The Town FilesCarlsbad, California
City in San Diego County · population 114,746 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,257,000
- Household income
- $142,748
- Jan low / Jul high
- 48° / 74°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 42.5
Carlsbad is a city of 114,746 people in San Diego County, California. The median home is worth $1,257,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for young professionals than 91% of California towns, more seaside character than 88% of California towns, more upscale than 87% of California towns.
How Carlsbad ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Carlsbad is worth $1,257,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.8 times the median household income of $142,748, which is more affordable than 18% of California towns. Median rent is $2,808 a month. 62.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Carlsbad | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,257,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,808 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $142,748 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.8× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 62.9% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.7% | — |
Who lives in Carlsbad
| People | Carlsbad | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.8% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.1% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.9% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 7.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.1% | — |
| Work from home | 31.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 27.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.1% | 93.3% |
Weather in Carlsbad
July highs average 74.2°F and January lows 47.8°F. About 11.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carlsbad since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on January 29, 1998 about 5.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 22, 2007.
Severe weather in San Diego County since 1996
San Diego County has been included in 51 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 19, 2024 | Flood | DR-4758: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| October 16, 2020 | Fire | DR-4569: Wildfires |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in San Diego County
San Diego County had 1,536,541 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $82,854 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Carlsbad itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.
Public schools in Carlsbad
22 public schools with 14,212 students, about 22.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlsbad High | 9-12 | 2,365 | 23.0 |
| Sage Creek High | 9-12 | 1,358 | 24.3 |
| Aviara Oaks Middle | 6-8 | 985 | 21.4 |
| Valley Middle | 6-8 | 788 | 20.2 |
| Carrillo Elementary | K-5 | 756 | 26.1 |
| La Costa Meadows Elementary | K-5 | 723 | 23.3 |
| Hope Elementary | K-5 | 657 | 24.3 |
| Pacific Rim Elementary | K-5 | 652 | 24.1 |
| Calavera Hills Middle | 6-8 | 640 | 22.1 |
| Aviara Oaks Elementary | K-5 | 624 | 24.0 |
| La Costa Heights Elementary | K-6 | 593 | 23.7 |
| Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary | K-6 | 549 | 22.9 |
Towns near Carlsbad
- Lake San Marcos, CA4.4 mi · 5,328 people · home $917,000
- Vista, CA4.9 mi · 98,381 people · home $762,400
- Encinitas, CA5.6 mi · 62,007 people · home $1,646,800
- San Marcos, CA6.6 mi · 94,833 people · home $868,000
- Oceanside, CA6.7 mi · 174,068 people · home $770,300
- Rancho Santa Fe, CA8.7 mi · 3,156 people · home $2,000,001
- Camp Pendleton South, CA9.4 mi · 12,468 people · home —
- Solana Beach, CA9.7 mi · 12,941 people · home $2,000,001
Carlsbad questions
Is Carlsbad, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Carlsbad scores better for retirees than 59% of California towns and quieter than 34%. 18.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.5).
How much does a house cost in Carlsbad?
The median owner-occupied home in Carlsbad is valued at $1,257,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $142,748, so homes cost about 8.8 times income. Median rent is $2,808 a month.
What is the weather like in Carlsbad?
July highs average 74.2°F and January lows 47.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Carlsbad get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carlsbad since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on January 29, 1998. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)