Rancho Santa Margarita and Santa Ana receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Rancho Santa Margarita | Santa Ana | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 46,990 | 312,534 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $152,560 | $93,999 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $65,824 | $30,222 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,635/sq mi | 11,416/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $971,200 | $713,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,625 | $2,082 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.5% | 44.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.7% | 18.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.7% | 10.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 312 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 49°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.2" | 11.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 29 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.4 min | 26.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.9 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 64 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 24.28 | 20.54 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 29.0% | 84.6% | 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.
Santa Ana
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
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Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Rancho Santa Margarita, CA · Santa Ana, CA · How this is calculated: methodology