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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

San Marcos

California · 38,974 residents · 24.6 sq mi
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The short version

With 38,974 people, San Marcos is a city in California. The typical home is worth $171,900. The population has fallen 29% since 2000. Renters pay $658 a month at the median. About 15% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Households earn $31,961 at the median, near the US median.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Younger
median age 30.8
US median: 33.0
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Less affordable
home values up 27%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
38,974
−29%vs 2000
vs 54,977 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
30.8
−4%vs 2000
vs 32.1 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
24.6 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
33K50K67K84K101K19902000201020202024San Marcos
202495K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 58.7%(3,389)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 97.3%(2,830)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147%(2,726)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 196.8%(2,657)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 249%(3,494)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3418.9%(7,376)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4413.8%(5,391)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 547.8%(3,051)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 646.1%(2,379)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 748%(3,104)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 845.4%(2,093)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.2%(484)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$31,961
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $45,908 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$13,590
−27%vs 2000
vs $18,657 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
10.9%
−1.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 12.0% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$171,900
+27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $178,400 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$658
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $797 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
62.3%
−3.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 66.0% in 2000
37.7% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic53.9%(29,617)
Black1.8%(1,001)
Hispanic / Latino36.9%(20,271)
Asian4.6%(2,503)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic84.9%(33,088)
Black1.3%(524)
Hispanic / Latino26.8%(10,442)
Asian3.1%(1,201)
Other10.7%(4,161)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican31.3%(29,706)
South American1.7%(1,640)
Central American1.6%(1,484)
Chilean0.7%(629)
Salvadoran0.6%(599)
Puerto Rican0.6%(533)
Spaniard0.5%(475)
Guatemalan0.4%(391)
Peruvian0.3%(307)
Honduran0.3%(289)
Cuban0.2%(198)
Venezuelan0.2%(190)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Argentine0.2%(156)
Ecuadorian0.1%(125)
Colombian0.1%(121)
Panamanian0.1%(107)
Bolivian0.1%(84)
Dominican0%(18)
Asian origin
Filipino3%(2,847)
Asian Indian2.3%(2,170)
Vietnamese1.5%(1,411)
Chinese1.4%(1,317)
Indonesian0.7%(653)
Korean0.5%(476)
Japanese0.5%(461)
Kazakh0.3%(239)
Taiwanese0.2%(221)
Pakistani0.2%(194)
Nepalese0.2%(178)
Laotian0.1%(90)
+ 6 more asian origin groups with data
Cambodian0.1%(62)
Okinawan0%(40)
Thai0%(30)
Malaysian0%(15)
Uzbek0%(10)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.3%(326)
Marshallese0.2%(232)
Chamorro0.1%(68)
Guamanian0%(38)
Ancestry
English9.4%(8,922)
Irish9.2%(8,725)
German9.2%(8,698)
Italian4.3%(4,096)
Scottish2.2%(2,083)
American2.1%(1,973)
French1.9%(1,812)
Polish1.6%(1,565)
Russian1.6%(1,522)
Norwegian1.5%(1,467)
Welsh1%(908)
Dutch0.9%(901)
+ 43 more ancestry groups with data
Arab0.8%(777)
Swedish0.8%(738)
Scotch-Irish0.6%(604)
Portuguese0.6%(575)
Danish0.6%(528)
Canadian0.5%(490)
Greek0.5%(484)
Hungarian0.5%(471)
Iranian0.4%(400)
Czech0.4%(334)
Ukrainian0.3%(330)
British0.3%(318)
Serbian0.3%(302)
Armenian0.2%(222)
Brazilian0.2%(219)
Belgian0.2%(191)
Lebanese0.2%(182)
Egyptian0.2%(162)
Lithuanian0.2%(146)
West Indian0.1%(142)
Austrian0.1%(141)
Australian0.1%(140)
Slovak0.1%(139)
Swiss0.1%(123)
Croatian0.1%(119)
Finnish0.1%(76)
Bulgarian0.1%(69)
Iraqi0.1%(59)
Latvian0.1%(54)
Jamaican0%(42)
Syrian0%(39)
Barbadian0%(30)
Romanian0%(26)
Nigerian0%(20)
Moroccan0%(11)
Slovene0%(10)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
14.8%
−5.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 20.0% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
76.1%
+1.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 75.1% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
3.8%
−2.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 5.8% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
20.6 min
+10%vs 2000
vs 18.8 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married34.4%(12,367)
Married57.6%(20,681)
Widowed1.7%(614)
Divorced6.3%(2,252)
Women 15+
Never married30.4%(11,934)
Married51.9%(20,384)
Widowed7.2%(2,839)
Divorced10.4%(4,094)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
7.1%
−10.4 ptssince 2013
from 17.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
60.3%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 58.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
12.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 12.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
13.6%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 13.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
19.0%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 19.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.6%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 2.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
72.4%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 70.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
31.3%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 31.2% 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)30.3%(1,243)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)29%(1,189)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era34.8%(1,429)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.4%(138)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.4%(15)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 4,104 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
Drill deeper

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Compare San Marcos to nearby cities

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SAN MARCOS VS
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SAN MARCOS VS
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Home value$1,257,000+631%
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SAN MARCOS VS
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Income$162,229+408%
Home value$1,646,800+858%
Population60,736−36%
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Frequently asked

How many people live in San Marcos, California?

San Marcos, California has about 38,974 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in San Marcos, California?

The typical household in San Marcos, California earns about $31,961 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is San Marcos, California expensive?

In San Marcos, California, the median home is worth about $171,900, and the typical rent is about $658 a month.

How educated are people in San Marcos, California?

About 14.8% of adults age 25 and over in San Marcos, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in San Marcos, California?

About 10.9% of people in San Marcos, California live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →