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Rancho Santa Margarita, California

city · Orange County

At a glance

46,990
Population
$971,200
Median home value (all homes)
220% above U.S. median
$1,017,195
Typical market value
Zillow, 2026-07
$2,625/mo
Median rent
95% above U.S. median
$152,560
Median household income
94% above U.S. median
26.2 min
Average commute
96.8%
Homes with broadband
2.75%
Locations with fiber available
4.1%
Unemployment

Cost of living (Clay Affordability Index)

CAI 167 — 67% above the national average. how it's computed

Housing238% above
Goods & services5% above
Utilities6% below
Taxes34% below
Insurance11% below
Commute cost40% above
For business: California is CBII band 4/5 · time to build band 5/5. See state page for the breakdown.

Living here

Nearest 4-year college10 mi
Nearest community college7 mi
Nearest technical college13 mi
High school graduates94.6%
College graduates49.7%

Doing business here

Economic development contacts, most local first:

city Rancho Santa Margarita Economic Development
The Office of Economic Development supports starting, expanding, or relocating a business in Rancho Santa Margarita by providing a reliable point of contact, guiding site selection, zoning, and permitting. It aims to maintain and improve the city's economic sustainability through growth, business attraction and retention, and fiscal strength.
state Governor's Office of Economic Development
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, or GO-Biz, serves as the State of California’s leader for job growth, economic development and business assistance efforts. It offers no-cost consultation to business owners for attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, and more.
state Team California
TeamCalifornia is the go-to partner for businesses, site selectors, and communities looking to succeed in California. With our extensive network, we provide direct access to the best sites, accelerate speed-to-market, and give essential resources to streamline decision-making and drive growth.
State sales taxYes
State income taxYes
Right-to-work stateNo

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