What kinds of homes are in San Marcos, CA?

Name: Types of homes in San Marcos, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

San Marcos, CA has 32,557 (±811) homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is about 1,325 homes per square mile of land.

52.1% are detached single-family houses.

4.4% are in buildings of two to four units.

23.0% are in buildings of five or more units.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Housing units: 32,557 (±811)
Detached houses: 52.1%
2–4 unit buildings: 4.4%
5+ unit buildings: 23.0%

Homes in San Marcos by building size

Housing units by units in structure, 2020–2024
Building type	San Marcos	San Diego County	California	United States
Single-family, detached	52.1% (±2.0 points)	50.0%	57.0%	61.3%
Single-family, attached (townhouse, rowhouse)	10.3% (±1.5 points)	10.0%	7.4%	6.2%
2 units	0.7% (±0.4 points)	1.9%	2.4%	3.4%
3 or 4 units	3.7% (±0.9 points)	5.0%	5.4%	4.3%
5 to 9 units	4.9% (±0.9 points)	7.2%	5.7%	4.5%
10 to 19 units	4.7% (±1.0 points)	6.1%	4.9%	4.3%
20 or more units	13.4% (±1.5 points)	16.2%	13.6%	10.3%
Mobile home	10.1% (±0.8 points)	3.3%	3.5%	5.6%
Boat, RV, van, etc.	0.1% (±0.1 points)	0.1%	0.1%	0.1%

In San Marcos, the share of homes in buildings of five or more units is lower than in San Diego County (29.5%).

It is not measurably different from California (24.2%).

It is higher than the national figure (19.1%).

Homes in buildings of 5 or more units in places near San Marcos

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with San Marcos
Place	Distance	Homes in buildings of 5 or more units	Compared with this place
San Marcos	—	23.0% (±2.0 points)	—
Lake San Marcos	2.3 mi	14.1% (±4.7 points)	Lower
Harmony Grove	2.9 mi	7.5% (±12.8 points)	Lower
Escondido	5.5 mi	28.0% (±2.2 points)	Higher
Vista	5.6 mi	30.6% (±2.6 points)	Higher
Carlsbad	6.6 mi	22.9% (±2.1 points)	Not measurably different
Hidden Meadows	6.9 mi	9.2% (±6.9 points)	Lower
Rancho Santa Fe	7.6 mi	0.0% (±6.1 points)	Lower
Encinitas	7.8 mi	13.9% (±2.0 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Lake San Marcos, CA (14.1%), Harmony Grove, CA (7.5%), Hidden Meadows, CA (9.2%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Escondido, CA (28.0%), Vista, CA (30.6%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Homes in buildings of 5 or more units across San Diego County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes in buildings of 5 or more units
9	Del Mar	28.7% (±8.9 points)
10	Escondido	28.0% (±2.2 points)
11	Solana Beach	26.7% (±4.3 points)
12	Winter Gardens	24.4% (±4.7 points)
13	Chula Vista	24.2% (±1.4 points)
14	Oceanside	23.9% (±1.5 points)
15	San Marcos	23.0% (±2.0 points)
16	Carlsbad	22.9% (±2.1 points)
17	Fallbrook	22.3% (±3.8 points)
18 (tie)	Lemon Grove	21.0% (±3.3 points)
18 (tie)	Lakeside	21.0% (±5.3 points)
20	Rancho San Diego	20.4% (±3.8 points)
21	La Presa	17.1% (±2.6 points)

Showing 13 of 50 places in San Diego County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about San Marcos

How many homes are in San Marcos?

San Marcos, CA has an estimated 32,557 (±811) housing units, occupied and vacant (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Are most homes in San Marcos houses or apartments?

52.1% are detached houses and 10.3% attached houses, while 27.4% are in buildings of two or more units.

How many two-family and small multifamily homes are in San Marcos?

4.4% of homes in San Marcos are in buildings of two to four units, the small rental buildings that are often owner-occupied.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — San Marcos city, California

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 API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0007PE, DP04_0007PM, DP04_0008PE, DP04_0008PM, DP04_0009PE, DP04_0009PM, DP04_0010PE, DP04_0010PM, DP04_0011PE, DP04_0011PM, DP04_0012PE, DP04_0012PM, DP04_0013PE, DP04_0013PM, DP04_0014PE, DP04_0014PM, DP04_0015PE, DP04_0015PM

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.