Population 42,576 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Carmel Valley
Household size in Carmel Valley
| Period | Carmel Valley | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.85 | 2.87 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.90 | 2.98 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.89 | 2.99 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.74 | 2.86 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.12 | −0.02 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Carmel Valley average 2.74 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Even so, the typical household here is smaller than in the wider San Diego area, where it has 2.86 people. Household size has dropped from 2.85 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Carmel Valley
| Period | Carmel Valley | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.0 | 36.1 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.8 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.5 | 37.8 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.2 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.2 | +2.8 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Carmel Valley are younger than 39.2 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 36.0, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the northeast, the oldest in the center.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Carmel Valley
| Period | Carmel Valley | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 11.8% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 11.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 10.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.9% | 10.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Carmel Valley: 6.9% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 3.0 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Carmel Valley
Renters in Carmel Valley
| Period | Carmel Valley | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.8% | 44.1% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.2% | 46.6% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.3% | 46.7% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 43.4% | 45.4% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.5 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than four in ten households in Carmel Valley rent their homes (43.4%), above the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 27.7% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the southwest; owners are most common in the center. The renter share has risen 8.5 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Carmel Valley
| Period | Carmel Valley | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.2% | 7.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 7.1% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Carmel Valley: 7.8% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across the San Diego area. Vacancy has risen 2.1 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Carmel Valley
| Period | Carmel Valley | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1997 | 1977 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1998 | 1978 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1999 | 1979 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2001 | 1981 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Carmel Valley has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 2001, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1997 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Few San Diego neighborhoods have newer homes: only five of 81.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Carmel Valley
| Period | Carmel Valley | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,851 | $1,408 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,935 | $1,481 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,420 | $1,868 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,194 | $2,468 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,344 | +$1,061 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Carmel Valley pays $3,194 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,344 a month since 2006–10, up 73%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 30.2% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the south; the most affordable are in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Carmel Valley
Bachelor's degrees in Carmel Valley
| Period | Carmel Valley | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 76.9% | 33.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 78.3% | 34.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 79.0% | 38.2% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 81.5% | 42.8% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Carmel Valley: 81.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 4.5 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Few San Diego neighborhoods have a higher share of college graduates: only two of 81.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Carmel Valley
| Period | Carmel Valley | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.5% | 84.9% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.9% | 85.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.0% | 87.3% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.0% | 89.0% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Carmel Valley: 98.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Only five of San Diego's 81 neighborhoods have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Carmel Valley
| Period | Carmel Valley | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.6% | 9.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 6.1% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.4% | 6.1% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Carmel Valley runs below the national rate: 3.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Of San Diego's 81 neighborhoods, only four have lower unemployment. Unemployment is down 1.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Carmel Valley compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carmel Valley | 2.74 | 39.2 | 6.9% | 43.4% | 7.8% | 2001 | $3,194 | 81.5% | 98.0% | 3.4% |
| North City | 2.77 | 43.8 | 6.8% | 18.8% | 10.5% | 2001 | $3,485 | 84.9% | 97.6% | 7.3% |
| Del Mar Heights | 2.40 | 48.6 | 5.4% | 23.8% | 8.8% | 1976 | $3,019 | 79.3% | 97.1% | 5.4% |
| Sorrento Valley | 2.68 | 38.9 | 5.9% | 47.8% | 5.4% | 1994 | $3,272 | 70.9% | 94.2% | 4.5% |
| Torrey Pines | 2.09 | 23.4 | 4.7% | 51.7% | 4.6% | 1977 | $1,808 | 89.5% | 99.9% | 16.8% |
| Mira Mesa | 3.02 | 37.4 | 7.2% | 47.1% | 5.5% | 1985 | $2,718 | 50.5% | 90.8% | 5.2% |
| Rancho Penasquitos | 2.95 | 41.5 | 7.8% | 28.4% | 5.9% | 1993 | $2,933 | 68.2% | 95.9% | 4.3% |
| University City | 2.26 | 33.6 | 5.2% | 64.8% | 7.5% | 1983 | $2,653 | 76.0% | 96.9% | 5.3% |
| La Jolla Village | 1.96 | 33.2 | 7.6% | 56.8% | 7.1% | 1979 | $3,048 | 83.3% | 98.1% | 9.3% |
| Miramar | 3.97 | 21.4 | 9.3% | 100.0% | 9.2% | 1994 | $3,501 | 33.4% | 98.1% | 5.6% |
| Black Mountain Ranch | 3.08 | 41.7 | 6.4% | 17.8% | 4.4% | 2002 | $2,812 | 72.6% | 96.3% | 2.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: El Sereno, Los Angeles, CA · Central City, Los Angeles, CA · Central Escondido, Escondido, CA · Central Southwest, Houston, TX · Charlotte Gardens, Bronx, NY · Charter Oak, Covina, CA · Clinton, Manhattan, NY · Montello, Brockton, MA · Mission, San Francisco, CA · Mission Bay, San Diego, CA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Carmel Valley. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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