Hunter Industries headquarters in, 2021
San Marcos’s story
138 years in pictures
Census counts: 3,896 in 1970, 94,833 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2021 and 6 maps from 1893 on.
- 1888San Marcos is settled
Photo: Taylorj661 · Public domain
Population
94,908
2025 Census estimate · +0.1% since 2020
Typical home
$954K
+0.8% in a year
Household income
$109K
median
Median age
36.8
years
Jobs based here
36,169
Balanced
TownGrade
B+
#100 of 841 in CA
Is San Marcos a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. San Marcos grades B+ overall, ranked 100th of 841 in California. Its schools outperform 84% of the state's and CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 81% of the country. The trade-off is money: the typical home is worth about $954K, 9 years of the San Diego metro’s $106K median household income. San Marcos’ trail density is 2.6 miles per square mile, against 1.0 in California’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. San Marcos is home to California State University-San Marcos. San Marcos's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 91% of U.S. towns.
What makes San Marcos stand out
Where San Marcos beats most towns.
Biggest of 3
| College | Students |
|---|---|
| California State University-San Marcos | 14,549 |
| Palomar College | 13,825 |
| University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences | 4,158 |
Colleges in town
3 colleges
32,532 students on campus
Students are 10% of residents.
San Marcos Unified schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Double Peak | K–8 | 1,171 |
| Richland Elementary | K–5 | 883 |
| La Mirada Academy | K–8 | 868 |
SchoolsA−
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
College town
California State University-San Marcos calls San Marcos home
3 colleges in town.
California State University-San Marcos14,549 students on campus
- Admission
- 95%
- Net price
- $10,229
- Graduate
- 55%
- Admission
- Open
- Net price
- $5,763
- Graduate
- 38%
- Admission
- Open
- Net price
- —
- Graduate
- —
College Scorecard · IPEDS
How San Marcos grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far San Marcos is from typical.
Cost of livingD−Open →SchoolsA−Open →HealthKaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos 0.4 miles awayA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 10 of 20; 3.5% of households have no car; 2.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA−Open →Jobs & incomeB+Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listCOpen →SafetyBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsAOpen →History3 notable people born hereDOpen →Civic life2.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 85° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market37 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 36.8–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 105 attractions →Snapdragon Stadium and 67 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around San Marcos. Close and well known come first.
Big draw24 mi Stadium & arenaSnapdragon Stadium
30 mi Stadium & arenaPetco Park
8 mi Theme parkLegoland California
28 mi Zoo & aquariumSan Diego Zoo4.0M visitors a year
10 mi Zoo & aquariumSan Diego Zoo Safari Park
26 mi Theme parkSeaWorld San Diego4.0M visitors a yearSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Snapdragon Stadium: Terrible Tim, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Petco Park: Mds08011, CC BY 4.0 · Legoland California: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jdigger/, CC BY 2.0 · San Diego Zoo: en:User:Cburnett, CC BY-SA 3.0 · San Diego Zoo Safari Park: Flickr user: Olivier Bruchez https://www.flickr.com/photos/bruchez/, CC BY-SA 2.0 · SeaWorld San Diego: ZooFari, CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to San Marcos: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in San Marcos, and how to reach them.
PowerSDG&E45.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterVallecitos WD water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpEDCOTrash haulerTown site
SchoolsSan Marcos Unified School DistrictSan Dieguito Union High School DistrictEscondido Union High School District3 districts serve San Marcos; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSan Diego Registrar of VotersSan Diego County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2025
ZIP codes92069, 9207892069 50% · 92078 49%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in San Marcos.
San Marcos fares better on crime within California than nationally, has milder winter nights than nearly all U.S. towns and trades workers with San Diego and other neighbors.
OutdoorsA
Conserved land covers 15% of San Marcos
That puts San Marcos where California’s towns sit at 4.2% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. 64 miles of trail in 27 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Walnut Grove Park, at 39 acres.
#109for trails in CA
15%
conserved · 2,343 of 15,668 acres
64 mi
of trails · 2.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. William R Bradley Park | 1.5 mi | 33 |
| 2. Sunset Park | 1.2 mi | 17 |
| 3. San Elijo Hills Park | 0.8 mi | 21 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsA−
San Marcos earns an A− for schools
Its A− for schools comes with a D− for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $954K.
Its public schools are run by the San Marcos Unified school district. Two of its 22 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
84%of CA districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Elijo MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 1,395 | – |
| San Marcos HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 3,067 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
HealthA−
San Marcos earns an A− for health
25% of adults have obesity in San Marcos. San Marcos beats the California average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 27% of adults have high blood pressure in San Marcos.
81%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| San Marcos | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 29% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 31% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9.5% | 12% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. California
6 better25 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | San Marcos | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 9.5% | 11.7% |
| Fewer adults who get no exercise | 20.5% | 24.6% |
| Fewer adults treating high blood pressure | 66.9% | 71.3% |
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos
0.4 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: dental
70th
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade D−
San Marcos earns a D− for cost of living
The median rent in San Marcos is $2,348 a month. The typical San Marcos home is worth about $954,000, up 0.8% in a year, 25% above the California typical home. 64% of San Marcos renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent.
