United States › California › San Carlos CITY
San Carlos California · 29,261 residents (2025 est.) · 5.41 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 29,614 people, San Carlos is a city in California. Households here earn about 140% more than in California as a whole. Households take in $237,470 a year at the median, 189% more than the country as a whole. 70% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $2,000,000+. Median rent is $2,854 a month.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.7
US median: 38.9
More educated
70% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 81%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 27,718 in 2000
29,261 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
5,472 / sq mi
+10%since 2009
from 4,962 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
26K 27K 28K 30K 31K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 San Carlos Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $237,470
+47%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $88,460 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $46,628 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 65.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 2.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.429 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Arts, entertainment, food 8.1%
Public administration 4.4%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.6%
Transportation & warehousing 1%
Education & health services 0.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.2%
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$2,000,001
+81%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $607,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$2,854
+33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $1,181 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 72.7% in 2000
32.2% rent
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.46 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 36.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 42.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 8.8 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 80.2%(22,234)
Hispanic / Latino 7.7%(2,133)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 55.7%(16,502)
Hispanic / Latino 10.9%(3,224)
from 51 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 40 more ancestry groups with data from 49.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 94.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 19.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 78.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 6.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 68.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 80.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 58.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 18.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 8.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 6.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 6.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 91.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 97.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 88.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 78.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 6.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 27.9%(3,274)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 6.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 78.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 15.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 14.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 5.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 0.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 91.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 17.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
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) 10.1%(55)
Share of the 543 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to San Carlos Head to head
Compare San Carlos to nearby cities SAN CARLOS VS
Belmont
Income $205,297 −14%
Home value $2,000,001 same
Population 28,752 −2%
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SAN CARLOS VS
Redwood City
Income $157,814 −34%
Home value $1,801,700 −10%
Population 82,178 +181%
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SAN CARLOS VS
North Fair Oaks
Income $104,884 −56%
Home value $1,276,900 −36%
Population 13,100 −55%
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SAN CARLOS VS
Foster City
Income $199,143 −16%
Home value $1,838,200 −8%
Population 32,411 +11%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in San Carlos, California? San Carlos, California has about 29,614 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in San Carlos, California? The typical household in San Carlos, California earns about $237,470 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is San Carlos, California expensive? In San Carlos, California, the median home is worth about $2,000,001, and the typical rent is about $2,854 a month.
How educated are people in San Carlos, California? About 70.2% of adults age 25 and over in San Carlos, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in San Carlos, California? About 3.3% of people in San Carlos, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has San Carlos, California grown since 1990? Yes, San Carlos, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,447 residents, a change of about 13 percent over that period.
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