”Survey says” looks at various rankings and scorecards judging geographic locations, noting that these grades are best seen as a mix of art and data.
Buzz: Mission Viejo made Money magazine’s “best places to live” list, the lone Southern California city honored in 2021.
Source: Every year since 1986, the magazine’s staff digests various statistical data — tracking the economy, housing, demographics, crime, health and culture — on municipalities with 500,000 or fewer residents, calculating the most desirable places.
Details
The city took 48th place out of 50 on a pioneering annual scorecard that help popularized these “best” rankings.
At top of the 2021 rankings was Chanhassen, Minn., a Minneapolis suburb, followed by Carmel, Ind.; Franklin, Tenn.; Flower Mound, Texas; Ashburn, Va.; Syracuse, Utah; Overland Park, Kansas; Centennial, Colo.; Scottsdale, and Ellicott City, Md.
Caveat
Beauty is in the eye of the scorecard’s editors. So we’ll note that the Niche website ranked Mission Viejo No. 42 — on a listing of best Los Angeles suburbs.
Bottom Line
Mission Viejo’s honor marks Southern California’s return to the Money rankings after a year’s absence. In 2019, three local cities made the magazine’s then-100-best-places list: Irvine at No. 18, Chino Hills at No. 38 and Eagle Rock at No. 58.
The ranking won’t hurt home prices. Zillow says the middle-tier home in Mission Viejo is valued at $949,678 — up 23% in a year and double what it was in 2012.
Quotable
“Things are pretty picture-perfect in sunny Mission Viejo … the master-planned community has pristine beaches, top-rated schools and more than four dozen parks across its 18 miles,” the ranking editors wrote. “Even its bathrooms are a wonder.
(Seriously, a town park is currently up for best restroom in America thanks to its 540-uses-per-hour capacity, barn-style doors and “modern, classy look.”)
The magazine also gave a nod to the city’s sports culture:
“The city’s also home to the sparkling Lake Mission Viejo, which boasts several beaches, volleyball courts, fishing and a yacht club. Nearby roads were even used in the 1984 Olympics (U.S. cyclist Alexi Grewal won the men’s individual road race on them). Speaking of, the Mission Viejo Nadadores swimming and diving clubs have had their fair share of Olympic stardom, too. The squad has churned out at least nine Olympians over the years, including four-time gold medalist Greg Louganis.”
Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at jlansner@scng.com
Source: Orange County Register
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