When it comes to beautiful cities in Orange County, Lake Forest finds itself near the top of every list. The centrally located city, once known as El Toro, expanded almost 20 years ago and in the process brought in new housing developments and commercial centers. The city is now home to well regarded schools, highly desired jobs, and no shortage of recreational activity with two man-made lakes from which the city gets its name.

Places to see in Lake Forest

Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary – Located in Modjeska Canyon, the Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary is a great spot to take in the natural beauty of Orange County. The wildlife observation preserve is home to multiple hiking trails, a natural history museum, two small ponds, an amphitheater, and much more!

Arden Helena Modjeska Historic House and Gardens – Tucked away on the banks of Santiago Creek, the Modjeska House has been a historic landmark in Lake Forest for over 120 years. The beautiful, 14.5 acre property now hosts daily walking tours of the home and surrounding gardens.

Frisby Cellars Winery– Frisby Cellars Winery may be new to the local wine scene, but one trip to the grounds will have you thinking they have been doing it for decades. Started in 2008, the winery is home to a number of delicious wines. The wines represent the unique climate and growing conditions of Orange County. The winery hosts tours and tastings every Friday through Sunday.

Popular Local Restaurants

Avilo’s El Ranchito – Classic Mexican Food
Peppino’s Italian Family Restaurant – Classic Italian Cuisine
Bru Market and Grill – Modern American Cuisine
Thai Corner – Chinese/Thai Cuisine

Nearby Schools
Lake Forest Elementary School
Santiago Elementary School
La Madera Elementary School
Ralph A. Gates Elementary School
El Toro High School

Full List of Schools in Saddleback Valley Unified School District can be Found Here

Lake Forest Real Estate Market: The median home value in Lake Forest is approximately $668,200 (as of December 2016), while price per square foot is approximately $369. This is slightly lower than the average price per square foot of $389 for the rest of the Long Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim Metro area. The current housing market in Lake Forest is neutral with a reasonable rise in home values in the past year. Since 2015, home values have risen 3.9%. Movement is expected to plateau in the next year with a forecasted rise of just 1.1% before December of 2017.

Lake Forest Rental Market: The average rent in Lake Forest of $2,982 is marginally higher than the average rent of $2,900 for the rest of the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim Metro area.

Lake Forest

Zillow.com

Demographics and More

Zip Codes: 92609, 92610, 92630, 92679

Population: Lake Forest has a population of 77,264 as of the last available census. In addition, the median age of Lake Forest residents is 37.2 years old. 49.4% of Lake Forest residents are male while 50.6% of residents are female.

Climate: Lake Forest is located inland in central Orange County and typically has an ideal climate with very little change in temperature throughout the year. The location causes warmer winter temperatures and cooler summer temperatures. Average temperatures rarely climb above 80 and below 45 degrees throughout the year.

Lake Forest

Weather.com

Crime: The overall crime rate in Lake Forest is 70% lower than the national average and safer than approximately 86% of the cities in California. Safety has become a matter of discussion in the Lake Forest area as the number of crimes has increased by 28% from the previous year.

Demographics:
67.6% White (24% Hispanic)
15.1% Asian
2.1% African American
10.3% Other

Incorporated Date: December 20, 1991

By |2017-05-10T00:39:50+00:00April 12th, 2017|Communities, Orange County|0 Comments

About the Author:

Kevin is the Digital Marketing Coordinator at Class Realty Group.