Is San Clemente, CA a Good Place to Live?
San Clemente is a mid-sized city of 64,232 in California, with a median household income of $134,730 and a 5.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 116 (US average = 100), which is 16% above the national average.
Strengths: San Clemente stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether San Clemente is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All San Clemente city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 115.5San Clemente's overall cost of living index is 115.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in San Clemente costs roughly 16% more than the average American city.
| Metric | San Clemente, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,161,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,289 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.9% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $134,730 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeSan Clemente's violent crime rate is 183.2 per 100,000 residents — 52% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
San Clemente is served primarily by Capistrano Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23.0:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | San Clemente, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Capistrano Unified | — |
| Elementary Schools | 36 | — |
| Middle Schools | 13 | — |
| High Schools | 9 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 23.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.0% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 94.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
San Clemente sees average highs of 68.4°F in January and 79.5°F in July, with 15.2 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | San Clemente, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 68.4°F |
| Average High — July | 79.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | San Clemente, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,232 | — |
| Median Age | 44.2 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 28.8 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 77.1% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.6% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.5% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 4.8% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 19.5% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in San Clemente
San Clemente, CA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: