Signals
French Valley
Rancho Santa Margarita
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
4 · Bottom 1%
vs12 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
66 · Bottom 28%
vs64 · Bottom 25%
Access
84 · Bottom 27%
vs87 · Bottom 35%
Economic stability
75 · Top 17%
vs80 · Top 7%
Measured values
| Metric | French Valley | Rancho Santa Margarita | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 45,269 | 46,990 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $148,520 | $152,560 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,709 | $65,824 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,164/sq mi | 3,635/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $679,800 | $971,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,119 | $2,625 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 87.4% | 72.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.5% | 49.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.9% | 5.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 87°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 47°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 15.3" | 11.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 29 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 43.4 min | 28.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.7 | 40.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.40 | 24.28 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 44.9% | 29.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
French Valley
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding, earthquake.
Rancho Santa Margarita
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
French Valley
66
Your Score
—
Area Score
Rancho Santa Margarita
59
Your Score
52
Area Score
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Full profiles: French Valley, CA · Rancho Santa Margarita, CA · How this is calculated: methodology