Is San Carlos, CA a Good Place to Live?
San Carlos is a small city of 30,490 in California, with a median household income of $219,413 and a 4.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 118 (US average = 100), which is 18% above the national average.
Strengths: San Carlos stands out for solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices. Whether San Carlos is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All San Carlos 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: 118.2San Carlos's overall cost of living index is 118.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in San Carlos costs roughly 18% more than the average American city.
| Metric | San Carlos, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $2,000,001 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,759 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.4% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $219,413 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageSan Carlos's violent crime rate is 264.7 per 100,000 residents — 30% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
San Carlos is served primarily by San Carlos Elementary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.7:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | San Carlos, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | San Carlos Elementary | — |
| Elementary Schools | 6 | — |
| Middle Schools | 2 | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 21.7:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 66.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 96.6% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
San Carlos sees average highs of 58.9°F in January and 81.0°F in July, with 19.0 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | San Carlos, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 58.9°F |
| Average High — July | 81.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | San Carlos, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,490 | — |
| Median Age | 41.7 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 26.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 63.4% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.7% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 20.4% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 23.4% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 16.6% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in San Carlos
San Carlos, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: