With 3,162 people, Carmel-by-the-Sea is a city in California. At a median age of 68.5, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 73% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $2,000,000+. That puts it in the top 3% of US cities for household income. Renters pay $2,707 a month at the median.
At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $129,250, above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 68.5
US median: 38.9
More educated
73% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Top-priced homes
median home value $2,000,000+, the Census reporting cap
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Carmel-by-the-Sea
What changed most since 1990
Population4,111 → 3,162(−23%)US over the same years: +35%
Adults with a bachelor's degree48.2% → 72.9%(+24.7 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Median age57.0 → 68.5(+11.5 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
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)0%(0)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)67.1%(141)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era21.4%(45)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0%(0)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 210 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
Carmel-by-the-Sea, decade by decade
Carmel-by-the-Sea 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
4,111
$88,332
$958,588
48.2%
14.3
2000
4,081
$105,953
$1,202,657
54.7%
17.4
2010
3,722
$107,158
$1,438,572+
66.4%
23.4
2020
3,220
$123,260
$1,868,964
72.6%
30.1
2024
3,162
$129,250
$2,000,000+
72.9%
34.2
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.
