melinda Heights Elementary in Rancho Santa Margarita.
Elementary
Capistrano Unified
- Barcelona Hills Elementary School
- Bathgate Elementary School
- Carl Hankey K-8 School
- Castille Elementary School
- Philip J Reilly Elementary School
- Viejo Elementary School
Saddleback Valley Unified
- Cordillera Elementary School
- Del Cerro Elementary School
- Del Lago Elementary School
- De Portola Elementary School
- Glen Yermo Elementary School
- La Tierra Elementary School -closed in June 2009
- Linda Vista Elementary School
- Montevideo Elementary School
- O'Neill Elementary School -closed in June 2009
Private
- Carden Academy
- Al Ridah Academy – an Islamic Elementary School
Middle school
- Newhart Middle School-CUSD
- La Paz Intermediate School-SVUSD
- Los Alisos Intermediate School- SVUSD
High school
- Capistrano Valley High SchoolCapistrano valley high schoolCapistrano Valley High School is a public high school at the southern border of Mission Viejo, California that belongs to the Capistrano Unified School District. It is set on a hilltop overlooking the I-5 freeway corridor and Saddleback Mountain. It is located on Via Escolar, off the Avery exit of...
-CUSD - Halstrom High SchoolHalstrom High SchoolHalstrom High School is a Californian school in the following locations:*Mission Viejo *Oceanside *San Diego It offers classes in:*English*Practical Arts*Fine Arts*Math*Foreign Language*Science*Social Science*Test Prep*Personal Development...
(formerly Futures High School)-CUSD - Mission Viejo High SchoolMission Viejo High SchoolMission Viejo High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Mission Viejo, California, United States, as part of the Saddleback Valley Unified School District. The school has served the area since 1966. Students within its attendance boundaries live in western Mission...
-SVUSD - Trabuco Hills High SchoolTrabuco Hills High SchoolTrabuco Hills High School is a high school in Mission Viejo, California, United States. It is the largest school in the Saddleback Valley Unified School District in terms of attendance, with over 3,400 students enrolled as of the 2010-2011 school year....
-SVUSD
College
- Saddleback CollegeSaddleback CollegeThe athletic programs are supported in part by the Associated Student Body at Saddleback College. Revenue generated from attendance at athletic events helps support the entire student activities program.-On-campus media outlets:*The Lariat...
Notable residents
- Brian GoodellBrian GoodellBrian Stuart Goodell is an Olympic champion and former World Record holding freestyle swimmer from the United States. At the 1976 Olympic Games, he won gold medals in 400m and 1500m Frees. He also won golds in both those events at the 1979 Pan American Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico...
, gold medal and world record holding swimmer - Kina GrannisKina GrannisKina Kasuya Grannis is a Japanese American guitarist and singer-songwriter. She is of Japanese, English, Irish, French, and German descent....
, singer and songwriter - Jordan HarveyJordan HarveyJordan Harvey is an American soccer player who currently plays for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Major League Soccer.-Youth and college:Harvey started playing club soccer with Strikers FC...
, soccer player - Phil Hughes, pitcher, Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
, New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division... - Jason Miller, American mixed martial artist
- Noah MunckNoah MunckNoah Bryant Munck is an American actor and comedian. His roles include Gibby Gibson in iCarly and Bobby Sinclair, the junior lawn-mowing entrepreneur in the TruGreen commercials.-Early life:...
, actor, iCarlyICarlyiCarly is an American sitcom that focuses on a girl named Carly Shay who creates her own web show called iCarly with her best friends Sam and Freddie. The series was created by Dan Schneider, who also serves as executive producer. It stars Miranda Cosgrove as Carly, Jennette McCurdy as Sam, Nathan... - Mark MuñozMark MunozMark Muñoz is an American mixed martial artist of Filipino descent currently fighting in the middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.Muñoz is known for his wrestling ability and his relentless ground-and-pound...
, fighter, American mixed martial artist - Carson PalmerCarson PalmerCarson Palmer is an American professional football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals first overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at the University of Southern California and won the Heisman Trophy in 2002...
, quarterback, National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, Oakland RaidersOakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Mark SanchezMark SanchezMark Travis John Sanchez is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League . He was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft as the fifth overall selection by the Jets and the second quarterback taken overall...
, quarterback, National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, New York JetsNew York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - 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:...
, swimmer - Larry SherryLarry SherryLawrence Sherry was an American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who spent most of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers...
(1935–2006), Major League Baseball relief player
Notable residents
Brian Goodell, gold medal and world record holding swimmer
Kina Grannis, singer and songwriter
Jordan Harvey, soccer player
Phil Hughes, pitcher, Major League Baseball, New York Yankees
Jason Miller, American mixed martial artist
Gator, Hotdog dog
Noah Munck, actor, iCarly[16]
Mark Muñoz, fighter, American mixed martial artist
Carson Palmer, quarterback, National Football League, Oakland Raiders
Mark Sanchez, quarterback, National Football League, New York Jets
Kaitlin Sandeno, swimmer
Larry Sherry (1935–2006), Major League Baseball relief player