Rancho Santa Fe known locally as ″The Ranch″ is a census-designated place (CDP) and an unincorporated bedroom community in San Diego County, CA.
At $245,631, it regularly ranks first or second on the list of highest income communities in the U.S. with at least 1,000 households.
The CDP is primarily residential with one shopping avenue along with several private schools and single family residential areas situated on uncommonly large lots.
Before the collapse of the real estate market in 2007, Forbes reported Rancho Santa Fe as having the third most expensive ZIP code in the U.S. and the most expensive in California with a median home sale price of $2,585,000.
Some residences in ZIP code 92067 but not within the CDP are valued at more than the median home-value within the Master Planned Community that makes up the CDP, and many residents who live within the 92067 ZIP code cite their community as Rancho Santa Fe even though they don’t technically live within the boundaries of the Master Planned Community.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 6.8 square miles.
For the most part, the climate of Rancho Santa Fe is typical of the sunny and mild San Diego weather, though inland and higher elevation areas tend to have more temperature variation. In addition, Rancho Santa Fe is notable as being one of only a few locales in suburban San Diego to receive snowfall.
Demographics
According to the 2010 United States Census, Rancho Santa Fe had a population of 3,117.
The racial makeup of Rancho Santa Fe was 2,910 (93.4%) White, 10 (0.3%) African American, 1 (0.0%) Native American, 87 (2.8%), Hispanic or Latino was 176 persons (5.6%), Asian, 4 (0.1%), Pacific Islander, 45 (1.4%) from other races, and 60 (1.9%) from two or more races.
There were 1,391 housing units of which 1,010 (84.5%) were owner-occupied, and 185 (15.5%) were occupied by renters.
History
Rancho Santa Fe was first known as Rancho San Dieguito and obtained the name from a Mexican land grant made during 1836–1845 to Juan María Osuna (the first alcalde or mayor of the San Diego area).
In 1906 it was sold to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company that renamed it Rancho Santa Fe after the second transcontinental railroad to reach California.
Rancho Santa Fe became popular between World War I and World War II, especially after the construction of the Del Mar Racetrack.
During the 1984 Summer Olympics, Rancho Sante Fe was chosen to host the equestrian events
Education
The schools within the Rancho Santa Fe School District are:
- R. Roger Rowe Rancho Santa Fe School – a public elementary and middle school serving grades K through eighth grade.
- Diegueno Country School – a private Elementary School serving K through sixth grade.
- Horizon Preparatory and the Nativity School – private schools.
The Solana Beach School District, located in Rancho Santa Fe near the gated community of Fairbanks Ranch, serves the Solana Santa Fe public elementary school, grades K through sixth.
Rancho Santa Fe is also located within the San Dieguito Union High School District and includes the following schools:
- Carmel Valley Middle School
- Sunset Academy
- Oak Crest Middle School
- North Coast Alternative High School
- Diegueño Middle School
- Torrey Pines High School
- Canyon Crest Academy
- La Costa Canyon High School
- Earl Warren Middle School
The private schools include:
- Horizon prep
- Horizon
- The Nativity School
