Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Among the top 1% of US places for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 11% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 96% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 50% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 94% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A+, better than 99% of US places
- top 1% for comfortable days
- top 2% for walkability
- bottom 1% for cost of living
Carmel-by-the-Sea is a small community in California with about 3,239 residents. It grades A+ for lifestyle & connectivity and D for affordability. Standout strengths include comfortable days, walkability, and park & nature access. It rates lower on monthly rent and cost of living.
- The median home value in Carmel-by-the-Sea is $1.8M, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Carmel-by-the-Sea is $126k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Carmel-by-the-Sea is $3k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Carmel-by-the-Sea has a violent crime rate of 1113/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- July temperatures in Carmel-by-the-Sea average around 62°F, per the NOAA nClimGrid.
Climate
Mild summers · Cool winters · Dry
cool
comfortable
cool
82%54%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.0 in0.1 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$126k93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$106kbetter than 0% of US places
Home Value$1.8M100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$3kbetter than 2% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$905better than 27% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.37%better than 96% of US places
Income Tax13.30%better than 3% of US places
Sales Tax8.85%better than 19% of US places
Estimated total tax burden21.35%better than 3% of US places
Unemployment1.0%better than 76% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)52°F92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)62°F2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation20.4 in14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.3 inbetter than 84% of US places
Sunny Days231 daysbetter than 46% of US places
Summer Humidity53°Fbetter than 86% of US places
Comfortable Days199 daysbetter than 99% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk84.5better than 19% of US places
Air Quality32 AQIbetter than 89% of US places
School Quality100.0better than 93% of US places
Violent Crime1113/100kbetter than 31% of US places
Property Crime1885/100kbetter than 22% of US places
Community
Population3,23973rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age65.097th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1846th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.8928th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+622nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)88.5%58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.1%44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.8%56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.5%63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)6.1%78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Walkability14.6/20better than 98% of US places
Airport Distance56 mibetter than 64% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access95.5%better than 85% of US places
Amenities Nearby987.96better than 91% of US places
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 96% of US places
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)
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Carmel-by-the-Sea an affordable place to live?
- Carmel-by-the-Sea is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $106k, better than 0% of comparable areas. Median rent is $3k.
- Is Carmel-by-the-Sea safe?
- Carmel-by-the-Sea is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1113/100k (better than 31%). Property crime is 1885/100k.
- What is the weather like in Carmel-by-the-Sea?
- Carmel-by-the-Sea averages 62°F in July and 52°F in January, with 20.4 in of annual precipitation and about 231 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Carmel-by-the-Sea?
- Public-school quality in Carmel-by-the-Sea is above average, scoring better than 93% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.