Laguna Hills Demographics
Laguna Hills is a city in Orange County
The community name derives from Spanish for "lake". The latitude of Laguna Hills is 33.612N. The longitude is -117.711W. It is in the Pacific Standard time zone. Elevation is 371 feet. The estimated population, in 2003, was 32,181.
Laguna Hills is built on one of the major land grants developed during the Rancho Era. Following Mexico's independence from Spain in 1821, those who had served in the government or who had friends in authority, were given vast lands for cattle grazing. Rancho Lomas de Santiago, Rancho San Joaquin, and Rancho Niguel covered much of the western portion of the Saddleback Valley. Don Juan Avila was granted the 13,000 Rancho Niguel on which Laguna Hills is located.
The city was incorporated in 1991.
Laguna Hills gained recognition when the private senior community Leisure World was developed. The self-contained community includes swimming pools, golf courses, shopping centers and an internal transportation.
Home to some of Orange county's best medical facilities, a large mall and many fine restaurants, Laguna Hills enjoys one of the lowest crime rates in Orange County.
Housing & real estate
Median rent in Laguna Hills, at the time of the 2000 Census, was $1,088. Monthly homeowner costs, for people with mortgages, were $1,945.