$954KZillow home value
| San Marcos | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,348 a month | $1,895 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 64% | 55% | 48% |
| Households that own their home | 64% | 64% | 73% |
Typical home value
San Marcos$954K
California$762K
Market temperature
37
days on market
99.5%
sale-to-list price
+0.8%
value change, 1 year
58
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Mild winters and pleasant summers in San Marcos
January nights average 45°, milder than in 97% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 82.1°.
San Marcos has warm winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. San Marcos’ January low is 45°F. Snow is almost unheard of.
85°summer high
| San Marcos | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 45°F | 40°F | 22°F |
| July high | 82°F | 89°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter45–67°
Spring51–71°
Summer61–81°
Fall55–78°
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
85°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
SafetyB
San Marcos reports less crime per resident than 64% of U.S. towns
At 13.3 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 91% of California’s graded towns. Its B tops all 4 graded towns on its borders; Encinitas (B) comes closest.
64%of U.S. towns report more crimeBSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
San Marcos1
California4.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
San Marcos3.9
California18.2
U.S.15.5
64th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
91st
percentile among CA towns
100
violent crimes reported in 2025
375
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
High risk in San Marcos, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 66% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 18 flood insurance claims have been paid out in San Marcos.
66risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesWildfire
18
paid flood claims since 1978
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
About one in eight working residents works right in San Marcos
San Marcos has about as many jobs (36,169) as working residents, but only 5,408 people both live and work here.
Most working residents leave San Marcos for work: only 13% work in town. Since 2013, San Marcos has added 6,980 jobs, to 36,169 in 2023. The top destinations are San Diego (22%), Carlsbad (11%) and Escondido (6%).
13%work in town
| San Marcos | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 21% | 14% | 11% |
| Median household income | $109,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 13% | 6.6% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In San Marcos13%
San Diego22%
Carlsbad11%
Escondido6%
Vista5%
12 mi
median commute distance
36,169
jobs based in San Marcos
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 79% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
An age mix much like California’s
No broad age group is more than 4 points off the California average. 44% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 37% across California.
36.8median age · CA 37.9
| San Marcos | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 44% | 29% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 13% | 16% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 25% | 22% | 22% |
| Median age | 36.8 years | 39.1 years | 40.5 years |
San MarcosCaliforniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
15%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma12%
High school16%
Some college19%
Associate’s9%
Bachelor’s28%
Graduate16%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±1.3 points. Across California, 50.1% of residents are women. Median age: women 37.4, men 35.9.
| San Marcos | CA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13.2% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 9.5% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13% | 14.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 15.2% | 13.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.5% | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.3% | 12.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 7.8% | 9.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.4% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 11.8% | 15.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 16.4% | 20.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 19.4% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 8.6% | 7.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 28.3% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 15.5% | 14.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Keep exploring
Everything we know about San Marcos
20pages on San Marcos
The big questions
SchoolsA−Beat 84% of CA districts · 22 schoolsSafetyB1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA−Better than CA on 6 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingD−$954K typical home · up 0.8% in a yearWork & commuteB+$109K median household income · 36,169 jobs hereNatural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 66% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
6 within 15 miles of the center of San Marcos
Palomar CollegeCommunity college · Public · San MarcosIn town$1,354 in-state tuitionCalifornia State University-San MarcosUniversity or college · Public · San MarcosIn town$8,082 in-state tuitionUniversity of St. Augustine for Health SciencesUniversity or college · Private for-profit · San MarcosIn town
About 10 of every 100 San Marcos residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A growing town
San Marcos has grown 13% since 2010
83,781 counted in 2010 and 94,833 in 2020; an estimated 94,908 in 2025.
Growth has leveled off: within 1% of 2020, after 13.2% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Famous people from San Marcos
3 notable people were born in San Marcos.
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About San Marcos
City in California, United States
San Marcos ( SAN MAR-kohs; Spanish for "St. Mark") is a city in the North County region of San Diego County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 94,833. It is the site of California State University San Marcos and Palomar College. The city is bordered by Escondido to the east, Encinitas to the southwest, Carlsbad to the west, and Vista to the northwest. Lake San Marcos is an enclave, or county island, within the southwestern part of the city and its sphere of influence but is an unincorporated community.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1963
- Area
- 24 sq mi
- Elevation
- 581 ft
- ZIP code
- 92069, 92078, 92079
San Marcos’s neighbors
7 towns share a border with San Marcos.
EscondidoCarlsbadVistaLake San MarcosHarmony GroveElfin ForestEncinitasSan Marcos
How the neighbors grade
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Marcos | #100 | B+ | D− | B | A− | A− |
| Escondido | #551 | D | D− | C | C+ | B− |
| Carlsbad | #94 | B+ | D− | C+ | A | A+ |
| Vista | #331 | C | D− | B− | B | B+ |
| Lake San Marcos | #184 | B− | D− | — | A− | A− |
| Harmony Grove | #276 | C+ | D− | — | C+ | A |
| Elfin Forest | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Encinitas | #40 | A− | D− | B | A | A+ |
Lake San Marcos and Harmony Grove report no FBI crime data of their own. Elfin Forest isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare San Marcos with a neighbor →
Questions about San Marcos
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is San Marcos, CA a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. San Marcos grades B+ overall, better than 67% of U.S. towns and #100 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−.
What is San Marcos, CA known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Liliana Mumy and Fred Warner.