The Town FilesSan Marcos, California
City in San Diego County · population 94,833 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $868,000
- Household income
- $109,377
- Jan low / Jul high
- 45° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 36.8
San Marcos is a city of 94,833 people in San Diego County, California. The median home is worth $868,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more of a college town than 91% of California towns, better for first-time buyers than 85% of California towns, better for young professionals than 80% of California towns.
How San Marcos 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 Marcos is worth $868,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 7.9 times the median household income of $109,377, which is more affordable than 29% of California towns. Median rent is $2,348 a month. 63.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | San Marcos | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $868,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,348 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $109,377 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.9× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 63.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1996 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in San Marcos
| People | San Marcos | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.2% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.8% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.2% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 22.3% | — |
| Work from home | 20.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.9% | 93.3% |
Weather in San Marcos
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 44.8°F. About 14.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 54 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 2 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of San Marcos since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on January 29, 1998 about 9.4 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 2 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on March 11, 2006.
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 San Marcos itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Public schools in San Marcos
22 public schools with 18,823 students, about 24.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Marcos High | 9-12 | 3,201 | 27.1 |
| Mission Hills High | 9-12 | 2,834 | 27.3 |
| San Elijo Middle | 6-8 | 1,482 | 26.9 |
| Double Peak | K-8 | 1,198 | 24.0 |
| Woodland Park Middle | 6-8 | 1,179 | 23.6 |
| San Marcos Middle | 6-8 | 987 | 21.9 |
| La Mirada Academy | K-8 | 897 | 20.9 |
| Richland Elementary | K-5 | 869 | 24.8 |
| San Elijo Elementary | K-5 | 846 | 24.2 |
| Paloma Elementary | K-5 | 742 | 26.5 |
| Knob Hill Elementary | K-5 | 726 | 23.4 |
| Twin Oaks Elementary | K-5 | 706 | 22.8 |
Towns near San Marcos
- Lake San Marcos, CA2.3 mi · 5,328 people · home $917,000
- Escondido, CA5.5 mi · 151,038 people · home $714,500
- Vista, CA5.6 mi · 98,381 people · home $762,400
- Carlsbad, CA6.6 mi · 114,746 people · home $1,257,000
- Hidden Meadows, CA6.9 mi · 4,484 people · home $851,100
- Rancho Santa Fe, CA7.6 mi · 3,156 people · home $2,000,001
- Encinitas, CA7.8 mi · 62,007 people · home $1,646,800
- Fairbanks Ranch, CA9.8 mi · 3,002 people · home $2,000,001
San Marcos questions
Is San Marcos, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, San Marcos scores better for retirees than 43% of California towns and quieter than 23%. 13.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.8).
How much does a house cost in San Marcos?
The median owner-occupied home in San Marcos is valued at $868,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $109,377, so homes cost about 7.9 times income. Median rent is $2,348 a month.
What is the weather like in San Marcos?
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 44.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 14.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does San Marcos get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of San Marcos 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)