2025 Compare Cities Economy:
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA vs Lake Forest, CA

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Highlights
- Household income in Lake Forest, is 13% less than it is in Rancho Santa Margarita and is 41% above the National Average.
- Rancho Santa Margarita unemployment rate is 5.3%.
- Lake Forest unemployment rate is 5.6%.
 Rancho Santa Margarita, CALake Forest, CAUnited States
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock5.6%6.0%
 Recent Job Growth  Unlock0.6%1.6%
 Future Job Growth31.4%  Unlock33.5%
 Sales Taxes7.8%  Unlock6.2%
 Income Taxes  Unlock8.0%4.6%
 Income per Cap.$55,965  Unlock$37,638
 Household Income  Unlock$117,374$69,021
 Family Median Income$157,865  Unlock$85,028
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 Est. Households By Income
 Rancho Santa Margarita, CALake Forest, CAUnited States
 Income Less Than 15K  Unlock4.9%9.4%
 Income between 15K and 20K1.9%  Unlock3.8%
 Income between 20K and 30K  Unlock2.9%8.1%
 Income between 30K and 40K2.5%  Unlock8.0%
 Income between 40K and 50K  Unlock4.1%7.6%
 Income between 50K and 60K4.7%  Unlock7.2%
 Income between 60K and 75K  Unlock6.9%9.6%
 Income between 75K and 100K7.7%  Unlock12.8%
 Income between 100K and 150K  Unlock19.0%16.3%
 Income between 150K and 200K15.8%  Unlock7.8%
 Income greater than 200K  Unlock22.5%9.5%
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 Population By Occupation
 Rancho Santa Margarita, CALake Forest, CAUnited States
 Management, business, finance24.9%  Unlock16.4%
 Engineering, computers, science  Unlock11.3%6.5%
 Community, social services1.7%  Unlock1.8%
 Legal  Unlock1.4%1.2%
 Education, library5.3%  Unlock6.2%
 Arts, design, media, sports, entertainment  Unlock2.8%2.0%
 Healthcare practitioners and technology4.3%  Unlock6.2%
 Healthcare support  Unlock3.1%3.3%
 Firefighters, law enforcement2.3%  Unlock2.1%
 Food preparation, serving  Unlock4.4%5.4%
 Building maintenance1.6%  Unlock3.6%
 Personal care  Unlock3.1%2.6%
 Sales, office, administrative support23.8%  Unlock20.9%
 Farming, fishing, forestry  Unlock0.2%0.6%
 Construction, extraction, maintenance/repair3.3%  Unlock8.1%
 Production, transportation, material moving  Unlock7.8%13.1%
Reviews for Rancho Santa Margarita    13 Reviews

This page provides little information on RSM. I see they keep describing the area as "outside of Los Angeles." Culturally, it is so far from Los Angeles (I lived in LA,  More

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Over 10 years ago

The weather here is amazing. We get a few hot days in the summer but it cools down in the evening. I love being able to sleep with the windows  More

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This is the best place to live in South Orange County with mild temperatures, low crime, great schools and family orientated. RSM is a city that sits in a pocket backing  More

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Reviews for Lake Forest    16 Reviews

I've lived in Lake Forest for over a decade, before that elsewhere in OC and also up in LA. Lake Forest isn't perfect but it's really improved over the past decade,  More

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As a retired senior who has lived in Lake Forest (formerly El Toro) since 1977 I think LF is a great place if you can afford it. When we moved here in June '77 homes  More

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I’ve lived here for 2 years. Ok, it’s more like a 4 but there are so many idiots downplaying what it’s like here and giving Lake Forest ones and twos. There are a lot of  More

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