CensusEasy
CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Rancho Santa Margarita

California · 11,390 residents · 12.928 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Part of the Los Angeles metro area
Compare
The short version

Rancho Santa Margarita is significantly wealthier than the US average, with a median household income of $50,968. Population has fallen 76% since 2000, a loss of 35,824 residents. 38% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national rate of 20%. Median home value is $209,000. At a median age of 28.6, residents skew younger than the country as a whole. Households here earn about 42% more than the California median.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Younger
median age 28.6
US median: 33.0
More educated
38% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
11,390
−76%vs 2000
vs 47,214 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
28.6
−10%vs 2000
vs 31.9 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K19K30K42K53K1990201020202024Rancho Santa Margarita
202447K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 512%(1,370)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 98.2%(934)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 144.2%(473)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 193.3%(371)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 248.4%(957)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3435.7%(4,061)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4415.7%(1,784)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 547%(795)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 643.6%(411)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 741.6%(180)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 840.5%(54)
US avg: 4%
85 and over0%(0)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$50,968
−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $78,475 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$21,495
−32%vs 2000
vs $31,531 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
1.9%
−1.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 2.9% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$209,000
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $272,900 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$810
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $1,110 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
79.4%
+1.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 78.3% in 2000
20.6% rent
RELATED:See current rent listings in Rancho Santa Margarita on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic74.4%(35,132)
Black1.7%(787)
Hispanic / Latino13%(6,139)
Asian7.3%(3,440)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic85.1%(9,688)
Black1.5%(171)
Hispanic / Latino11.2%(1,272)
Asian8.6%(981)
Other4.8%(550)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican15.8%(7,425)
Spaniard0.6%(269)
Peruvian0.5%(224)
Salvadoran0.3%(158)
Guatemalan0.3%(156)
Cuban0.3%(143)
Puerto Rican0.3%(137)
Colombian0.3%(122)
Argentine0.2%(92)
Chilean0.2%(76)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Bolivian0.2%(72)
Venezuelan0.1%(44)
Costa Rican0.1%(42)
Honduran0.1%(28)
Asian origin
Filipino3.9%(1,844)
Chinese2%(932)
Vietnamese1.3%(621)
Asian Indian1.2%(554)
Japanese1%(487)
Korean0.8%(397)
Thai0.7%(324)
Taiwanese0.3%(126)
Indonesian0.2%(111)
Pakistani0.2%(86)
Nepalese0.1%(53)
Kazakh0.1%(46)
+ 4 more asian origin groups with data
Cambodian0.1%(33)
Laotian0%(20)
Hmong0%(13)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.3%(148)
Samoan0.1%(33)
Guamanian0%(20)
Ancestry
German11.7%(5,509)
English11.7%(5,482)
Irish10.8%(5,053)
Italian7%(3,308)
American3.7%(1,739)
Polish2.5%(1,174)
Iranian2.4%(1,139)
French2.3%(1,090)
Scottish2%(935)
Russian1.6%(753)
Swedish1.5%(714)
Dutch1.4%(641)
+ 41 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian1.2%(546)
Danish0.9%(424)
Arab0.8%(396)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(393)
Brazilian0.5%(240)
Armenian0.5%(237)
Portuguese0.4%(198)
Greek0.4%(196)
Finnish0.4%(185)
Welsh0.4%(183)
British0.4%(178)
Swiss0.3%(145)
West Indian0.3%(128)
Hungarian0.3%(122)
Czech0.3%(120)
Ukrainian0.2%(117)
Syrian0.2%(114)
Austrian0.2%(114)
Romanian0.2%(113)
Lebanese0.2%(93)
Turkish0.2%(93)
Bulgarian0.2%(87)
Ghanaian0.2%(79)
Canadian0.1%(66)
Lithuanian0.1%(66)
Iraqi0.1%(55)
Nigerian0.1%(50)
Belgian0.1%(46)
Croatian0.1%(46)
Serbian0.1%(37)
Palestinian0.1%(34)
Slovene0.1%(34)
Haitian0.1%(29)
Jordanian0.1%(28)
Egyptian0.1%(24)
Israeli0%(19)
Slovak0%(15)
Jamaican0%(10)
RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest Italian population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
38.1%
−5.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 43.8% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
94.9%
−0.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 95.1% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
8.2%
−3.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 11.9% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
32.8 min
+43%vs 2000
vs 23.0 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married29%(5,571)
Married62.2%(11,949)
Widowed2%(382)
Divorced6.8%(1,305)
Women 15+
Never married25.1%(4,901)
Married61.2%(11,953)
Widowed4.7%(910)
Divorced9%(1,760)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to Rancho Santa Margarita

Coral Gables
Pop 49,578
Milton
Pop 41,266
Fruit Cove
Pop 35,877
Lakewood Ranch
Pop 43,945
Places similar to Rancho Santa Margarita
Head to head

Compare Rancho Santa Margarita to nearby cities

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA VS
Coto de Caza
Income$243,816+378%
Home value$1,535,600+635%
Population15,190−67%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA VS
Mission Viejo
Income$136,123+167%
Home value$1,009,600+383%
Population90,484+98%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA VS
Lake Forest
Income$135,175+165%
Home value$937,000+348%
Population86,333+89%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA VS
Ladera Ranch
Income$184,458+262%
Home value$1,151,000+451%
Population23,793−48%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Rancho Santa Margarita, California?

Rancho Santa Margarita, California has about 11,390 residents according to the 1990 Census.

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

The typical household in Rancho Santa Margarita, California earns about $50,968 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Rancho Santa Margarita, California expensive?

In Rancho Santa Margarita, California, the median home is worth about $209,000, and the typical rent is about $810 a month.

How educated are people in Rancho Santa Margarita, California?

About 38.1% of adults age 25 and over in Rancho Santa Margarita, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Rancho Santa Margarita, California?

About 1.9% of people in Rancho Santa Margarita, California live below the federal poverty line.

Keep going

Explore from here

Up the hierarchy
California
Rankings
Highest income citiesFastest growing citiesMost educated cities
Compare
Compare Rancho Santa Margarita with another place

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →