Moving to Laguna Beach

Costs

Start with the budget, because Laguna Beach adds line items that depend on your address. The cost of living guide covers each one with sources.

• Property tax. Under Proposition 13, property taxes are based on 1 percent of the purchase price, and special assessments, bonds and Mello-Roos charges can add to the bill. A change in ownership resets the taxable value. The property taxes guide explains the bill.
• Utilities. Two water districts and two electric utilities split the town. The utilities guide shows which serves each area.
• Rent and ownership. The Census Bureau’s 2020 to 2024 estimates put median gross rent at $2,986 a month and the owner-occupied share of homes at 66.1 percent.

Housing types and where they are

Housing changes street by street. The neighborhoods section has a page for each area. In outline:

• Downtown. The Village has cottages and condos among shops, galleries and restaurants.
• Coast. North Laguna has single-family homes, condominiums, duplexes and lots, from historic houses to contemporary designs. South Laguna has beach cottages and modern homes. Blue Lagoon is townhomes and condominiums.
• Hills. Top of the World, Temple Hills and Mystic Hills are hillside neighborhoods of single-family homes, with lots in the first two. Bluebird Canyon and Laguna Canyon are mostly single-family homes.
• Gated communities. Emerald Bay, Irvine Cove and Three Arch Bay are gated.

Emerald Bay sits outside the city limits but inside the school district. Each neighborhood page lists its sources. When homes and prices are the next step, Search Laguna’s real estate sponsor, Realatrends Real Estate, has a Laguna Beach page with current listings on realatrends.com.

Rules that affect owners and renters

• Design review. The city says your project will most likely need discretionary approval before a building permit. The municipal code requires early talks with neighbors, and hearings run before the Design Review Board, the Planning Commission or the Community Development Director. Property owners within 300 feet can appeal, and approvals last two years. See building permits and design review.
• Short-term rentals. The city no longer allows short-term lodging in its R-1, R-2 and R-3 districts. Permitted units from before the change are legal nonconforming, and the use runs with the land. A license under Chapter 5.84 has been enforced since October 1, 2025. See short-term rentals.
• Fire zones and insurance. The Fire Department says 87 percent of the city’s land and about 65 percent of its buildable property lie in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. A sale of a one-to-four-unit home in that zone that needs a Transfer Disclosure Statement also needs a defensible-space inspection. The state insurance department says CAL FIRE maps are not used for rates or underwriting, and it recommends shopping the market before applying to the FAIR Plan. See emergency alerts and wildfire and home insurance.
• Renters. An owner who gives notice to end a tenancy for a demolition or substantial remodel must send the city a copy within three calendar days.

Check your address before you commit

Run these five lookups for the exact address you are considering.

1. Utilities. The utilities guide maps water, sewer and electric providers by area.
2. Fire hazard zone. The city adopted its 2025 maps on June 24, 2025. They show Moderate, High and Very High zones, and two interactive maps search by address.
3. Evacuation zone. The city has 22 zones, LAB01 to LAB22, each with its own map. The city recommends you print yours.
4. School campus. The district’s street list marks each street for El Morro or Top of the World Elementary.
5. Parking. Residential permits go only to select addresses downtown and next to Coast Highway, and you need proof of residency. See parking.

Weather and setting

NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 normals for the Laguna Beach station show average highs from 67.3 degrees Fahrenheit in December to 81.2 in August. The yearly precipitation normals add up to 12.68 inches, and February and January are the wettest months. NOAA says the marine layer can persist for days or weeks along the Southern California coast, and people there call it May Gray or June Gloom.

Schools by name

The Laguna Beach Unified School District runs El Morro Elementary, Top of the World Elementary, Thurston Middle School and Laguna Beach High School. The district’s street list shows which elementary campus a street uses. The schools guide lists addresses, phone numbers and enrollment steps.

Getting around and commuting

Two state highways connect Laguna Beach to the rest of the county: Laguna Canyon Road (State Route 133) and Pacific Coast Highway (State Route 1), according to Caltrans. John Wayne Airport is about 15 miles by road from Main Beach, by OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data. The Census Bureau puts the mean travel time to work for workers 16 and over at 29.0 minutes for 2020 to 2024. The city runs a free trolley and a free on-demand service called Laguna Local. See commute and jobs, getting around and parking.

The move itself

1. Before you commit, plan a visit with the house hunting trip guide.
2. Book utilities from the utilities guide and sort trash carts with trash and recycling.
3. Work through the moving checklist.
4. Learn your evacuation zone and sign up for alerts using emergency alerts and wildfire.
5. Use the first 30 days list. The DMV requires a California license within 10 days and out-of-state vehicle registration within 20 days.
6. Register your dog with dogs and pet licenses and your vote with city government and voting.

The hospitals and urgent care page lists the nearest emergency room.

Weighing Laguna Beach against a nearby coastal city? Side-by-side facts: Laguna Beach vs Newport Beach, Dana Point, San Clemente, Huntington Beach, Laguna Niguel and La Jolla.