© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
California
Rancho Santa Margarita
Population 46,990
© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
California
Lake Forest
Population 86,281
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA vs Lake Forest, CA
Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.
| Metric | Rancho Santa Margarita, CA | Lake Forest, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 46,990 | 86,281 |
| Median Household Income | $152,560 | $135,175 |
| Median Rent | $2,625/mo | $2,672/mo |
| Median Home Value | $971,200 | $937,000 |
| Cost of Living (US = 100) | 114 | 114 |
| Renters Paying 30%+ of Income | 55.4% | 60.4% |
| Poverty Rate | 5.7% | 8.5% |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9% | 4% |
| Violent Crime Rate /100k | 111 | 165 |
| Property Crime Rate /100k | 461 | 701 |
| Median AQI | 53 | 53 |
| Good AQI Days /yr | 138 | 138 |
| Summer Highs | 87°F | 87°F |
| Winter Lows | 48°F | 48°F |
| Snowfall | 0 in/yr | 0 in/yr |
| Avg Commute | 26.2 min | 25.5 min |
| Hospitals | — | — |
| Avg Hospital Rating | — | — |
| Students per Teacher | 24.7 | 24.8 |
| College Degree Rate | 49.7% | 50.8% |
| Foreign-Born % | 22.4% | 27.4% |
| Population Growth (2020–2025) | -4.5% | +0.5% |
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Lake Forest, CA
Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.