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Living in
San Carlos.
The Census tops out at $2,000,000+ for home value; it doesn't publish exact figures above that.
About
Life in San Carlos
San Carlos sits in that middle ground of Peninsula living—close enough to San Francisco to feel part of the Bay Area tech ecosystem, but far enough that you're not paying peak San Francisco prices, though costs are still steep by national standards. Median home values top $2 million and rent averages $2,800 a month, so this is squarely upper-middle-class territory. The job market is solid with major employers and a 3.7% unemployment rate, though many residents likely commute into deeper Silicon Valley or across the Bay.
San Carlos at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.3%
Foreign-Born
25.9%
Broadband Internet
98.5%
of households
Population Growth
-4.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics25.9% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in San Carlos: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In San Carlos, the largest foreign-born group is from India (14.1%), and 6.5% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
23.4%
of residents
65 and Older
16.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
37.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
20.4%
of households
Married Couples
64.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.68
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 40% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in San Carlos
In San Carlos, rent runs 40% above the CA average, and home values are 172% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
36.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
115.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
67.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1962
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $2,445,853 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.6 pts below CA average
Unemployment in San Carlos and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in San Carlos is 1.6 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 San Carlos Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA metro area
Commute24.6 min avg
How San Carlos residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In San Carlos, most residents drive alone to work (52%), and 64% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 10 mi
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Major hub26.3M 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 45% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office, which covers San Carlos, runs 45% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
181.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,075
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by San Mateo County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersStrong Wind most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
99.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
San Mateo County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In San Mateo County, which includes San Carlos, the most common type is strong wind, with 15 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | Flood | $10 |
| 2024 | 14 | Flood | $30 |
| 2023 | 15 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 11 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 21 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 25 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 42 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 23 | Strong Wind | $10,000 |
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.
288 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
San Mateo County, county-wide
San Carlos is about 4% of San Mateo County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality27 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2024)
Air quality in San Mateo County, which includes San Carlos, is typically good — 281 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
27
Good Days
281
per year
Moderate Days
38
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
San Mateo County, county-wide
San Carlos is about 4% of San Mateo County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate80°F summers, 41°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
San Carlos has warm summers (avg high 80°F) and mild winters (avg low 41°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
69°/47°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/56°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
73°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
60°/41°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
19.0"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
18
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
6
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
55
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°F | 41°F | 3.81" |
| Feb | 62°F | 43°F | 3.65" |
| Mar | 65°F | 45°F | 3.02" |
| Apr | 69°F | 47°F | 1.15" |
| May | 73°F | 50°F | 0.46" |
| Jun | 79°F | 54°F | 0.16" |
| Jul | 81°F | 57°F | 0.00" |
| Aug | 81°F | 57°F | 0.04" |
| Sep | 79°F | 54°F | 0.07" |
| Oct | 75°F | 50°F | 0.87" |
| Nov | 65°F | 44°F | 1.87" |
| Dec | 59°F | 40°F | 3.92" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in San Carlos
Uninsured
0.6%
of residents
No hospitals inside San Carlos's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Sequoia Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 1.5 mi away · Redwood City
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Redwood City
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.4 mi away · Redwood City
San Mateo Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.8 mi away · San Mateo
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.
Education21.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in San Carlos
San Carlos's student/teacher ratio is 21.2:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 70.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
70.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
21.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near San Carlos (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 7,977 students · in-state tuition $1,332 · 30% graduate · median earnings $60,507 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 7,620 students · in-state tuition $1,332 · 27% graduate · median earnings $62,578 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,554 students · in-state tuition $68,544 · 96% graduate · median earnings $125,340 (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: Presidio of San Francisco, 23 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for San Carlos
San Carlos has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Presidio of San Francisco (23 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Presidio of San Francisco
National Park Site
23 mi awaySan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
23 mi awayAlcatraz Island
National Park Site
24 mi awayFort Point National Historic Site
National Historic Site
24 mi awayEugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
26 mi awayRosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
29 mi awayGolden Gate National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
31 mi awayMuir Woods National Monument
National Monument
32 mi awayPublic Libraries in San Carlos
San Carlos Library
610 Elm St., San Carlos
Cities Near San Carlos
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to San Carlos?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
San Carlos FAQ
Is San Carlos, California affordable?⌄
San Carlos's median rent is $2,854/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $237,470/year. Median home value is $2,000,000+.
Is San Carlos, California safe?⌄
San Carlos is policed by the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 181 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1075 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in San Carlos, California?⌄
San Carlos has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in San Carlos, California?⌄
The cost of living in San Carlos is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,854/month and median household income is $237,470/year. The median home value is $2,000,000+. About 36% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in San Carlos, California?⌄
The average commute in San Carlos is 25 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