| | Rancho Santa Margarita, CA | Lake Forest, CA | United States |
| Population | 48,190 | 85,516 | 329,725,481 |
| Female Population | 51.0% | 50.8% | 50.5% |
| Male Population | 49.0% | 49.2% | 49.5% |
| Median Age | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.4 |
| space3 | | | |
| Population - 2010 | 47,877 | 77,506 | 309,327,143 |
| Population - 2000 | 47,214 | 58,707 | 285,036,114 |
| Population - 1990 | 11,390 | 58,656 | 251,960,433 |
| Pop. 2000 to Now | 0.8% | 45.4% | 15.6% |
| Pop. 1990 to Now | 317.6% | 45.5% | 30.8% |
| space4 | | | |
| Population Density | 3,738.0 | 5,141.7 | 93.4 |
| Land Area | 12.9 | 16.6 | 3,531,905.4 |
| Water Area | 0.0 | 0.1 | 264,836.8 |
| space | | | |
| Est. Total Population By Age | | | |
| | Rancho Santa Margarita, CA | Lake Forest, CA | United States |
| Age 0 to 4 | 6.4% | 6.4% | 5.9% |
| Age 5 to 9 | 5.8% | 5.7% | 6.1% |
| Age 10 to 14 | 7.1% | 5.6% | 6.6% |
| Age 15 to 17 | 4.2% | 3.7% | 3.9% |
| Age 18 to 20 | 3.6% | 3.0% | 4.0% |
| Age 21 to 24 | 3.9% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Age 25 to 34 | 11.8% | 13.5% | 13.8% |
| Age 35 to 44 | 15.0% | 14.9% | 12.9% |
| Age 45 to 54 | 16.1% | 16.1% | 12.6% |
| Age 55 to 59 | 8.8% | 7.0% | 6.7% |
| Age 60 to 64 | 7.3% | 6.1% | 6.3% |
| Age 65 to 74 | 6.0% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Age 75 to 84 | 2.5% | 3.3% | 4.5% |
| Age 85 and over | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.9% |
| space1 | | | |
| Race | | | |
| | Rancho Santa Margarita, CA | Lake Forest, CA | United States |
| White | 60.5% | 49.6% | 59.4% |
| Black | 1.9% | 2.3% | 12.2% |
| Asian | 11.1% | 18.6% | 5.6% |
| Native American | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| Hawaiian, Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Other | 0.2% | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Two or More Races | 5.5% | 4.7% | 3.2% |
| Hispanic | 20.6% | 23.9% | 18.4% |
| space2 | | | |
| Marriage & Family | | | |
| | Rancho Santa Margarita, CA | Lake Forest, CA | United States |
| Married Population | 59.4% | 55.3% | 49.8% |
| Currently Married | 58.6% | 54.2% | 48.0% |
| Married but Separated | 0.8% | 1.1% | 1.8% |
| Single Population | 40.6% | 44.7% | 50.2% |
| Never Married | 28.2% | 30.7% | 33.8% |
| Divorced | 9.5% | 10.0% | 10.8% |
| Widowed | 2.9% | 4.0% | 5.6% |
| space5 | | | |
| Household Size | 2.86 | 2.85 | 2.60 |
| Households | 16,825 | 29,870 | 124,010,992 |
| Family Households | 13,008 | 21,677 | 80,755,759 |
| Married couple, w/children | 41.8% | 37.9% | 30.5% |
| Married couple, no children | 41.3% | 43.1% | 42.9% |
| Non Family Households | 3,817 | 8,193 | 43,255,233 |
| Single householder, w/children | 6.9% | 8.3% | 15.8% |
| Single householder, no children | 10.0% | 10.6% | 10.8% |