Housing & affordability
18% of the score · 45/100
D
Median home value$868,000
San Diego $854,700
Median rent$2,348/mo
San Diego $2,246/mo
Cost-burdened households44%
San Diego 44%
San Marcos
San Diego County94,882 residentsSan Marcos Unified
61
C
Suburbgrade score
6th of 30 San Diego suburbs. Strongest on amenities, held back by housing & affordability.
61
San Diego median 52
0 · F
A+ · 100
Launch-day rule. Residents is not counted for San Marcos yet: no poll responses so far. The overall score of 61 is computed on the other six categories, re-normalised to 100%. Answer the poll →
What living here is actually like
Written summary in preparation This page is waiting for its written summary, and for a person to check it. Until then it is excluded from search engines.
What San Marcos is like to live in, by category
Bars show San Marcos against San Diego. Weights are published in full.Schools
18% of the score · 66/100
C+
Within-state proficiency83rd pct
San Diego median 60th pct
Student–teacher ratio23.9
San Diego median 22.6
Graduation rate94%
San Diego median 86%
Cost of living
14% of the score · 65/100
C+
Housing cost index105
San Diego 100
Eff. tax rate0.80%
San Diego 0.67%
Local sales tax8.75%
San Diego median 7.75%
Commute & transport
14% of the score · 60/100
C
Mean commute26.5 min
San Diego 25.5 min
Under 30 minutes58%
San Diego 64%
Transit stops / sq mi3.9
San Diego median 4.2 · within 2 miles
Amenities
12% of the score · 78/100
B+
Restaurants & cafés90
San Diego median 50 · within 2 miles
Groceries8
San Diego median 6 · within 2 miles
Parks50
San Diego median 23 · within 2 miles
Employment & income
12% of the score · 56/100
C−
Median household income$109,377
San Diego $106,268
Unemployment4.6%
San Diego 6.1%
Professional occupations47%
San Diego 48%
Residents
12% of the score · inactive
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No responses yet. Residents is excluded from the score until eight people answer.
Ask the people who live here
Twelve yes/no questions, one tap each. No dataset knows whether the yards are kept or whether anyone talks to their neighbours. Answers feed the Residents grade, which needs eight responses before it counts.
Nobody has answered for San Marcos yet. If you live here, you can be the first.
Is it quiet at night?
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Do you feel safe walking after dark?
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Can you walk to a grocery store?
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Is it good for young children?
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Are yards and streets well kept?
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Tap either button to answer — no account neededAll twelve questions →
Better than San Marcos on housing & affordability
San Marcos's weakest grade is D. Six suburbs are within 25 miles and score higher on the same four inputs.
SuburbHousingOverall
Solana Beach11 mi from San MarcosB− 70 B− Encinitas8 mi from San MarcosB− 72 B− Carlsbad7 mi from San MarcosC 65 C+ San Diego Country Estates24 mi from San MarcosC− 45 D Poway13 mi from San MarcosC− 59 C Valley Center11 mi from San MarcosD 40 D− Median home value: ACS 2020–24 · Ownership rate: ACS 2020–24
Common questions about living in San Marcos
Is San Marcos, CA a good place to live?
San Marcos scores 61 out of 100, 6th of 30 San Diego suburbs. It is strongest on amenities and weakest on housing & affordability. Every weight behind that score is published on the methodology page.
Is San Marcos expensive to live in?
Cost of living grades C+. The median home is $868,000, 2% above the San Diego median, and the effective property tax rate is 0.80%. $2,348/mo is the median gross rent.
How good are the schools in San Marcos?
Schools grade C+. The districts serving San Marcos sit at the 83rd pct within-state proficiency percentile, with a 94% graduation rate and a 23.9 student–teacher ratio. San Marcos is served by San Marcos Unified. Proficiency is only ever compared inside the same state.
How long is the commute from San Marcos?
The mean commute is 26.5 min, with 58% of workers travelling under 30 minutes and 21% working from home. Transit density is 3.9 stops per square mile.
Can you walk anywhere in San Marcos?
Within two miles there are 8 groceries, 90 restaurants and cafés and 50 parks, which grades B+ on amenities.
Are the homes in San Marcos old or new?
The median home in San Marcos was built in 1996 — newer than the San Diego median of 1980. That is a median, so a town can be half post-war and half new-build and still land there. 62% of homes are houses rather than flats.
Every answer is built from the figures on this page, with their sources and as-of dates on the methodology page.
Six San Diego lists
Best San Diego suburbs for familiesMost affordable San Diego suburbsBest San Diego suburbs for schoolsShortest commutes to Downtown San DiegoMost walkable San Diego suburbsBest San Diego suburbs for young professionals