Is Solana Beach, CA a Good Place to Live?
Solana Beach is a small city of 12,946 in California, with a median household income of $137,647 and a 3.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Solana Beach stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices. Whether Solana Beach is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Solana Beach 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: 111.5Solana Beach's overall cost of living index is 111.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Solana Beach costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Solana Beach, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,617,500 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,881 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.7% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $137,647 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeSolana Beach's violent crime rate is 103.2 per 100,000 residents — 73% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Solana Beach is served primarily by Solana Beach Elementary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22.4:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Solana Beach, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Solana Beach Elementary | — |
| Elementary Schools | 6 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 22.4:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.5% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 96.1% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Solana Beach sees average highs of 65.0°F in January and 74.2°F in July, with 12.1 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Solana Beach, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 65.0°F |
| Average High — July | 74.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Solana Beach, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,946 | — |
| Median Age | 47.8 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 21.9 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 78.0% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 4.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 22.4% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Solana Beach
Solana Beach, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: