What kinds of homes are in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA?

Name: Types of homes in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA has 17,498 (±498) homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is about 1,353 homes per square mile of land.

54.1% are detached single-family houses.

5.9% are in buildings of two to four units.

20.1% are in buildings of five or more units.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Housing units: 17,498 (±498)
Detached houses: 54.1%
2–4 unit buildings: 5.9%
5+ unit buildings: 20.1%

Homes in Rancho Santa Margarita by building size

Housing units by units in structure, 2020–2024
Building type	Rancho Santa Margarita	Orange County	California	United States
Single-family, detached	54.1% (±2.9 points)	49.4%	57.0%	61.3%
Single-family, attached (townhouse, rowhouse)	19.6% (±2.7 points)	13.0%	7.4%	6.2%
2 units	1.4% (±0.6 points)	1.9%	2.4%	3.4%
3 or 4 units	4.5% (±1.6 points)	7.0%	5.4%	4.3%
5 to 9 units	5.9% (±1.5 points)	5.9%	5.7%	4.5%
10 to 19 units	5.9% (±1.7 points)	4.7%	4.9%	4.3%
20 or more units	8.3% (±1.7 points)	15.5%	13.6%	10.3%
Mobile home	0.1% (±0.2 points)	2.7%	3.5%	5.6%
Boat, RV, van, etc.	0.1% (±0.2 points)	0.1%	0.1%	0.1%

In Rancho Santa Margarita, the share of homes in buildings of five or more units is lower than in Orange County (26.1%).

It is also lower than in California (24.2%).

It is not measurably different from the national figure (19.1%).

Homes in buildings of 5 or more units in places near Rancho Santa Margarita

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Rancho Santa Margarita
Place	Distance	Homes in buildings of 5 or more units	Compared with this place
Rancho Santa Margarita	—	20.1% (±2.8 points)	—
Coto de Caza	2.5 mi	3.1% (±1.6 points)	Lower
Trabuco Canyon	3.2 mi	0.0% (±15.1 points)	Lower
Las Flores	3.6 mi	25.6% (±10.2 points)	Not measurably different
Mission Viejo	3.7 mi	11.9% (±1.5 points)	Lower
Lake Forest	4.7 mi	18.8% (±2.1 points)	Not measurably different
Ladera Ranch	6.3 mi	13.9% (±3.4 points)	Lower
Laguna Hills	6.3 mi	17.7% (±3.4 points)	Not measurably different
Laguna Woods	7.7 mi	50.5% (±4.8 points)	Higher

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Coto de Caza, CA (3.1%), Trabuco Canyon, CA (0.0%), Mission Viejo, CA (11.9%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Laguna Woods, CA (50.5%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Homes in buildings of 5 or more units across Orange County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes in buildings of 5 or more units
18	Buena Park	23.3% (±2.5 points)
19	Midway City	23.2% (±8.4 points)
20 (tie)	La Palma	21.4% (±5.8 points)
20 (tie)	Rancho Mission Viejo	21.4% (±5.4 points)
22	Orange	20.8% (±1.6 points)
23	Laguna Niguel	20.2% (±2.1 points)
24	Rancho Santa Margarita	20.1% (±2.8 points)
25	Westminster	19.2% (±1.8 points)
26	Lake Forest	18.8% (±2.1 points)
27 (tie)	Laguna Hills	17.7% (±3.4 points)
27 (tie)	Placentia	17.7% (±2.6 points)
29	Dana Point	16.4% (±3.1 points)
30	Fountain Valley	16.1% (±2.2 points)

Showing 13 of 42 places in Orange County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Rancho Santa Margarita

How many homes are in Rancho Santa Margarita?

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA has an estimated 17,498 (±498) housing units, occupied and vacant (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Are most homes in Rancho Santa Margarita houses or apartments?

54.1% are detached houses and 19.6% attached houses, while 26.0% are in buildings of two or more units.

How many two-family and small multifamily homes are in Rancho Santa Margarita?

5.9% of homes in Rancho Santa Margarita are in buildings of two to four units, the small rental buildings that are often owner-occupied.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Rancho Santa Margarita city, California

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Rancho Santa Margarita city, California (place:59587, in state:06).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0007PE, DP04_0007PM, DP04_0008PE, DP04_0008PM, DP04_0009PE, DP04_0009PM, DP04_0010PE, DP04_0010PM, DP04_0011PE, DP04_0011PM, DP04_0012PE, DP04_0012PM, DP04_0013PE, DP04_0013PM, DP04_0014PE, DP04_0014PM, DP04_0015PE, DP04_0015PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.