Rancho Santa Margarita is a city in Orange County, California, United States. Take a look below for 15 fun and interesting facts about Rancho Santa Margarita, California, United States.
1. One of Orange County’s youngest cities, Rancho Santa Margarita is a master-planned community.
2. The population was 47,853 at the 2010 census, up from 47,214 at the 2000 census.
3. Although it is named for Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores, which was in San Diego County, the city limits fall within the borders of Rancho Mission Viejo.
4. At 20 characters long, it is the longest city name in California.
5. The city seal has the brands of Rancho Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita and Las Flores on the border, with artwork containing Santiago Peak in the background. The tower in the foreground symbolizes the Rancho Santa Margarita Lake Tower.
6. Hughes Aircraft Company’s Microelectronic Systems Division moved to Rancho Santa Margarita in May 1988 from Irvine.
7. In August 1992, the Hughes plant closed its facilities and moved the division to Carlsbad, California due to budget constraints in the aerospace industry.
8. Rolling Hills Estates had the longest city name in California with 19 letters until January 1, 2000, when the title was ceded to Rancho Santa Margarita (20 letters) upon the latter’s incorporation.
9. The City is a general law city and operates under the council-manager form of government. Rancho Santa Margarita is a contract city. Police services are provided through contract with the Orange County Sheriff. Fire Protection services are provided through the Orange County Fire Authority.
10. The majority of the neighborhoods in Rancho Santa Margarita are maintained by larger homeowners associations including SAMLARC, Dove Canyon, Rancho Cielo, Robinson Ranch, Walden and Trabuco Highlands. Dove Canyon, Trabuco Highlands, Robinson Ranch, Walden and Rancho Cielo were all established before Rancho Santa Margarita was an incorporated community. East of Plano Trabuco Road is designated with a Trabuco Canyon (92679) zip code even though the area falls within the City of Rancho Santa Margarita boundary.
11. In the California State Legislature, Rancho Santa Margarita is in the 36th Senate District, represented by Republican Patricia Bates, and in the 73rd Assembly District, represented by Republican Laurie Davies.
12. In the United States House of Representatives, Rancho Santa Margarita is in California’s 45th congressional district, represented by Democrat Katie Porter.
13. According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 10, 2019, Rancho Santa Margarita has 28,462 registered voters. Of those, 11,877 (41.73%) are registered Republicans, 7,511 (26.39%) are registered Democrats, and 7,819 (27.47%) have no political party preference/are independents.
14. Rancho Santa Margarita has voted Republican in every presidential election since the city’s incorporation, although Donald J. Trump came quite close to losing the city in his unsuccessful reelection bid in 2020 to Joe Biden.
15. The television series The Real Housewives of Orange County, although based in Coto De Caza, is mainly filmed in Rancho Santa Margarita where many of the housewives do business, shopping, commuting, dentistry, and dining.
