San Marcos, CA

Census place 0668196 · pop 94,882

D−44/ 100
🫤 Rough
C
in CA
📍 California ranks #49 of 50 states →
🏆 Obesity25.3% · top 9%
🚽 Air71 AQI · bottom 5%
Taxes
0.76% property · US 0.99%8.99% sales · US 7.00%up to 13.30% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Air quality (AQI)County-level71 AQI5

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

71 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Housing cost$868,0006

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$868,000 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level100/1006

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

100/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Rent$3,180/mo6

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$3,180/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level52 days6

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

52 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Population growth (5yr)-0.5%26

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-0.5% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Unemployment rateCounty-level4.1%32

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

4.1% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Commute time26 min33

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

26 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Income inequality0.4443

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.44 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Violent crime rate223/100k46

U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities

223 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Homeownership63.7%50

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

63.7% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Uninsured adults9.4%51

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

9.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Poor mental health16.9%53

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

16.9% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Poverty rate9.2%61

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

9.2% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Property-tax burden0.76%67

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.76% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Bachelor's degree or higher43.8%75

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

43.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Physical inactivity20.5%75

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

20.5% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Property crime rate673/100k76

U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities

673 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Adult smoking9.9%80

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

9.9% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Median household income$109,37781

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$109,377 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Broadband access95.9%86

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

95.9% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Adult obesity25.3%91

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

25.3% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Frequently asked

Is San Marcos, CA a good place to live?
By the numbers, San Marcos scores 44/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is adult obesity and its weakest is air quality (aqi). California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is San Marcos, CA?
San Marcos reports 223 violent crimes per 100k and 673 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is San Marcos, CA expensive to live in?
San Marcos has a median home value of $868,000 and typical rent around $3,180/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in San Marcos, CA?
Its weakest measured area is air quality (aqi) (71 AQI) — 5/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
What is San Marcos, CA best at?
Its strongest measured area is adult obesity (25.3%) — 91/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.