Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Census place 0659587 · pop 46,990
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$971,200 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
100/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,870/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
16 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
54 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-3.1% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
26 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
3.7% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
16.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
72.5% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities
83 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.66% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
49.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
5.7% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities
526 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.39 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
18.6% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
5.6% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
8.6% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
96.8% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
24.1% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$152,560 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
Frequently asked
- Is Rancho Santa Margarita, CA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Rancho Santa Margarita scores 55/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is median household income and its weakest is housing cost. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Rancho Santa Margarita, CA?
- Rancho Santa Margarita reports 83 violent crimes per 100k and 526 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Rancho Santa Margarita, CA expensive to live in?
- Rancho Santa Margarita has a median home value of $971,200 and typical rent around $2,870/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA?
- Its weakest measured area is housing cost ($971,200) — 4/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Rancho Santa Margarita, CA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is median household income ($152,560) — 95/100, better than most U.S. cities.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.