Rancho Santa Margarita

Population: 47,257
Median household income: $146,827
Median home value: $907,900

Rancho Santa Margarita is a community in Orange County, California, home to 47,257 residents. Its median household income of $146,827 runs above the Orange County figure of $113,702.

Between 2019 and 2023, Rancho Santa Margarita's population declined 2.6% from 48,503 to 47,257, while its median home value rose 37.1% from $662,200 to $907,900.

48.8% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Owners occupy 73.4% of the area's occupied homes.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 47,257
Median age: 40.3 yrs
Median household income: $146,827
Median home value: $907,900
Median gross rent: $2,481
Housing units: 17,424
Homeownership rate: 73.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 48.8%
Unemployment rate: 4.0%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

48,50347,257

Median household income

$121,017$146,827

Median home value

$662,200$907,900

Median gross rent

$2,084$2,481

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	48,503	$121,017	$662,200	$2,084
2020	48,280	$125,329	$679,500	$2,133
2021	48,190	$135,350	$719,800	$2,254
2022	47,702	$150,146	$861,100	$2,441
2023	47,257	$146,827	$907,900	$2,481

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 55.4%

5 to 1717.2%

18 to 247.1%

25 to 3411.3%

35 to 4416.0%

45 to 5415.4%

55 to 6416.1%

65 to 747.2%

75 and over4.3%

	Count	Share
Under 5	2,533	5.4%
5 to 17	8,146	17.2%
18 to 24	3,348	7.1%
25 to 34	5,329	11.3%
35 to 44	7,565	16.0%
45 to 54	7,297	15.4%
55 to 64	7,614	16.1%
65 to 74	3,381	7.2%
75 and over	2,044	4.3%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	28,164	59.6%
Black or African American	694	1.5%
American Indian & Alaska Native	73	0.2%
Asian	5,678	12.0%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	203	0.4%
Two or more races	3,016	6.4%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	9,429	20.0%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma5.4%

High school graduate13.2%

Some college or associate's32.7%

Bachelor's degree32.0%

Graduate or professional degree16.8%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	1,781	5.4%
High school graduate	4,396	13.2%
Some college or associate's	10,851	32.7%
Bachelor's degree	10,635	32.0%
Graduate or professional degree	5,567	16.8%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 27 min

Drove alone66.8%

Carpooled8.3%

Public transit0.2%

Walked1.1%

Bicycle0.2%

Worked from home22.6%

Other means0.9%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	17,493	66.8%
Carpooled	2,167	8.3%
Public transit	43	0.2%
Walked	286	1.1%
Bicycle	57	0.2%
Worked from home	5,931	22.6%
Other means	224	0.9%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	3,994	19.7%
15 to 29 min	7,229	35.7%
30 to 44 min	5,684	28.0%
45 to 59 min	1,758	8.7%
60+ min	1,605	7.9%

Households

Average household size: 2.77
Poverty rate: 5.1% (2,400 of 47,211)

	Count	Share
Family households	13,017	76.4%
Nonfamily households	4,025	23.6%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1992

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	17,042	97.8%
Vacant	382	2.2%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	12,512	73.4%
Renter-occupied	4,530	26.6%

1-unit, detached54.5%

1-unit, attached19.7%

2 to 4 units5.8%

5 to 19 units11.3%

20 or more units8.5%

Mobile home & other0.2%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	9,496	54.5%
1-unit, attached	3,434	19.7%
2 to 4 units	1,013	5.8%
5 to 19 units	1,976	11.3%
20 or more units	1,475	8.5%
Mobile home & other	30	0.2%

Geography

Place GEOID: 0659587
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 13 sq mi
Water area: 0.05 sq mi
Center point: 33.6323, -117.5990