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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Rancho Santa Margarita

California · 11,390 residents · 12.9 sq mi
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The short version

With 11,390 people, Rancho Santa Margarita is a city in California. There are 35,824 fewer people here than in 2000. Median home value sits at $209,000. 38% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 20% nationally. Median rent is $810 a month. That is roughly 42% ahead of 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
Land area
12.9 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K19K30K42K53K19902000201020202024Rancho 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
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)
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
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
5.0%
−3.0 ptssince 2013
from 8.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
70.6%
−3.0 ptssince 2020
from 73.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.8%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 12.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
11.8%
+2.2 ptssince 2020
from 9.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
9.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 9.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.0%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 1.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
82.7%
−2.9 ptssince 2020
from 85.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
19.6%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 17.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)24.7%(386)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)30.2%(472)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era29.2%(457)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.2%(34)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.5%(23)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,564 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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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.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →