Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Marcos, CA
VS
Wilmington, NC
🏆 Wilmington leads 12 of 23 categories
San Marcos
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$99,413 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
59 ✓ Safer
Population
94,360
Wilmington
North Carolina
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,908
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High
Population
116,933 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
San Marcos, CA
Pros
Households earn $40,505 more per year on average
54% less violent crime than Wilmington
Violent crime is well below the national average (222.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (4.2%)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 57°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $728,800
Higher rents — median is $2,064/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Wilmington
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Wilmington, NC
Pros
Homes cost $410k less ($318,600 vs $728,800)
Rent averages $851/mo less ($1,213 vs $2,064)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than San Marcos
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 15.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails San Marcos by $40,505/yr
Violent crime (482.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3514.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.9% vs 4.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
San Marcos
Median Income
$40,505
$99,413 vs $58,908/yr
San Marcos
Violent Crime
54% lower
222.4 vs 482.8 per 100k
San Marcos
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.2% vs 4.9% unemployment
Wilmington
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 97.1 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Wilmington
Median Home Value
$410k less
$318,600 vs $728,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Marcos, CA | Wilmington, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.5⚠ High | 97.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $728,800⚠ High | $318,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,064⚠ High | $1,213 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $99,413 ✓ Higher | $58,908 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.7 min | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.2% ✓ Higher | 14.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 59 ✓ Safer | 127⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 167⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (100) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.5:1 | 15.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 41.5% | 43.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.8% | 93.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Marcos Unified | New Hanover County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer | 57.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.2°F | 90.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.9" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 94,360 | 116,933 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.9 | 37.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.9% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.8% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 17.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Marcos's cost of living index is 111.5 vs Wilmington's 97.1 (US average = 100).
Wilmington is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Wilmington leads 12 of 23 categories. San Marcos wins 11 and Wilmington wins 12. 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 Wilmington or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($728,800 vs $318,600 median home), income ($99,413 vs $58,908), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Marcos, CA and Wilmington, NC are about 2,246 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.