Rancho Mission Viejo Recognized as One of Largest Intentional Wellness Real Estate Developments in the World by the Global Wellness Institute

The Ranch is one of 13 case study projects globally setting the standard for wellness communities and positive impacts on people's lives

RANCHO MISSION VIEJO, Calif., Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Rancho Mission Viejo (The Ranch), a 23,000-acre master-planned community and working cattle ranch in Orange County, California, has been named one of the world's largest intentional wellness real estate developments by the Global Wellness Institute (GWI). The Ranch is one of only 13 projects globally featured in the newly released GWI Build Well to Live Well Report: Case Studies, indicating the importance of the community's measurable health outcomes.

"This recognition by GWI is an incredible honor and a testament to the vision we've held since the very beginning, that community design can and should be a catalyst for wellbeing," said Jeremy Laster, President of Rancho Mission Viejo. "From land planning and stewardship to neighborhood and infrastructure design and resident programming, our legacy is rooted in creating incomparable access to nature, spaces, and people that make it easier to pursue all dimensions of wellness at every stage of life."

The Global Wellness Institute's case study report highlights The Ranch as a standout example of how large-scale residential communities can drive measurable outcomes across all dimensions of wellness. According to the recent America at Home Study, wellness is the number one purchase motivator driving housing decisions. Consistent with that, a recent resident survey indicated 82% of respondents said that living on The Ranch supports their overall wellbeing.

"Rancho Mission Viejo is a prime example of what's possible when wellness is intentionally designed into every facet of a community. It's not just about amenities, it's about creating opportunities for people to live healthier and more connected and meaningful lives," Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki, Co-Chair of the GWI Wellness Communities & Real Estate Initiative.

Wellness is embedded into every layer of the built environment on The Ranch, from access to preserved open space on The Nature Reserve, walkability, intergenerational living with its Gavilán 55+ homes interspersed throughout, community farm program, state-of-the-art amenities and sports parks, climate resilience and wildfire adaptation tactics, and a robust calendar of resident programming that encourages connection.

"Wellness real estate is by far the fastest-growing wellness sector in the United States and is forecasted to grow 15.2% annually from 2024 to 2029, when it will exceed one trillion dollars globally, but it is still a nascent market, and many of the wellness-focused developments are small and boutique projects. Rancho Mission Viejo is great example of how to build and implement wellness real estate at scale," Katherine Johnston, Senior Research Fellow at GWI.

For more information about Rancho Mission Viejo, visit www.ranchomissionviejo.com.

About Rancho Mission Viejo
Rancho Mission Viejo, LLC is a privately held, family-owned and -operated company responsible for the ranching, farming, planning, development, and financial management of the remaining 23,000 acres of Rancho Mission Viejo, situated in unincorporated South Orange County, Calif. Since 1882, members of the O'Neill/Moiso/Avery family have owned and managed The Ranch which once exceeded 200,000 acres and now includes the family-developed cities and communities of Ladera Ranch, Las Flores, Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita as well as such iconic places as Caspers Wilderness Regional Park, the Starr Ranch Audubon Sanctuary, O'Neill Regional Park and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. 

Development on The Ranch is a partnership between Rancho Mission Viejo, LLC (managing partner) and DMB Associates, an Arizona-based, diversified real estate company with commercial property/resort/recreational/primary home community holdings throughout Arizona, California, Hawaii and Utah. 

SOURCE Rancho Mission Viejo