The Town FilesSan Carlos, California
City in San Mateo County · population 30,722 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $2,000,001
- Household income
- $237,470
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 41.7
San Carlos is a city of 30,722 people in San Mateo County, California. The median home is worth $2,000,001, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more upscale than 95% of California towns, better for cycling than 92% of California towns, better transit than 91% of California towns.
How San Carlos 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 San Carlos is worth $2,000,001, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.4 times the median household income of $237,470, which is more affordable than 21% of California towns. Median rent is $2,854 a month. 67.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | San Carlos | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,854 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $237,470 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.4× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 67.8% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in San Carlos
| People | San Carlos | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.7 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 70.2% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.3% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 25.9% | — |
| Work from home | 35.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.5% | 93.3% |
Weather in San Carlos
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 40.5°F. About 19.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 6 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of San Carlos since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on February 7, 1998 about 9.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 7, 1998.
Severe weather in San Mateo County since 1996
San Mateo County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 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 |
| August 22, 2020 | Fire | DR-4558: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in San Mateo County
San Mateo County had 416,422 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $196,441 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in San Carlos itself the ACS puts it at 5%.
Public schools in San Carlos
10 public schools with 3,132 students, about 21.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tierra Linda Middle | 6-8 | 458 | 19.9 |
| Central Middle | 6-8 | 434 | 21.7 |
| Arundel Elementary | K-3 | 376 | 22.1 |
| Brittan Acres Elementary | K-3 | 372 | 21.9 |
| San Carlos Charter Learning Center (charter) | K-8 | 367 | 20.4 |
| Heather Elementary | K-3 | 308 | 19.3 |
| Arroyo | 4-5 | 287 | 23.9 |
| Mariposa | 4-5 | 286 | 20.4 |
| White Oaks Elementary | K-3 | 244 | 22.2 |
| San Carlos Student Services Preschool | Other | — | — |
Towns near San Carlos
- Belmont, CA1.8 mi · 28,335 people · home $2,000,001
- Emerald Lake Hills, CA2.3 mi · 4,406 people · home $2,000,001
- Redwood City, CA3.2 mi · 84,292 people · home $1,801,700
- North Fair Oaks, CA3.9 mi · 14,027 people · home $1,276,900
- Foster City, CA4.6 mi · 33,805 people · home $1,838,200
- Atherton, CA4.7 mi · 7,188 people · home $2,000,001
- San Mateo, CA4.8 mi · 105,661 people · home $1,618,700
- Woodside, CA5.3 mi · 5,309 people · home $2,000,001
San Carlos questions
Is San Carlos, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, San Carlos scores better for retirees than 54% of California towns and quieter than 31%. 16.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.7).
How much does a house cost in San Carlos?
The median owner-occupied home in San Carlos is valued at $2,000,001 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $237,470, so homes cost about 8.4 times income. Median rent is $2,854 a month.
What is the weather like in San Carlos?
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 40.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 19.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does San Carlos get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of San Carlos since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on February 7, 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)