Population 46,498 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Rancho Santa Margarita
Household size in Rancho Santa Margarita
| Period | Rancho Santa Margarita | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.90 | 3.14 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.90 | 3.20 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.82 | 3.16 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.77 | 3.01 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | −0.13 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Rancho Santa Margarita holds 2.77 people, slightly more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Even so, the typical household here is smaller than in the Los Angeles area overall, where it has 3.01 people. Household size has dropped from 2.90 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Rancho Santa Margarita
| Period | Rancho Santa Margarita | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.0 | 35.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.1 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.0 | 38.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.8 | 39.5 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.8 | +4.0 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
At 39.8, the median age in Rancho Santa Margarita is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 35.0 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Rancho Santa Margarita
| Period | Rancho Santa Margarita | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 14.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 14.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Rancho Santa Margarita: 6.1% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 2.4 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Rancho Santa Margarita has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five California cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Rancho Santa Margarita
Renters in Rancho Santa Margarita
| Period | Rancho Santa Margarita | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.6% | 48.8% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.0% | 50.8% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.3% | 51.4% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.0% | 51.6% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +2.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Rancho Santa Margarita is about as common as it is nationally: 32.0% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in the Los Angeles area as a whole (51.6%). About one in five owners (19.8%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 2.4 points, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Rancho Santa Margarita
| Period | Rancho Santa Margarita | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.1% | 7.0% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.2% | 6.7% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 6.6% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 6.7% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.6% of homes in Rancho Santa Margarita are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Rancho Santa Margarita has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of California cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Rancho Santa Margarita
| Period | Rancho Santa Margarita | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1992 | 1965 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1992 | 1966 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1992 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1992 | 1969 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Rancho Santa Margarita has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1992, versus 1980 nationally. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the northeast has the oldest housing. Rancho Santa Margarita has newer homes than at least four in five California cities.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Rancho Santa Margarita
| Period | Rancho Santa Margarita | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,759 | $1,328 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,794 | $1,415 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,304 | $1,755 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,930 | $2,279 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,171 | +$951 | +$931 | +$606 |
Rent in Rancho Santa Margarita runs $2,930 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,171 a month since 2006–10, up 67%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 34.2% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the east.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Rancho Santa Margarita
Bachelor's degrees in Rancho Santa Margarita
| Period | Rancho Santa Margarita | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.1% | 29.7% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 47.2% | 30.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 50.6% | 33.7% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 51.7% | 37.6% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Rancho Santa Margarita is highly educated: just over half of adults 25 and older (51.7%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 4.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the east.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Rancho Santa Margarita
| Period | Rancho Santa Margarita | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.5% | 76.7% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.4% | 77.7% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.4% | 80.0% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.9% | 82.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | +5.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Rancho Santa Margarita: 94.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is down 0.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate rose.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Rancho Santa Margarita
| Period | Rancho Santa Margarita | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 10.6% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.2% | 5.8% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 6.7% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Rancho Santa Margarita than nationally: unemployment was 3.5%, against 5.4%. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 44 have lower unemployment. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 1.8 points, as it has nationally.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Rancho Santa Margarita compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rancho Santa Margarita | 2.77 | 39.8 | 6.1% | 32.0% | 4.6% | 1992 | $2,930 | 51.7% | 94.9% | 3.5% |
| Trabuco Canyon | 2.85 | 46.2 | 4.6% | 14.4% | 5.4% | 1992 | $3,268 | 55.8% | 96.8% | 4.2% |
| Coto de Caza | 3.03 | 46.5 | 4.7% | 7.4% | 3.9% | 1994 | $3,297 | 66.7% | 98.7% | 3.2% |
| Mission Viejo | 2.82 | 46.4 | 5.6% | 21.9% | 5.4% | 1981 | $3,066 | 52.3% | 94.0% | 5.2% |
| Lake Forest | 2.88 | 41.1 | 6.5% | 31.5% | 5.8% | 1983 | $2,880 | 46.9% | 93.0% | 4.8% |
| Foothill Ranch | 3.09 | 39.2 | 8.6% | 26.5% | 5.6% | 2006 | $3,058 | 69.1% | 97.9% | 4.3% |
| Modjeska | 2.94 | 48.1 | 8.8% | 14.5% | 6.3% | 1968 | $2,188 | 55.3% | 96.3% | 1.2% |
| Silverado | 2.57 | 45.4 | 6.9% | 10.6% | 4.8% | 1956 | $2,286 | 51.3% | 91.5% | 4.6% |
| Ladera Ranch | 3.19 | 36.3 | 12.4% | 25.9% | 7.2% | 2006 | $3,278 | 67.8% | 98.0% | 3.6% |
| Laguna Hills | 2.74 | 42.6 | 9.8% | 34.6% | 8.4% | 1984 | $2,806 | 54.0% | 94.0% | 5.9% |
| Laguna Woods | 1.51 | 74.1 | 2.7% | 27.9% | 13.9% | 1971 | $2,385 | 51.8% | 95.9% | 5.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Concord, NH · Wausau, WI · Frankfort, KY · Wauwatosa, WI · Upper Arlington, OH · Salina, KS · Rowland Heights, CA · Roseville, MI · East Brunswick, NJ · Downingtown, PA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Rancho Santa Margarita. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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