With 114,373 people, Carlsbad is a city in California. Home values have more than tripled since 2000, reaching $1,257,000. 62% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. Median rent is $2,808 a month. Few US cities rank higher on income. 36,126 more people live here than in 2000.
At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $142,748, above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.5
US median: 38.9
More educated
62% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 123%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Carlsbad
What changed most since 1990
Adults with a bachelor's degree35.8% → 62.1%(+26.3 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Population63,126 → 114,373(+81%)US over the same years: +35%
Median home value (2024 dollars)$613,458 → $1,257,000(+105%)US over the same years: +67%
Carlsbad's population equals 3.5% of San Diego County's. Its number of households without a car equals 2.2% of the county's. Its number of people who work from home equals 5.7% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)29.4%(1,777)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)26.8%(1,616)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era35%(2,112)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.6%(341)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.7%(102)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 6,040 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Carlsbad, decade by decade
Carlsbad population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
63,126
$109,777
$613,458
35.8%
38.2
2000
78,247
$118,672
$562,527
45.7%
41.9
2010
105,328
$121,887
$943,702
51.1%
52.0
2020
114,746
$136,879
$1,039,081
59.1%
61.5
2024
114,373
$142,748
$1,257,000
62.1%
65.7
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
