The Town FilesDel Mar, California
City in San Diego County · population 3,954 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $2,000,001
- Household income
- $199,152
- Jan low / Jul high
- 47° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 55.5
Del Mar is a city of 3,954 people in San Diego County, California. The median home is worth $2,000,001, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more upscale than 99% of California towns, better for young professionals than 93% of California towns, more seaside character than 93% of California towns.
- #5 in 25 Small Towns in California With the Most Remote Workers
- #11 in 50 Small Towns in America With the Most Remote Workers
- #14 in 50 Places in America With the Most Remote Workers
- #14 in 25 Small Towns in California With the Mildest Winters
- #25 in The 25 Best Small Towns for Young Professionals in California
How Del Mar ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Del Mar is worth $2,000,001, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 10.0 times the median household income of $199,152, which is more affordable than 9% of California towns. Median rent is $3,501 a month. 53.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Del Mar | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $3,501 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $199,152 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 10.0× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 53.2% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 16.8% | — |
Who lives in Del Mar
| People | Del Mar | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 55.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.8% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 12.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 86.4% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.7% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 19.2% | — |
| Work from home | 49.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.4% | 93.3% |
Weather in Del Mar
July highs average 80.0°F and January lows 47.0°F. About 11.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Del Mar since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on January 29, 1998 about 6.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 22, 2007.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on June 3, 2009.
Severe weather in San Diego County since 1996
San Diego County has been included in 51 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 19, 2024 | Flood | DR-4758: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| October 16, 2020 | Fire | DR-4569: Wildfires |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in San Diego County
San Diego County had 1,536,541 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $82,854 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Del Mar itself the ACS puts it at 1.8%.
Public schools in Del Mar
3 public schools with 1,409 students, about 19.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preuss School UCSD (charter) | 6-12 | 849 | 19.7 |
| Del Mar Hills Elementary | K-6 | 283 | 20.2 |
| Del Mar Heights Elementary | K-6 | 277 | 17.3 |
Towns near Del Mar
- Solana Beach, CA1.9 mi · 12,941 people · home $2,000,001
- Fairbanks Ranch, CA4.7 mi · 3,002 people · home $2,000,001
- Rancho Santa Fe, CA5.6 mi · 3,156 people · home $2,000,001
- Encinitas, CA6.0 mi · 62,007 people · home $1,646,800
- Lake San Marcos, CA11.3 mi · 5,328 people · home $917,000
- Carlsbad, CA11.5 mi · 114,746 people · home $1,257,000
- San Diego, CA12.3 mi · 1,386,932 people · home $906,700
- San Marcos, CA12.8 mi · 94,833 people · home $868,000
Del Mar questions
Is Del Mar, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Del Mar scores better for retirees than 92% of California towns and quieter than 57%. 31.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 55.5).
How much does a house cost in Del Mar?
The median owner-occupied home in Del Mar is valued at $2,000,001 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $199,152, so homes cost about 10.0 times income. Median rent is $3,501 a month.
What is the weather like in Del Mar?
July highs average 80.0°F and January lows 47.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Del Mar get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Del Mar since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on January 29, 1998. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)