Rancho Santa Margarita

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Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

Area Guide

A quiet Irvine suburb surrounded by California’s natural beauty

Close-Knit Commuter Family-Friendly Nature

Rancho Santa Margarita is a small, suburban city located 20 miles east of Irvine and roughly halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego. The community is nestled against the Santa Ana Mountains, giving outdoorsy folks enviable access to the mountains and forests. In town, O’Neill Regional Park is full of hiking trails to explore while Central Park hosts community events including summer movie nights.

With some of the best public schools, well-maintained neighborhoods, natural beauty, and modern amenities, Rancho Santa Margarita is an ideal spot to settle down. Find tight-knit communities all throughout town as well as an array of apartments, single-family homes, condos, and townhomes for rent.

Rent Trends

As of October 2025, the average apartment rent in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA is $2,224 for a studio, $2,512 for one bedroom, $3,039 for two bedrooms, and $3,721 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Rancho Santa Margarita has increased by 0.1% in the past year.

Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$2,512/month
714 Sq Ft
House
$6,511/month
2,593 Sq Ft
Condo
$3,323/month
983 Sq Ft
See Rental Market Trends in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

Transportation

58

Somewhat Walkable

out of 100 WalkScore® Rating

You might be able to get out and walk when living in this area. Some errands can be accomplished on foot, but for others you’ll need a car.

48

Somewhat Bikeable

out of 100 BikeScore® Rating

You might be able to find places to ride your bike in this area, but you’ll most likely want your car for most errands.

Schools

Las Flores Elementary

Public

Grades K-5

352 Students

Melinda Heights Elementary

Public

Grades K-6

959 Students

Trabuco Mesa Elementary

Public

Grades K-6

654 Students

Cielo Vista Elementary

Public

Grades K-6

526 Students

Arroyo Vista Elementary

Public

Grades K-5

498 Students

Arroyo Vista Middle

Public

Grades 6-8

301 Students

Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate

Public

Grades 7-8

1,041 Students

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Starr Ranch Sanctuary
  • O'Neill Regional Park
  • Riley Wilderness Park
  • Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Tree of Life Nursery

Airports

  • John Wayne/Orange County
  • Ontario International

Top Apartments in Rancho Santa Margarita

Houses for Rent in Rancho Santa Margarita

Search Nearby Rentals

Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in September 2025.