Residential comparison · 13 facts
Redwood City, CA vs San Carlos, 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 Redwood City needs about $81,000 in San Carlos to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from San Carlos, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $89,000 in Redwood City.
A few differences
- San Carlos is higher on median household income ($237,470 vs $157,814).
- Redwood City is lower on cost of living index (215 vs 225).
- San Carlos is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($3,286/mo vs $3,366/mo).
Redwood City vs San Carlos · facet by facet
| Facet | Redwood City, CA | San Carlos, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,801,700 | $2,000,001 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $3,366/mo | $3,286/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 | 215 | 225 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $157,814 | $237,470 |
| 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: Redwood City, CA · San Carlos, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Redwood City cheaper than San Carlos?
- Redwood City has the lower day-to-day cost index (215 vs 225 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in San Carlos equals $85,000 in Redwood City?
- A household earning $85,000 in Redwood City needs about $81,000 in San Carlos to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of San Carlos lifestyle costs about $89,000 in Redwood City.