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Living in
Carlsbad.
About
Life in Carlsbad
If you're considering moving to Carlsbad, you're looking at a solidly affluent, stable community where the Mediterranean climate and beach access are genuine perks—but they come with a premium price tag and a decidedly suburban, car-dependent lifestyle. The median household income of $142,748 tells you something important: this is a place where established, professional households thrive. The job market here is actually diverse beyond the tourist economy; tech, manufacturing, robotics, and medical devices anchor the local economy, with Google even naming Carlsbad California's digital capital in 2013.
Carlsbad at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.9%
Foreign-Born
14.1%
Broadband Internet
96.1%
of households
Population Growth
-2.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics14.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Carlsbad: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Carlsbad, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (22.0%), and 8.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.4%
of residents
65 and Older
18.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
30.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
23.7%
of households
Married Couples
57.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.58
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 38% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Carlsbad
In Carlsbad, rent runs 38% above the CA average, and home values are 71% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
54.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
27.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
111.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$8,020
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
62.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1989
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $1,564,213 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.2 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Carlsbad and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Carlsbad is 1.2 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Carlsbad Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA metro area
Commute27.1 min avg
How Carlsbad residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Carlsbad, most residents drive alone to work (60%), and 61% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
McClellan-Palomar Airport (CLD)
Regional airport · few flights68k passengers boarded in 2025
- 29 mi
San Diego International Airport (SAN)
Major hub12.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 36% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Carlsbad runs 36% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
211.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,118
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Carlsbad Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 25 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
99.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
San Diego County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In San Diego County, which includes Carlsbad, the most common type is high wind, with 25 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | Heavy Rain | $110,000 |
| 2024 | 56 | High Wind | $30.9M |
| 2023 | 67 | High Wind | $13,000 |
| 2022 | 92 | High Wind | $11,000 |
| 2021 | 93 | High Wind | $4.2M |
| 2020 | 56 | High Wind | $4.5M |
| 2019 | 69 | High Wind | $1.0M |
| 2018 | 42 | High Wind | $680,100 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
166 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
San Diego County, county-wide
Carlsbad is about 3% of San Diego County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality67 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in San Diego County, which includes Carlsbad, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
67
Good Days
64
per year
Moderate Days
268
per year
Unhealthy Days
7
per year
San Diego County, county-wide
Carlsbad is about 3% of San Diego County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate73°F summers, 48°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Carlsbad has mild summers (avg high 73°F) and warm winters (avg low 48°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
66°/54°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
73°/63°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
73°/58°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
65°/48°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
11.4"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
3
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
53
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 65°F | 48°F | 2.49" |
| Feb | 64°F | 49°F | 2.64" |
| Mar | 65°F | 51°F | 1.61" |
| Apr | 66°F | 53°F | 0.88" |
| May | 68°F | 57°F | 0.28" |
| Jun | 70°F | 60°F | 0.06" |
| Jul | 74°F | 64°F | 0.08" |
| Aug | 76°F | 65°F | 0.03" |
| Sep | 76°F | 64°F | 0.11" |
| Oct | 73°F | 59°F | 0.50" |
| Nov | 70°F | 52°F | 0.99" |
| Dec | 65°F | 47°F | 1.72" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Carlsbad
Uninsured
4.0%
of residents
No hospitals inside Carlsbad's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Tri-city Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.2 mi away · Oceanside
Scripps Memorial Hospital - Encinitas
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.1 mi away · Encinitas
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.7 mi away · San Marcos
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education22.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Carlsbad
Carlsbad's student/teacher ratio is 22.8:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 62.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
23
within city limits
Private Schools
11
within city limits
College Degree Rate
62.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
22.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Carlsbad (within 15 miles)
California State University-San Marcos
7.2 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 14,877 students · in-state tuition $8,454 · 68% graduate · median earnings $67,217 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 10,278 students · in-state tuition $1,158 · 29% graduate · median earnings $49,887 (10 yrs after entry)
John Paul the Great Catholic University
11.6 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 286 students · in-state tuition $31,090 · 65% graduate · median earnings $53,787 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Cabrillo National Monument, 31 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Carlsbad
Carlsbad has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Cabrillo National Monument (31 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Cabrillo National Monument
National Monument
31 mi awayJuan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
52 mi awayJoshua Tree National Park
National Park
99 mi awayPublic Libraries in Carlsbad
Dove Library
1775 Dove Lane, Carlsbad
Carlsbad City Library Learning Center
3368 Eureka Place, Carlsbad
Georgina Cole Library
1250 Carlsbad Village Drive, Carlsbad
Cities Near Carlsbad
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Carlsbad?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Carlsbad FAQ
Is Carlsbad, California affordable?⌄
Carlsbad's median rent is $2,808/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $142,748/year. Median home value is $1,257,000.
Is Carlsbad, California safe?⌄
Carlsbad's violent crime rate was 212 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1118 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Carlsbad, California?⌄
Carlsbad has an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Carlsbad, California?⌄
The cost of living in Carlsbad is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,808/month and median household income is $142,748/year. The median home value is $1,257,000. About 55% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Carlsbad, California?⌄
The average commute in Carlsbad is 27 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from