Housing data for San Marcos, CA
San Marcos, CA has an estimated 94,882 residents and 32,557 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in San Diego County.
36.3% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $2,348 a month.
Its population shrank measurably since 2015–2019 (−0.5%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 94,882 (±68)
- Housing units
- 32,557 (±811)
- Households that rent
- 36.3%
- Median gross rent
- $2,348
- Residents since 2015–2019
- −0.5%
What stands out in San Marcos
Homes built before 1980: 27.4% (±2.2 points) in San Marcos, lower than in San Diego County (49.4%).
Households that rent: 36.3% (±2.0 points) in San Marcos, lower than in San Diego County (45.4%).
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 23.0% (±2.0 points) in San Marcos, lower than in San Diego County (29.5%).
Median real estate taxes: $6,608 (±$339) in San Marcos, higher than in San Diego County ($5,774).
- Age of homes in San Marcos
- Renters and owners in San Marcos
- Types of homes in San Marcos
- Property taxes in San Marcos
Housing in San Marcos at a glance
- Median rent: $2,348 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $2,331 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 63.5% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 36.3% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $109,377 median household income
- Home values: $868,000 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $3,357 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $6,608 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 23.0% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 62.5% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 27.4% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 4.8% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 64.0% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 26.5 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 106 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: −0.5% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 23.4% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 6.4% of homes have more than 1 person per room
- Fair Market Rent: $2,820 Small Area FMR, 2 bedrooms (ZIP 92096)
San Marcos against San Diego County, its state and the nation
| San Marcos | San Diego County | California | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 94,882 (±68) | 3,288,774 (exact) | 39,287,377 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 32,557 (±811) | 1,250,641 (±516) | 14,644,735 (±1,665) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 36.3% (±2.0 points) | 45.4% (±0.3 points) | 44.1% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $2,348 (±$76) | $2,246 (±$11) | $2,036 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $109,377 (±$5,003) | $106,268 (±$949) | $99,122 (±$310) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $868,000 (±$26,665) | $854,700 (±$3,996) | $734,700 (±$1,307) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $6,608 (±$339) | $5,774 (±$47) | $5,124 (±$17) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 27.4% (±2.2 points) | 49.4% (±0.5 points) | 56.0% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 26.5 minutes (±0.9) | 25.5 minutes (±0.2) | 28.7 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 95.9% (±1.0 points) | 94.9% (±0.2 points) | 93.5% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 36.8 years (±1.1) | 37.3 years (±0.1) | 37.9 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
San Marcos covers 24.6 square miles of land, about 3,862 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How San Marcos has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 95,355 (±95) | 94,882 (±68) | −0.5% | Measurable decrease |
| Housing units | 31,316 (±716) | 32,557 (±811) | +4.0% | Measurable increase |
| Median gross rent | $1,704 (±$56) | $2,348 (±$76) | +37.8% | Up after inflation |
| Median home value | $538,200 (±$13,898) | $868,000 (±$26,665) | +61.3% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $78,797 (±$4,688) | $109,377 (±$5,003) | +38.8% | Up after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $2,760 (±$91) | $3,357 (±$126) | +21.6% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $4,808 (±$198) | $6,608 (±$339) | +37.4% | Up after inflation |
| Households that rent | 37.7% (±1.7 points) | 36.3% (±2.0 points) | −1.4 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.7% (±1.9 points) | 4.8% (±2.0 points) | +0.1 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in San Marcos
In 2025, the San Marcos Police Department reported 106 violent and 398 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across San Diego County, the departments that report recorded 316 violent and 1,155 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in San Marcos
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 92096 | 100% | 0 | — | — | — |
| 92078 | 79% | 53,605 | $2,567 | $942,300 | $120,268 |
| 92069 | 56% | 47,335 | $2,264 | $800,700 | $96,771 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near San Marcos
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake San Marcos | 2.3 mi | $2,585 | $917,000 | 21.0% |
| Harmony Grove | 2.9 mi | $3,500 or more | $1,231,600 | 13.1% |
| Escondido | 5.5 mi | $2,046 | $714,500 | 46.6% |
| Vista | 5.6 mi | $2,249 | $762,400 | 48.3% |
| Carlsbad | 6.6 mi | $2,808 | $1,257,000 | 37.1% |
| Hidden Meadows | 6.9 mi | $2,736 | $851,100 | 8.1% |
| Rancho Santa Fe | 7.6 mi | $3,500 or more | $2,000,000 or more | 6.9% |
| Encinitas | 7.8 mi | $2,886 | $1,646,800 | 33.5% |
Places in California most like San Marcos
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oceanside | $2,303 | $770,300 | $97,737 | 41.7% |
| Chula Vista | $2,229 | $758,700 | $108,032 | 40.2% |
| Rancho Cucamonga | $2,357 | $740,200 | $111,895 | 37.7% |
| Buellton | $2,194 | $837,400 | $99,936 | 41.3% |
| Rancho San Diego | $2,618 | $905,300 | $118,682 | 24.9% |
| Cotati | $2,056 | $746,800 | $110,750 | 40.8% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across California.
HUD Fair Market Rent for San Marcos, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,192 | $2,335 | $2,823 | $3,743 | $4,526 |
HUD also publishes a Small Area Fair Market Rent for each ZIP code in the area; the Fair Market Rent page for this place lists its ZIP codes.
HUD income limits for San Marcos, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $36,750 | $61,250 | $97,950 |
| 2 people | $42,000 | $70,000 | $111,950 |
| 3 people | $47,250 | $78,750 | $125,950 |
| 4 people | $52,450 | $87,450 | $139,900 |
| 5 people | $56,650 | $94,450 | $151,100 |
| 6 people | $60,850 | $101,450 | $162,300 |
| 7 people | $65,050 | $108,450 | $173,500 |
| 8 people | $69,250 | $115,450 | $184,700 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $130,900.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about San Marcos
What is the average rent in San Marcos, CA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in San Marcos is $2,348 (±$76) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in San Marcos?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in San Marcos, CA is $2,041 (±$145) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in San Marcos rent-burdened?
63.5% of renting households in San Marcos pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in San Marcos?
San Marcos has an estimated 11,374 (±720) renting households, 36.3% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in San Marcos?
The median household income in San Marcos is $109,377 (±$5,003) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in San Marcos, CA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $868,000 (±$26,665) for owner-occupied homes in San Marcos (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is San Marcos growing?
In San Marcos, the number of residents went from 95,355 in 2015–2019 to 94,882 in 2020–2024 (−0.5%), a measurable decrease.
What ZIP codes are in San Marcos?
The ZIP codes that cover San Marcos are 92096, 92078, 92069.
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — San Marcos city, California
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — San Marcos city, California
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — San Marcos city, California
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — San Marcos city, California
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — San Marcos city, California
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — San Marcos city, California
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — San Marcos city, California
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: San Marcos Police Department (ORI CA0371200)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for San Marcos city, California (place:68196, in state:06).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .