Rancho Santa Margarita vs Riverside
Rancho Santa Margarita, California versus Riverside, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Rancho Santa Margarita edges out Riverside on overall objective livability (49 vs 41 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Rancho Santa Margarita | Riverside |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $150k | $83k |
| Cost of Living | $83k | $83k |
| Home Value | $861k | $486k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.75% | 0.66% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 20.50% | 20.08% |
| Unemployment | 3.3% | 6.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 57°F | 55°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 78°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.3 in | 10.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 256 days | 277 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 55°F |
| Comfortable Days | 211 days | 140 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 61.2 | 96.0 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 66 AQI |
| School Quality | 50.4 | 61.1 |
| Violent Crime | 181/100k | 1504/100k |
| Property Crime | 471/100k | 3240/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 47,702 | 316,076 |
| Median Age | 40.1 | 32.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.50 | 0.70 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 59.4% | 27.3% |
| Black (%) | 1.7% | 5.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 20.4% | 55.4% |
| Asian (%) | 12.2% | 8.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.3% | 3.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 31 min |
| Walkability | 11.4/20 | 13.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 16 mi | 33 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 96.7% | 92.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 48.01 | 12.43 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Rancho Santa Margarita or Riverside more affordable?
- Riverside has the lower cost of living: its index is $83k, compared with Rancho Santa Margarita's $83k and Riverside's $83k. Median rent is $2k in Rancho Santa Margarita versus $2k in Riverside.
- Is Rancho Santa Margarita or Riverside safer?
- Rancho Santa Margarita has the lower violent crime rate. Rancho Santa Margarita reports 181/100k and Riverside reports 1504/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Rancho Santa Margarita or Riverside?
- The median home value is $861k in Rancho Santa Margarita and $486k in Riverside, so homes are more affordable in Riverside.