Is Santa Margarita, CA a Good Place to Live?
Santa Margarita is a small town of 698 in California, with a median household income of N/A . Its cost of living index is 111 (US average = 100), which is 11% above the national average.
Strengths: Santa Margarita stands out for solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices. Whether Santa Margarita is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Santa Margarita city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 110.8Santa Margarita's overall cost of living index is 110.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Santa Margarita costs roughly 11% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Santa Margarita, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $650,900 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $633 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.9% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | N/A | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageSanta Margarita's violent crime rate is 284.3 per 100,000 residents — 25% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Santa Margarita is served primarily by Atascadero Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.7:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Santa Margarita, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Atascadero Unified | — |
| Elementary Schools | 7 | — |
| Middle Schools | 2 | — |
| High Schools | 3 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 21.7:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 55.7% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 98.1% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Santa Margarita sees average highs of 64.9°F in January and 78.3°F in July, with 31.6 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Santa Margarita, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 64.9°F |
| Average High — July | 78.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 31.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Santa Margarita, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 698 | — |
| Median Age | 63.0 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 0.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 18.2 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 85.1% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.6% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 0.0% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 35.1% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Santa Margarita
Santa Margarita, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: