Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Marcos, CA
VS
Sunrise, FL
🏆 Sunrise leads 10 of 19 categories
San Marcos
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$99,413 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
59
Population
94,360
Sunrise
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,001
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
96,510 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
San Marcos, CA
Pros
Households earn $33,412 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.3 pts lower (4.2%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (222.4 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 41.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $728,800
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Higher rents — median is $2,064/mo
Sunrise, FL
Pros
Homes cost $433k less ($296,100 vs $728,800)
Rent averages $218/mo less ($1,846 vs $2,064)
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 69°F
Smaller class sizes — 21.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails San Marcos by $33,412/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 4.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
San Marcos
Median Income
$33,412
$99,413 vs $66,001/yr
San Marcos
Unemployment
2.3 pp lower
4.2% vs 6.5% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 111.5 on the COL index
Sunrise
Median Home Value
$433k less
$296,100 vs $728,800
Sunrise
Summer Heat
3.9°F warmer
July avg high 91.1°F vs 87.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Marcos, CA | Sunrise, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $728,800⚠ High | $296,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,064⚠ High | $1,846⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $99,413 ✓ Higher | $66,001 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.7 min ✓ Shorter | 27.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 16.2% ✓ Higher | 10.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 59 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (100) ✓ Better | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.5:1 | 21.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 41.5% ✓ Higher | 31.1% |
| High School or Higher | 87.8% | 91.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Marcos Unified | BROWARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.8°F | 76.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.2°F | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.9" ✓ Drier | 67.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 94,360 | 96,510 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.9 | 42.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.9% | 69.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 25.8% ✓ More | 19.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 19.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Marcos's cost of living index is 111.5 vs Sunrise's 111.8 (US average = 100).
San Marcos is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Sunrise leads 10 of 19 categories. San Marcos wins 9 and Sunrise wins 10. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from San Marcos to Sunrise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($728,800 vs $296,100 median home), income ($99,413 vs $66,001), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Marcos, CA and Sunrise, FL are about 2,256 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.