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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

Rancho Santa Margarita

California · 47,214 residents · 12.9 sq mi
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The short version

With 47,214 people, Rancho Santa Margarita is a city in California. Since 1990 the city has more than tripled, up 35,824 people. Median home value sits at $272,900. That is roughly 65% ahead of the California median. 44% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 24% nationally. Median household income runs $78,475, well clear of the $42,589 US median.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 31.9
US median: 35.2
More educated
44% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
47,214
+315%since 1990
from 11,390 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
31.9
+12%since 1990
from 28.6 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
12.9 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K19K30K42K53K19902000201020202024Rancho Santa Margarita
202447K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 510.2%(4,832)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 911%(5,192)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 148.5%(3,998)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 195.7%(2,669)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 243.9%(1,845)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3417.3%(8,173)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4424.1%(11,384)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5411.7%(5,536)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 644.2%(1,994)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 742.1%(990)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 841.1%(504)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over0.2%(97)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$78,475
+17%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $50,968 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$31,531
+47%since 1990
from $21,495 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
2.9%
+1.0 ptssince 1990
from 1.9% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$272,900
−1%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $209,000 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,110
+4%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $810 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
78.3%
−1.1 ptssince 1990
from 79.4% in 1990
21.7% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

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

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
43.8%
+5.7 ptssince 1990
from 38.1% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
95.1%
+0.2 ptssince 1990
from 94.9% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
11.9%
+3.7 ptssince 1990
from 8.2% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.0 min
−30%since 1990
from 32.8 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married22.9%(3,693)
Married69.5%(11,224)
Widowed0.7%(119)
Divorced6.9%(1,116)
Women 15+
Never married19%(3,288)
Married65.8%(11,369)
Widowed4%(693)
Divorced11.2%(1,938)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
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

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+211%
Home value$1,535,600+463%
Population15,190−67%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA VS
Mission Viejo
Income$136,123+73%
Home value$1,009,600+270%
Population90,484+98%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA VS
Lake Forest
Income$135,175+72%
Home value$937,000+243%
Population86,333+89%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA VS
Ladera Ranch
Income$184,458+135%
Home value$1,151,000+322%
Population23,793−48%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Rancho Santa Margarita, California?

Rancho Santa Margarita, California has about 47,214 residents according to the 2000 Census.

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

The typical household in Rancho Santa Margarita, California earns about $78,475 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 $272,900, and the typical rent is about $1,110 a month.

How educated are people in Rancho Santa Margarita, California?

About 43.8% 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 2.9% of people in Rancho Santa Margarita, California live below the federal poverty line.

Has Rancho Santa Margarita, California grown since 1990?

Yes, Rancho Santa Margarita, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 35,824 residents, a change of about 315 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →