Carlsbad, California
Among the top 3% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 2% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 97% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 38% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 82% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 44% of US places
- top 1% for comfortable days
- top 6% for annual snowfall
- bottom 2% for cost of living
Carlsbad is a city in California with about 115,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include comfortable days, annual snowfall, and walkability. It rates lower on monthly rent and cost of living.
Official websitecarlsbadca.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Mild summers · Mild winters · Dry
comf.
cool
comfortable
warm
comfortable
84%58%clearovercast
Precipitation 2.3 in0.1 in
humid 63%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$134k94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$78kbetter than 2% of US places
Home Value$1.1M98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 2% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$4kbetter than 3% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.70%better than 72% of US places
Income Tax13.30%better than 3% of US places
Sales Tax8.85%better than 19% of US places
Estimated total tax burden21.80%better than 3% of US places
Unemployment6.0%better than 31% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)56°F95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)69°F11th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation11.4 in4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 94% of US places
Sunny Days256 daysbetter than 76% of US places
Summer Humidity60°Fbetter than 73% of US places
Comfortable Days302 daysbetter than 99% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk62.4better than 55% of US places
Air Quality48 AQIbetter than 40% of US places
School Quality60.6better than 54% of US places
Violent Crime680/100kbetter than 53% of US places
Property Crime1778/100kbetter than 24% of US places
Community
Population114,74599th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age42.456th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4376th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0054th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+2312th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)67.2%28th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.1%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)16.6%82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)9.2%95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.8%76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time29 minbetter than 33% of US places
Walkability11.0/20better than 89% of US places
Airport Distance27 mibetter than 83% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access95.4%better than 84% of US places
Amenities Nearby34.42better than 31% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 30% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Carlsbad an affordable place to live?
- Carlsbad is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $78k, better than 2% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Carlsbad?
- The median home value in Carlsbad is $1.1M, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Carlsbad?
- Median household income in Carlsbad is $134k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Carlsbad?
- Median gross rent in Carlsbad is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Carlsbad safe?
- Carlsbad is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 680/100k (better than 53%). Property crime is 1778/100k.
- What is the weather like in Carlsbad?
- Carlsbad averages 69°F in July and 56°F in January, with 11.4 in of annual precipitation and about 256 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Carlsbad?
- Public-school quality in Carlsbad is about average, scoring better than 54% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Carlsbad?
- The average one-way commute in Carlsbad is 29 min.
Other places in San Diego County
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)