The Town FilesEncinitas, California
City in San Diego County · population 62,007 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,646,800
- Household income
- $162,229
- Jan low / Jul high
- 48° / 74°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 43.1
Encinitas is a city of 62,007 people in San Diego County, California. The median home is worth $1,646,800, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for young professionals than 92% of California towns, more seaside character than 91% of California towns, more upscale than 90% of California towns.
How Encinitas 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 Encinitas is worth $1,646,800, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 10.2 times the median household income of $162,229, which is more affordable than 8% of California towns. Median rent is $2,886 a month. 66.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Encinitas | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,646,800 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,886 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $162,229 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 10.2× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 66.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.1% | — |
Who lives in Encinitas
| People | Encinitas | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.9% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 67.7% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.4% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.8% | — |
| Work from home | 32.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.4% | 93.3% |
Weather in Encinitas
July highs average 74.2°F and January lows 47.8°F. About 11.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Encinitas since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on January 29, 1998 about 2.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 22, 2007.
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 Encinitas itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Public schools in Encinitas
14 public schools with 8,869 students, about 22.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Dieguito HS Academy | 9-12 | 1,954 | 24.1 |
| La Costa Canyon High | 9-12 | 1,768 | 22.4 |
| Oak Crest Middle | 7-8 | 769 | 22.6 |
| Diegueno Middle | 7-8 | 766 | 24.7 |
| Capri Elementary | K-6 | 613 | 22.7 |
| Paul Ecke-Central Elementary | K-6 | 583 | 22.4 |
| Ocean Knoll Elementary | K-6 | 492 | 24.6 |
| Park Dale Lane Elementary | K-6 | 434 | 22.8 |
| Flora Vista Elementary | K-6 | 383 | 23.9 |
| Ada W. Harris Elementary | 3-6 | 382 | 22.5 |
| Cardiff Elementary | K-2 | 267 | 22.3 |
| JCS - Mountain Oaks (charter) | K-8 | 256 | 21.3 |
Towns near Encinitas
- Solana Beach, CA4.1 mi · 12,941 people · home $2,000,001
- Rancho Santa Fe, CA4.2 mi · 3,156 people · home $2,000,001
- Carlsbad, CA5.6 mi · 114,746 people · home $1,257,000
- Lake San Marcos, CA5.9 mi · 5,328 people · home $917,000
- Del Mar, CA6.0 mi · 3,954 people · home $2,000,001
- Fairbanks Ranch, CA6.0 mi · 3,002 people · home $2,000,001
- San Marcos, CA7.8 mi · 94,833 people · home $868,000
- Vista, CA9.7 mi · 98,381 people · home $762,400
Encinitas questions
Is Encinitas, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Encinitas scores better for retirees than 73% of California towns and quieter than 42%. 19.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.1).
How much does a house cost in Encinitas?
The median owner-occupied home in Encinitas is valued at $1,646,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $162,229, so homes cost about 10.2 times income. Median rent is $2,886 a month.
What is the weather like in Encinitas?
July highs average 74.2°F and January lows 47.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Encinitas get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Encinitas 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)