City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Rancho Santa Margarita - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

47,257
Residents
$146,827
Median income
$907,900
Median home
$3,236
Median rent (state)

Rancho Santa Margarita - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Rancho Santa Margarita lands in the 94th percentile for household income and the 81st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

94th
percentile, household income
96th
percentile, home value
98th
percentile, median rent
81st
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

47,257 people live in Rancho Santa Margarita, California - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $146,827 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 4.7%. Rancho Santa Margarita's housing stock carries a median value of $907,900, and the median resident age is 40.3 years. About 48.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 69.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 0 residential units were authorized in 2024 (No Permits). Rancho Santa Margarita reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 604.8 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $3,236 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts California's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 99.8 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

47,257 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$146,827 /yr

Poverty 4.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Rancho Santa Margarita compare to other US cities?

Rancho Santa Margarita measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 94% higher than other cities
Home value 96% pricier than other cities
Median rent 98% pricier than other cities
Safety 81% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to California alone, Rancho Santa Margarita ranks #15 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Rancho Santa Margarita against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to California only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

California-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Rancho Santa Margarita toward the top of California's cities

Among the 1,458 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Rancho Santa Margarita ranks #138 - the 82nd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Rancho Santa Margarita only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#188 of 1,338
86th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#138 of 1,458
82nd percentile in California
Median Home Value
#284 of 1,343
79th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#873 of 1,450
39th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#288 of 1,458
80th percentile in California

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within California only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

94thIncome percentile
81stSafety percentile

94th percentile nationally for median household income · 81st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Rancho Santa Margarita's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Rancho Santa Margarita's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 59 Avg. percentile National median
Rancho Santa Margarita's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Rancho Santa Margarita's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$907,900 4th percentile more affordable than 4% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Rancho Santa Margarita $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Rancho Santa Margarita, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Rancho Santa Margarita, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Rancho Santa Margarita, CA median $146,827/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Rancho Santa Margarita, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 48.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 69.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
47,257
Median Income
$146,827
Median Home Value
$907,900
Median Age
40.3
Poverty Rate
4.7%
Labor force participation
69.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
48.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
604.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
81.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
523.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
45,000 residents46,000 residents47,000 residents48,000 residents49,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 47,867 residents 45,779 residents ▼ -4.4%
Rancho Santa Margarita's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 0
2022 0
2023 0
2024 0

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
66.8%
Carpool
8.3%
Public Transit
0.2%
Walk
1.1%
Work from Home
22.6%
Other
1.0%

Based on 26,201 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Rancho Santa Margarita sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$3,236/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Brea
47,337 people
Newark
47,145 people
La Mirada
46,945 people
Rowland Heights
46,787 people
Los Banos
46,776 people
North Highlands
47,900 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Rancho Santa Margarita's 47,257 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Monroe, LA
47,241 people
Roseville, MI
47,240 people
Mentor, OH
47,215 people
Winter Garden, FL
47,182 people
Binghamton, NY
47,357 people
East Providence, RI
46,970 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Rancho Santa Margarita's $146,827 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Choctaw Lake, OH
$146,850 median income
Glenview Manor, KY
$146,875 median income
Oronoco, MN
$146,875 median income
Newtown, PA
$146,765 median income
East Islip, NY
$146,890 median income
Sunlit Hills, NM
$146,750 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 65.1% 12.2% 6.3% 14.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 19.9% White 65.1% Black or African American 1.5% Asian 12.2% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 6.3% Two or more races 14.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Rancho Santa Margarita compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Rancho Santa Margarita (this city) 47,257 $146,827
Brea 47,337 $124,837
Newark 47,145 $164,909
La Mirada 46,945 $110,177
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Rancho Santa Margarita, CA?

What is the population of Rancho Santa Margarita, CA? +

The population of Rancho Santa Margarita, CA stands at 47,257 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA? +

Rancho Santa Margarita households earn a median of $146,827 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Rancho Santa Margarita? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Rancho Santa Margarita; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Rancho Santa Margarita, CA safe? +

Rancho Santa Margarita has a total crime rate of 604.8 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA? +

A typical home in Rancho Santa Margarita is worth $907,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.