Rancho Santa Margarita highlight
Established master-planned residential community across 5,000 acres
Rancho Santa Margarita began welcoming residents in 1986 as a master-planned community developed by the O'Neill family and Mission Viejo Company across 5,000 acres in Orange County.
The O'Neill family, which controlled the former rancho since 1940, partnered with Mission Viejo Company—founded in 1963—to design and develop this large-scale planned community. The first homes were marketed and sold beginning in 1986, attracting residents drawn to the planned amenities and structured growth model. The community expanded steadily throughout the 1990s before its residents voted to incorporate: on January 1, 2000, Rancho Santa Margarita officially became the 33rd city in Orange County.
Today the community spans approximately 5,000 acres with over 13,600 homes and 17,000 households. The architecture includes single-family residences, condominiums and townhomes organized into distinct neighborhoods. Central planning features include Lago Santa Margarita, a 31-million-gallon manmade lake with a 1.1-mile walking path, a beach club with a 12.6-acre lagoon, four junior Olympic-sized pools, and 22 developed private parks totaling 152 acres. The city maintains a council-manager form of government and contracts with the Orange County Sheriff for policing and the Orange County Fire Authority for emergency response.
Households in this city often include working parents, young families, and established professionals managing both present expenses and future security for dependents. Life insurance provides a financial foundation that protects mortgages and educational goals if an income earner passes, ensuring that the community's financial structures remain stable for those who depend on them.