Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
For most people who can afford it, yes. Del Mar grades A− overall, 45th of 841 graded towns in California. It is among the healthiest towns in the country on CDC estimates. The median household earns $199K and its schools outperform 96% of the state's. The catch is cost: homes are expensive, about $3.8 million for a typical one and 36 times the San Diego metro’s $106K median household income. 86% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Del Mar, where California’s towns sit at 29% and U.S. towns at 29%. Only 48 of California’s 1,064 towns score higher on the outdoors. Canfield-Wright House is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Where Del Mar beats most towns.
| Widest gap | Del Mar | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 2.5% | 10.6% |
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Winston School | 6–12 | 94 |
10.7% of the town is conserved land, across 5 parks and preserves.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Del Mar is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 3,124 in 1960, 3,954 in 2020. The archive holds 15 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 5 maps from 1943 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Del Mar. Close and well known come first.
Big draw31 mi LandmarkMexico–United States border wall
Big draw15 mi Stadium & arenaSnapdragon Stadium
19 mi Stadium & arenaPetco Park
17 mi Zoo & aquariumSan Diego Zoo4.0M visitors a year
5 mi BeachBlack's Beach
14 mi Theme parkSeaWorld San Diego4.0M visitors a yearMexico–United States border wall: Földhegy, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Snapdragon Stadium: Terrible Tim, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Petco Park: Mds08011, CC BY 4.0 · San Diego Zoo: en:User:Cburnett, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Black's Beach: Levi Clancy, CC BY-SA 4.0 · SeaWorld San Diego: ZooFari, CC BY-SA 3.0
Who provides power, water and the rest in Del Mar, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Del Mar.
Del Mar is among the three healthiest towns in California, fares better on crime within California than nationally and has schools in the top 5% of California.
At 36 years of the San Diego metro’s $106K median household income, the typical home (about $3.83M) costs more against local pay than in 99% of California towns; that ratio is one input to its D− for cost of living. Home values rose 31% in five years, to about $3.83M, against 13% across California.
The median rent in Del Mar is $3,501 a month. Typical home values rose 10% in the year to September 2026. 53% of Del Mar households own their home.
| Del Mar | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $3,501 a month | $1,895 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 53% | 64% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its A+ ranks #18 of the 847 California towns we grade for schools. Its A+ for schools comes with a D− for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $3.83M.
Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winston School PrivateLargest high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 94 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
Del Mar’s trail density is 6.8 miles per square mile. San Diego County Fairgrounds, at 212 acres with 4.5 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. 12 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. San Diego County Fairgrounds | 4.5 mi | 212 |
| 2. San Dieguito Lagoon Ecological Reserve | — | 26 |
| 3. Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve | — | 9 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
It ranks #2 of the 847 California towns we grade on the CDC estimates behind the Health Grade.
27% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Del Mar. Only 1 of the 847 California towns we compare have a lower share of adults who get no exercise outside work than Del Mar. 5.3% of adults smoke cigarettes in Del Mar.
| Del Mar | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 17% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 35% | 36% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 24% | 25% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 29% | 35% |
| What stands out | Del Mar | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 2.5% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 4.3% | 17.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.5% | 6.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
3,142 jobs are based in Del Mar, 2 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. The average commute takes 21.9 minutes, against 28.7 across California.
Most working residents leave Del Mar for work: only 9% work in town. The top destinations are San Diego (50%), Carlsbad (4%) and Encinitas (4%). Half commute less than 11 miles.
| Del Mar | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $199,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 2.7% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 9.3% | 6.6% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
109 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 17 properties have flooded more than once.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 73% of U.S. communities. Since 1980, 109 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Del Mar.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
January nights average 48.2°, milder than in 98% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 73.3°.
Del Mar has warm winters and cool summers, with very little rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Del Mar | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 73°F | 89°F | 85°F |
| January low | 48°F | 40°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
At 18.1 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 81% of California’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 78 to 30 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
14 within 15 miles of the center of Del Mar
About 4 of every 100 Del Mar residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
Where Del Mar’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
4 notable people were born in Del Mar.
City in California, United States
Del Mar (Spanish pronunciation: [del ˈmaɾ]; Spanish for "Of the Sea") is a beach city in San Diego County, California, United States, located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. It was established in 1885 to build a seaside resort. The annual San Diego County Fair has had a permanent home at the Del Mar Fairgrounds since 1936. Horse racing began at the fairgrounds racetrack the following year and is hosted every summer. The city incorporated in 1959 aiming to preserve its small town feel. Its population was 3,954 as of the 2020 census, down from 4,161 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with Del Mar.
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Del Mar | #45 | A− | D− | B− | A+ | A+ |
| San Diego | #249 | C+ | D− | C− | B+ | A |
| Solana Beach | #23 | A | D− | B | A+ | A+ |
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
For most people who can afford it, yes. Del Mar grades A− overall, better than 80% of U.S. towns and #45 of 841 in California. It grades A+ for health, B− for safety and A+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D−.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D−.
4 notable people were born here, including Tristan Prettyman and Rachael Flatt.
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