Rancho Santa Margarita, California Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Rancho Santa Margarita is a mid-sized community located in California, within Orange County. The total population is 46,990. It ranks as the 201st most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Rancho Santa Margarita is 40.9 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 37.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Rancho Santa Margarita is $152,560. This is 54% higher than the state median of $99,122. It is also 89% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 5.8%. This is 52% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 4.0%. This is 39% lower than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $971,200. Housing costs are 32% higher than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.4x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 72.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 30% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Rancho Santa Margarita is White (non-Hispanic), making up 58.5% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 20.3%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (58.5% vs 33.8%). The Black or African American population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 5.2%.

Education

49.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 34% higher than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 94.6%. Notably, 17.3% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Rancho Santa Margarita, California is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against California state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,570 Census-designated places in California. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.