San Juan Capistrano, California Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

San Juan Capistrano is a mid-sized community located in California, within Orange County. The total population is 35,095. It ranks as the 237th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in San Juan Capistrano is 46.2 years. This is 22% higher than the state median of 37.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in San Juan Capistrano is $129,457. This is 31% higher than the state median of $99,122. It is also 60% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 8.3%. This is 31% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 3.6%. This is 45% lower than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $993,800. Housing costs are 35% higher than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 7.7x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 81.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 45% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in San Juan Capistrano is White (non-Hispanic), making up 55.4% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 34.6%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (55.4% vs 33.8%). The Black or African American population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Asian population (4.5%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

43.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 17% higher than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 89.7%. Notably, 16.7% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for San Juan Capistrano, California is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against California state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,570 Census-designated places in California. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.