Rancho Santa Margarita homeowners saw property taxes assessed at 0.6% of their home’s value for the fourth quarter of 2025—less than 0.7 times the national average, BlockShopper.com reports.
For the fourth quarter of 2025, Rancho Santa Margarita’s median home sale price was $1,230,000, based on 54 homes sold. The median tax bill last year in the city stood at $7,325, reflecting 0.6% of the median taxed home value.
The average effective property tax rate nationwide reached 0.888% in 2024.
Among Orange County cities, Ladera Ranch recorded the highest effective rate.
The effective property tax rate presented in this article for 2025 uses estimated inflation adjustments and county data from 2021 tax filings. Actual figures may differ slightly in certain areas.
According to Redfin, U.S. home prices continued to climb through 2025, with a national median near $447,000 in June—a 1.13% increase over the prior year. The report also highlights a significant imbalance, with 36% more sellers than buyers—an excess of 508,715 homes. Redfin considers a market balanced if seller and buyer numbers differ by no more than 10%.
The table below shows how Ladera Ranch compares to other Orange County cities by median effective property tax rate, using sales and tax data from the fourth quarter of 2025.
| City | Q4 2025 Sales | Q4 2025 Median Price | Median tax 2025 | Effective tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ladera Ranch | 22 | $1,750,000 | $15,674 | 0.9% |
| Tustin | 59 | $1,335,000 | $9,023 | 0.7% |
| Brea | 36 | $1,034,000 | $7,536 | 0.7% |
| Las Flores | 6 | $1,302,500 | $9,576 | 0.7% |
| Los Alamitos | 21 | $1,270,000 | $7,911 | 0.6% |
| Buena Park | 70 | $920,000 | $5,482 | 0.6% |
| Placentia | 61 | $1,145,000 | $6,542 | 0.6% |
| North Tustin | 13 | $1,855,000 | $11,098 | 0.6% |
| Fullerton | 155 | $1,150,000 | $6,673 | 0.6% |
| Westminster | 87 | $1,062,000 | $6,245 | 0.6% |
| Cypress | 56 | $1,085,000 | $6,254 | 0.6% |
| Orange | 159 | $1,130,500 | $6,672 | 0.6% |
| Laguna Hills | 40 | $1,360,000 | $8,226 | 0.6% |
| Anaheim | 273 | $1,040,000 | $6,026 | 0.6% |
| Yorba Linda | 91 | $1,499,000 | $9,695 | 0.6% |
| Garden Grove | 124 | $1,005,000 | $6,067 | 0.6% |
| Aliso Viejo | 23 | $1,250,000 | $7,747 | 0.6% |
| Rancho Santa Margarita | 54 | $1,230,000 | $7,325 | 0.6% |
| La Habra | 75 | $940,000 | $5,556 | 0.6% |
| Stanton | 19 | $880,000 | $5,290 | 0.6% |
| Seal Beach | 25 | $1,614,000 | $9,803 | 0.6% |
| Midway City | 6 | $1,170,000 | $6,578 | 0.6% |
| Laguna Niguel | 96 | $1,579,500 | $8,668 | 0.5% |
| Santa Ana | 139 | $910,000 | $4,872 | 0.5% |
| Huntington Beach | 241 | $1,450,000 | $7,510 | 0.5% |
| Newport Beach | 165 | $4,050,000 | $18,814 | 0.5% |
| Lake Forest | 117 | $1,340,000 | $6,913 | 0.5% |
| Fountain Valley | 49 | $1,350,500 | $6,278 | 0.5% |
| San Clemente | 111 | $1,800,000 | $9,558 | 0.5% |
| Irvine | 137 | $2,200,000 | $10,815 | 0.5% |
| Costa Mesa | 118 | $1,672,500 | $7,634 | 0.5% |
| Mission Viejo | 146 | $1,329,000 | $6,410 | 0.5% |
| Laguna Beach | 62 | $2,787,500 | $14,304 | 0.5% |
| San Juan Capistrano | 57 | $1,505,000 | $7,662 | 0.5% |
| La Palma | 9 | $1,237,000 | $6,166 | 0.5% |
| Coto de Caza | 36 | $2,225,000 | $12,021 | 0.5% |
| Rossmoor | 17 | $1,753,000 | $9,396 | 0.5% |
| Villa Park | 7 | $2,649,000 | $12,515 | 0.5% |
| Dana Point | 60 | $2,525,500 | $10,330 | 0.4% |
This article is based on data from BlockShopper.com. The source material can be accessed here.
