Rancho Santa Margarita, California

About Rancho Santa Margarita

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA is a thriving city located in southeastern California counting 46,353 people who proudly call it home.

Officially, Rancho Santa Margarita is an incorporated city with its own municipal government. The community covers 12.93 square miles, giving it a compact, walkable footprint at roughly 3,585 residents per square mile.

📰 Rancho Santa Margarita News Today

• Santa Margarita Football MaxPreps · Aug 16
• 21 Dewberry, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 Realtor.com · Aug 17
• Ireland Real Sports Illustrated · Aug 18
• Rancho Santa Margarita Air Quality Index (AQI) and USA Air Pollution IQAir · Jun 23
• Where To Keep Cool In Rancho Santa Margarita Amid Heat Wave Patch · Jul 16

Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.

What Makes Rancho Santa Margarita Unique

• The only place in America named Rancho Santa Margarita — a truly one-of-a-kind name among 32,000+ US communities.
• Positioned in southeastern California, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.
• Part of the fabric of California — one of 1,618 recognized communities statewide.

Why People Love It Here

• The sweet spot: real amenities without big-city congestion.
• Local businesses and schools anchored by a stable resident base of 46,353.
• Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 4 miles.

📍 Neighborhoods in Rancho Santa Margarita

Click a neighborhood to see it on the map.

🍽️ Where to Eat in Rancho Santa Margarita

• BJ's — american
• Carmelita's — mexican
• Celinda’s — mexican
• Hanna's Restaurant & Bar
• Starbucks — coffee shop (café)
• Thai Smile — thai
• The Blind Pig — american
• The Pizza Press — pizza
• The Stand — burger
• The Trough Sandwich Kitchen — sandwich

Local spots mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.

🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Rancho Santa Margarita

• Cielo Vista Park reviews ★
• Arroyo Vista Park reviews ★
• Birchwood Park reviews ★
• Canada Vista reviews ★
• Castlewood Park reviews ★
• Dove Canyon Community Park reviews ★
• Dove Canyon Park reviews ★
• Estrella Vista Park reviews ★
• Ike Arnold reviews ★
• Melinda Park reviews ★
• Monte Vista reviews ★
• Rancho Santa Margarita City Park reviews ★

Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.

🏫 Schools in Rancho Santa Margarita

• Arroyo Vista Elementary
• Arroyo Vista Middle
• Cielo Vista Elementary
• Las Flores Elementary
• Melinda Heights Elementary
• Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate
• Tijeras Creek Elementary
• Trabuco Mesa Elementary

Public schools, U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES) 2023–24 directory.

⚡ Quick Facts

🗺️ Map of Rancho Santa Margarita

🏘️ Nearby Communities