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CITY · 2020 ACS

San Marcos

California · 94,833 residents · 24.6 sq mi
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The short version

San Marcos is home to 94,833 people in California. The population has risen by half since 2000, adding 39,856 people. The typical home is worth $584,600, having roughly tripled since 2000. Renters pay $1,802 a month at the median. 25% of locals were born outside the United States. This skews young, with a median age of 35.6.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 35.6
US median: 38.8
More educated
39% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 118%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

94,833
+72%since 2000
from 54,977 in 2000
1990 – 2025
35.6
+11%since 2000
from 32.1 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
24.6 sq mi
Population, 19902024
33K50K67K84K101K19902000201020202024San Marcos
202495K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.8%(5,480)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 97.2%(6,835)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 147.9%(7,535)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 198.1%(7,666)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 248.1%(7,639)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412%(11,425)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4414.1%(13,397)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5413.4%(12,710)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6410.4%(9,876)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 747.6%(7,186)
US avg: 10%
75 to 843.7%(3,554)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.6%(1,530)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$86,408
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $45,908 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$35,232
+89%since 2000
from $18,657 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
55.7%
+12.7 ptssince 2009
from 43.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
10.0%
−2.0 ptssince 2000
from 12.0% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade12.7%
US avg: 10%
Information10.6%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade7.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services5.4%
US avg: 6.6%
Finance & insurance3.7%
US avg: 5.5%
Transportation & warehousing3.4%
US avg: 2.5%
Public administration3.2%
US avg: 4.7%
Professional, scientific, technical2.9%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food2.2%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.6%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$584,600
+118%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $178,400 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$1,802
+50%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $797 in 2000
US average: $1,124
60.9%
−5.2 ptssince 2000
from 66.0% in 2000
39.1% rent
3.20 people
+3%since 2009
from 3.11 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
6.8
−9%since 2009
from 7.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
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%
2020
White, non-Hispanic44.3%(41,989)
Black2%(1,898)
Hispanic / Latino36.8%(34,878)
Asian10.7%(10,185)
Other4.9%(4,688)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican34.4%(33,109)
Central American1.3%(1,296)
South American1.1%(1,076)
Puerto Rican0.5%(523)
Salvadoran0.5%(455)
Chilean0.5%(449)
Colombian0.3%(335)
Spaniard0.3%(292)
Honduran0.3%(285)
Nicaraguan0.3%(282)
Cuban0.2%(179)
Guatemalan0.1%(143)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Ecuadorian0.1%(114)
Panamanian0.1%(86)
Peruvian0.1%(70)
Venezuelan0.1%(64)
Argentine0%(35)
Asian origin
Filipino3.2%(3,076)
Chinese1.3%(1,284)
Asian Indian1.3%(1,257)
Vietnamese1.1%(1,022)
Japanese0.7%(667)
Indonesian0.7%(630)
Korean0.6%(606)
Taiwanese0.2%(229)
Laotian0.2%(216)
Bangladeshi0.2%(214)
Pakistani0.2%(154)
Thai0.1%(111)
+ 3 more asian origin groups with data
Malaysian0%(47)
Okinawan0%(38)
Hmong0%(9)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.2%(173)
Chamorro0.1%(115)
Ancestry
German9.4%(9,010)
Irish7.3%(7,061)
English6.9%(6,644)
American3.1%(2,948)
Italian3%(2,861)
French2.1%(2,038)
Polish2.1%(1,978)
Scottish2%(1,901)
Russian1.7%(1,589)
Norwegian1.4%(1,371)
Swedish1.3%(1,291)
Welsh1%(929)
+ 43 more ancestry groups with data
Iranian0.9%(837)
Dutch0.8%(752)
British0.6%(570)
Egyptian0.5%(518)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(485)
Portuguese0.5%(442)
Danish0.4%(418)
Canadian0.4%(409)
Greek0.4%(354)
Hungarian0.3%(274)
Romanian0.3%(255)
Austrian0.3%(244)
Czech0.2%(217)
Serbian0.2%(214)
Brazilian0.2%(183)
Croatian0.2%(179)
Slovak0.2%(150)
Lithuanian0.1%(132)
Lebanese0.1%(116)
Australian0.1%(108)
Swiss0.1%(108)
Armenian0.1%(103)
Ukrainian0.1%(75)
West Indian0.1%(74)
Iraqi0.1%(60)
Finnish0.1%(60)
Ghanaian0.1%(52)
Syrian0%(41)
Jamaican0%(28)
Belgian0%(25)
Slovene0%(25)
Arab0%(23)
Bulgarian0%(20)
Latvian0%(19)
Ethiopian0%(11)
Nigerian0%(11)
Israeli0%(9)
Turkish0%(9)
Section 05

Education

38.5%
+18.5 ptssince 2000
from 20.0% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
87.1%
+12.1 ptssince 2000
from 75.1% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
11.6%
+5.8 ptssince 2000
from 5.8% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

26.5 min
+41%since 2000
from 18.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
76.9%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 75.7% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
4.9%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

4.1%
−3.9 ptssince 2011
from 7.9% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
66.4%
+4.3 ptssince 2011
from 62.2% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
72.0%
US average: 73.3%
39.0%
+3.6 ptssince 2009
from 35.4% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

50.1%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 50.3% in 2009
49.9%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 49.7% in 2009
24.6%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 25.1% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
8.0%
−9.5 ptssince 2013
from 17.5% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
97.0%
US average: 91.9%
85.6%
US average: 86.2%
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

8.0%
−9.5 ptssince 2013
from 17.5% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
58.4%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
12.5%
US average: 13.7%
13.2%
US average: 17.6%
19.9%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.8%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
70.7%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
31.2%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)26%(1,246)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)24.5%(1,174)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era30.2%(1,443)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War5.8%(279)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II4.1%(196)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 4,786 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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in San Marcos, California?

San Marcos, California has about 94,833 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in San Marcos, California earns about $86,408 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 $584,600, and the typical rent is about $1,802 a month.

How educated are people in San Marcos, California?

About 38.5% 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 10.0% of people in San Marcos, California live below the federal poverty line.

Has San Marcos, California grown since 1990?

Yes, San Marcos, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 55,859 residents, a change of about 143 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →