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Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

Full City Profile · California · Orange County County

3.5 /5.0
B+ Good
47,257 Population 3,655/sq mi density
$146,827 Median Income $63,535 per capita
$907,900 Home Value $1,008,785 Zillow
$2,481 Median Rent 35.1% income on rent
67°F Avg Temperature 330 sunny days/yr
62 Violent Crime/100K 612 property/100K
B+
Overall
3.5 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A+
Economy
4.9 / 5.0
$146,827 median income, 2.9% unemployment
B
Affordability
3.2 / 5.0
$907,900 home value, $2,481/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
62 violent crimes/100K
A+
Education
4.9 / 5.0
48.8% bachelor's degree or higher

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

At a Glance

Median Income
$146,827
95% above
$63,535 per capita
Home Value
$907,900
222% above
Zillow: $1,008,785
Median Rent
$2,481/mo
113% above
35.1% of income on rent
Violent Crime
62/100K
84% below
612/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
48.8%
45% above
94.6% high school+
Unemployment
2.9%
19% below
4.7% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
23.4%
27% below
8.3% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
67°F
330 sunny days/yr

How Rancho Santa Margarita Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Rancho Santa Margarita's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
195%
Home Value
322%
Rent
213%
Poverty
38%
Bachelor's
145%
Unemployment
81%
Crime
16%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Rancho Santa Margarita a Good Place to Live?

B+
3.5 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Rancho Santa Margarita residents earn a median household income of $146,827 , which is 95% above the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $63,535. The unemployment rate stands at 2.9% (19% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 4.7% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 148,394 business establishments, including 8,853 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Rancho Santa Margarita is $907,900 , 222% above the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $1,008,785. Median rent is $2,481/month, with 35.1% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 110.7 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1992.

Safety & Crime

Rancho Santa Margarita reports 62 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 84% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 612/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.

Education

48.8% of adults in Rancho Santa Margarita hold a bachelor's degree or higher (45% above the national average). 94.6% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.7/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Rancho Santa Margarita has an average annual temperature of 67°F (19°C). Winters average 59°F in January while summers reach 75°F in July. The area gets 330 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 13.1 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 48.

Data Overview

People

Population47,257
Median Age40.3 yrs
Density3,655/mi²
Male / Female50% / 50%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans4.4%

Economy

A+
Median Income$146,827
Per Capita$63,535
Unemployment2.9%
Poverty4.7%
County GDP$351,753M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,565

Housing

B
Home Value$907,900
Rent$2,481
Ownership73.4%
Zillow$1,008,785
Housing Units17,150
Rent Burden35.1%

Crime

F
Violent62/100K
Property612/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault29/100K
Burglary70/100K

Health

Obesity23.4%
Diabetes8.2%
Smoking8.3%
Heart Disease4.3%
Premature Death5,325/100K

Climate

Avg Temp67°F
Sunny Days330/yr
Rain13.1 in/yr
AQI48 (Good)
Elevation925 ft

Education

A+
Bachelor's+48.8%
High School+94.6%
Graduate+16.4%
School Score5.7/10

Community

2024 VoteR 47% / D 50%
Commute27 min
Broadband96.7%
Internet Speed153 Mbps
EV Stations4
Libraries67

Did You Know?

Rancho Santa Margarita was founded in 2000.
The median home in Rancho Santa Margarita was built in 1992.
22.6% work from home.
The nearest airport is John Wayne/Orange County (16 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.468 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Very High" by FEMA.
8.6% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
Average internet download speed is 153 Mbps.
There are 8,853 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 238 fatal vehicle crashes.
364 declared natural disasters on record.