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C

Is Rancho Santa Margarita, California Safe?

Population 45,779 · Safer than 37% of US cities

Improving· 2023 FBI UCR data

In a community of 45,779, each crime incident has a bigger statistical impact. Rancho Santa Margarita earns a C with violent crime close to the national average. The trend has been positive. Property crime makes up the majority of offenses, with theft at 1,362 per 100K.

Rancho Santa Margarita Crime Rates vs State and National Averages

MetricRancho Santa MargaritaCalifornia AvgNational Avg
Violent Crime Rate312.9333.9363.8
Property Crime Rate1793.22099.21,832.3
Murder Rate3.0--5.7
Assault Rate249.0--268.2
Theft Rate1362.0--1,401.5
Vehicle Theft Rate368.0--318.3

All rates per 100,000 residents. 2024 FBI Uniform Crime Report + Census Bureau population estimates.

Overall SafetyC

210.6 crimes per 1,000 residents

Violent CrimeC

313/100K (national avg: 364)

Property CrimeC

1793/100K (national avg: 1,832)

Key Crime Statistics for Rancho Santa Margarita

Violent crime in Rancho Santa Margarita is close to the national average. The rate of 312.9 per 100K falls below the national 363.8.

Property crime is close to the national average at 1793.2 per 100K vs. the national 1,832.3.

Theft is the most reported crime at 1,362 per 100K. The national average is 1,401.5.

Rancho Santa Margarita Crime Breakdown by Category

Murder3
053% of avgAvg: 5.7
Assault249
093% of avgAvg: 268.2
Robbery65
01.0x national avgAvg: 63.3
Burglary220
082% of avgAvg: 269.8
Theft1,362
097% of avgAvg: 1,401.5
Vehicle Theft368
01.2x national avgAvg: 318.3

Rates per 100,000 residents. Vertical marker = national average.

How Rancho Santa Margarita Compares

Violent Crime Rate (per 100K)

Rancho Santa Margarita
312.9
State
333.9
National
363.8

Property Crime Rate (per 100K)

Rancho Santa Margarita
1793.2
State
2099.2
National
1832.3

Rates per 100,000 residents. National averages from 2023 FBI UCR data.

Frequently Asked Questions About Rancho Santa Margarita Safety

Is Rancho Santa Margarita safe?
Not especially. Rancho Santa Margarita earns a C with a crime rate of 210.6 per 1,000 residents, and violent crime runs close to the national average. Standard precautions apply, especially at night.
What is the crime rate in Rancho Santa Margarita?
210.6 per 1,000 residents. That breaks down to a violent crime rate of 312.9 per 100,000 (the national average is 363.8) and property crime at 1793.2 per 100,000 (national average: 1832.3).
Is Rancho Santa Margarita safe for tourists?
Stick to well-traveled areas and you'll be fine. Rancho Santa Margarita has a C grade, so it's not the safest destination, but tourist areas generally see less violent crime than the citywide average suggests.
What are the safest neighborhoods in Rancho Santa Margarita?
Neighborhood-level data varies, but suburban residential areas in Rancho Santa Margarita generally report lower crime than downtown or commercial districts. For block-level detail, check the Rancho Santa Margarita police department's crime map.
Is crime increasing in Rancho Santa Margarita?
No. Crime in Rancho Santa Margarita has been trending down, which is good news for the C-rated city.
How does Rancho Santa Margarita compare to other cities in California?
Below average for the state. Rancho Santa Margarita ranks behind about 65% of California cities on safety, with property crime being the bigger issue at 1.0x the national rate.
How safe is Rancho Santa Margarita to live in?
Worth factoring into your decision. Violent crime is close to the national average, which is encouraging. Crime has been dropping, which helps.
How bad is crime in Rancho Santa Margarita?
Mixed. Violent crime is close to the national average, and property crime is close to the national average. It's not great, but it's not the worst either, landing at the 37th percentile nationally.
What is the violent crime rate in Rancho Santa Margarita?
312.9 per 100,000, which is 14% below the national average of 363.8. That includes assault (249), robbery (65), and murder (3.0) per 100,000.

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2024 FBI Uniform Crime Report data and Census Bureau population estimates. Safety grades calculated using national and state-level crime rate distributions. Not a substitute for local law enforcement guidance.

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