Orange County’s 10 Richest Neighborhoods *

Rustic Cowan Heights, a panoply of undulating hills, winding roads, horse trails and gracious homes, is Orange County’s most affluent neighborhood. With an annual median household income of $120,096, it ranks slightly ahead of the Aliso Viejo/Sulphur Creek (Laguna Niguel) area, where the comparable income figure is $117,260.

Cowan Heights, named for oilman and real estate developer Walter Cowan, who once owned an 800-acre ranch that stretched over what is now a good portion of the community, was also the county’s richest neighborhood at the outset of the decade. Since then, however, the median household income has taken a 124% jump to the current figure.

By the 1990s, though, it appears as though Cowan Heights will lose its title as most affluent neighborhood. Current projections show that 5 years from now, the Aliso Viejo/Sulphur Creek area will have overtaken Cowan Heights, as will have the northwestern-most portion of Laguna Hills.

1988

Census Area Tract Population Households Cowan Heights 756.01 10,393 3,073 Aliso Viejo/Laguna Niguel 423.09 11,144 3,067 Big Canyon (Newport Beach) 630.07 3,908 1,440 Corona del Mar 626.17 4,253 1,625 Lemon Heights 756.02 4,677 1,387 Northern Villa Park 758.09 3,874 1,109 Anaheim Hills 219.04 8,211 2,678 Laguna Hills 626.21 4,977 2,088 Huntington Harbour 995.07 8,385 3,275 Newport Center (Newport Beach) 630.08 185 115

1988 Median Household Area Income Cowan Heights $120,096 Aliso Viejo/Laguna Niguel 117,260 Big Canyon (Newport Beach) 111,792 Corona del Mar 109,806 Lemon Heights 108,901 Northern Villa Park 106,009 Anaheim Hills 104,874 Laguna Hills 103,605 Huntington Harbour 98,715 Newport Center (Newport Beach) 94,318

1993

Projected Median Census Household Area Tract Population Households Income Aliso Viejo/Laguna Niguel 423.09 16,533 4,589 140,078 Laguna Hills 626.21 5,994 2,537 139,291 (north of Santa Maria Ave., west of Moulton Parkway) Cowan Heights 756.01 12,221 3,645 $134,358 Big Canyon 630.07 4,472 1,663 133,155 (Newport Beach) Costa Mesa 639.07 4,763 1,615 132,609 (west of South Coast Plaza) Lemon Heights 756.02 4,832 1,446 132,228 Laguna Hills 626.23 6,795 4,373 131,212 (between Santa Maria Ave. and El Toro Road, west of Moulton Parkway) Anaheim Hills 219.04 10,108 3,325 130,932 Northern Villa Park 758.09 3,891 1,124 129,746 Turtle Rock (Irvine) 626.16 10,293 3,747 129,185

* 1988 and 1993 estimates for census tracts of at least 100 residents; based on median household income.

Source: National Planning Data Corp.