Rancho Santa Margarita receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Rancho Santa Margarita
Palmdale
Opportunity
60 · Top 41%
vs30 · Bottom 6%
Growth
9 · Bottom 1%
vs49 · Bottom 48%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs61 · Bottom 17%
Physical resilience
12 · Bottom 7%
vs11 · Bottom 4%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 25%
vs54 · Bottom 13%
Access
87 · Bottom 35%
vs85 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
80 · Top 7%
vs51 · Bottom 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Rancho Santa Margarita | Palmdale | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 46,990 | 164,634 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $152,560 | $81,770 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $65,824 | $29,441 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,635/sq mi | 1,552/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $971,200 | $471,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,625 | $1,802 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.5% | 66.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 6.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.7% | 17.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.7% | 15.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 472 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 98°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 49°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.2" | 5.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 29 mi | 32 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.4 min | 41.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.9 | 33.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 45 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 24.28 | 24.09 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 29.0% | 73.4% | 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
Rancho Santa Margarita
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Palmdale
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Rancho Santa Margarita
59
Your Score
52
Area Score
Palmdale
49
Your Score
41
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Rancho Santa Margarita, CA · Palmdale, CA · How this is calculated: methodology