Rancho Santa Margarita is one of Orange County’s youngest cities, earning that distinction just 16 years ago in January of 2000. The impressive neighborhood is located in the hills, providing residents with a reasonable amount of privacy to go along with the spectacular views of the county below. Rancho Santa Margarita is home to a number of beautiful parks, sprawling ranches, and, additionally, highly-regarded schools making it an ideal place to call home.

Places to see in Rancho Santa Margarita

Tijeras Creek Golf Club – This beautiful course is one of the finest in all of Southern California. Noted for its beautiful scenery and tricky elevation changes, this Rancho Santa Margarita gem is a great place to spend a Sunday playing 18-holes.

Rancho Santa Margarita Lake – Rancho Santa Margarita Lake, also known as Lago Santa Margarita, is one of the finest spots in the city to bring friends and family for a relaxing day in the Southern California sunshine. The man-made lake consists of 12.6 acres of water surrounded by 16.8 acres of hiking trails, parks, and a lakeside beach club. Locals and tourists alike can be found at Lago Santa Margarita taking part in a number of activities including boating, picnicking, swimming, playing volleyball, and much more.

Cismontane Brewing Company – The Cismontane Brewing Company is a small batch brewery located in Rancho Santa Margarita, creating craft beers that represent the beautiful aspects of coastal Southern California. The brewery is home to outstanding views from Orange County’s largest mountain which can be enjoyed while sipping on dozens of delicious options at the Cismontane tasting room.

Popular Local Restaurants

Carmelita’s Kitchen – Classic Mexican Cuisine
Wood Ranch BBQ and Grill – Casual Steakhouse and American Cuisine
Tutto Fresco – Classic Italian Cuisine
The Blind Pig – Modern American Cuisine

Nearby Schools
Las Flores Elementary School
Arroyo Vista Elementary School
Cielo Vista Elementary School
Tesoro High School
Santa Margarita Catholic High School

Served by the Saddleback Valley Unified School District and Capistrano Unified School District

Rancho Santa Margarita Real Estate Market: The median home value in Rancho Santa Margarita is approximately $603,200 (as of November 2016) while price per square foot is approximately $376. This is marginally lower than the average price per square foot of $389 for the rest of the Long Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim Metro area. Additionally, the current housing market in Rancho Santa Margarita is warm with high demand and moderately low inventory. Since 2015, home values have risen 3.5%. Movement is expected to plateau with the rest of the county in the next year with a forecasted rise of just 0.5% before November of 2017.

Rancho Santa Margarita Rental Market: The average rent in Rancho Santa Margarita is $2,550. This is significantly lower than the average rent of $2,900 for the rest of the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim Metro area.

Rancho Santa Margarita Housing

Zillow.com

Demographics and More

Zip Codes: 92688, 92679

Population: Rancho Santa Margarita has a population of 47,853 as of the last available census. In addition, the median age of residents is 36 years old. 47.5% of residents are male while 52.5% of residents are female.

Climate: Rancho Santa Margarita sits inland in southern Orange County. Consequently, the city typically has a Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters. The temperature very rarely drops below freezing and average monthly temperatures fall between 60 degrees (January) and 80 degrees (August).

Rancho Santa Margarita Weather

Weather.com

Crime: Rancho Santa Margarita is one of the safest cities in California. The city has an overall crime rate that is 76% lower than the national average. In addition, it is safer than approximately 84% of the cities in United State. However, safety in Orange County has been an issue recently and Rancho Santa Margarita is no exception. Crime in the city has risen 50% in the past year, albeit from slightly under 0.5 crimes/day, to 1/day.

Demographics:
70.6% White
11.0% Hispanic
10.2% Asian
1.4% African American

Incorporated Date: January 1, 2000

By |2017-05-16T16:14:30+00:00April 12th, 2017|Communities, Orange County|0 Comments

About the Author:

Kevin is the Digital Marketing Coordinator at Class Realty Group.