Residential comparison · 13 facts
Carlsbad, CA vs San Marcos, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Carlsbad needs about $81,500 in San Marcos to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from San Marcos, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $88,500 in Carlsbad.
A few differences
- Carlsbad is higher on median household income ($142,748 vs $109,377).
- San Marcos is lower on cost of living index (149 vs 177).
- San Marcos is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,331/mo vs $2,805/mo).
Carlsbad vs San Marcos · facet by facet
| Facet | Carlsbad, CA | San Marcos, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,257,000 | $868,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,805/mo | $2,331/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Cost of living index | 177 | 149 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $142,748 | $109,377 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 260 days | 260 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Carlsbad, CA · San Marcos, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Carlsbad cheaper than San Marcos?
- San Marcos has the lower day-to-day cost index (149 vs 177 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in San Marcos equals $85,000 in Carlsbad?
- A household earning $85,000 in Carlsbad needs about $81,500 in San Marcos to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of San Marcos lifestyle costs about $88,500 in Carlsbad.