Census place 0668196

San Marcos

A Census profile of the people, homes, and daily patterns that shape this place.

Official Census name: San Marcos city

Relocation snapshot

What stands out in San Marcos.

According to the 2025 estimate, San Marcos has a population of 94,908 and 3,862 residents per square mile. Of the six relocation measures evaluated, the three largest relative differences from the median among 376 covered California places are: median home value is $868,000, above the comparison median of $717,000; median gross rent is $2,348, above the comparison median of $2,086; and median household income is $109,377, above the comparison median of $98,132. These unweighted medians compare covered Census places and are not statewide estimates.

median home value
$868,000
Above the comparison median of $717,000
median gross rent
$2,348
Above the comparison median of $2,086
median household income
$109,377
Above the comparison median of $98,132

National context

Follow the metrics.

Compare San Marcos's values with other covered Census places. Rankings are descriptive, not recommendations.

At a glance

A city in numbers.

Population
94,908
2025 estimate
Annual change
-0.6%
Population estimate
Density
3,862/sq mi
24.6 sq mi land area
Median age
36.8 years
ACS 5-year estimate

Living here

The everyday equation.

Households, homes, education, and the time it takes to get around.

Median household income
$109,377
Median home value
$868,000
Median gross rent
$2,348
Bachelor’s degree or higher
43.8%
Typical commute
26.5 min
Drive-alone commute
67.7%
Public transit commute
0.5%
Walked to work
1.5%

Housing

Who rents, and what it takes.

Renter share and rent burden help describe the housing choices visible in this place.

Renter-occupied homes
36.3%
Renters paying 30%+ of income
63.5%

Work

How the workday lands.

Employment status and working-from-home share add context to income and commuting patterns.

Employed residents 16+
62.6%
Unemployed residents 16+
3.1%
Working from home
20.5%

Community

The everyday infrastructure.

Access, mobility, housing growth, and household composition add another layer to a place's day-to-day picture.

Households with broadband
95.9%
Homes built 2020+
2.5%
Households without a vehicle
3.5%
Households with children
40.1%
Residents with a disability
10.8%
Residents without insurance
7.1%

Environmental context

A record of declared events.

FEMA declarations for San Diego County provide historical context, not a forecast or a property-level risk assessment.

Environmental declarations since 2000
33
Fire declarations
24
Flood declarations
5
Severe Storm declarations
2

Climate normals

The long view of weather.

Thirty-year averages, not a forecast. Temperature and precipitation describe the typical conditions recorded from 1991 through 2020.

Representative station: CARLSBAD MCCLELLAN PALOMAR AP (6 mi from place center)
Average high
69.2°F
Average low
55.8°F
Annual rainfall
11.4"
Annual snowfall
0"

Month by month

A year in San Marcos.

Typical high and low °F
40°F50°F60°F70°F80°F
JFMAMJJASOND
Typical precipitation inches

Data vintage

Population is from the 2025 Population Estimates Program. Household, housing, education, and commute data are from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year release. Disaster declarations are from FEMA's OpenFEMA dataset and are refreshed with this edition.

Similar places

More places to consider.

Selected by the closest mix of population, density, median home value, and average annual high.

Napa, CA

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
76,562
Median home
$856,400

Ventura, CA

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
109,914
Median home
$827,300

Vista, CA

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
98,274
Median home
$762,400

Keep exploring

Compare San Marcos with Napa