Population 31,221 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in San Carlos
Household size in San Carlos
| Period | San Carlos | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.51 | 2.74 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.56 | 2.79 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.72 | 2.83 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.76 | 2.75 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.24 | +0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in San Carlos average 2.76 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.51, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the north.
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 San Carlos
| Period | San Carlos | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.7 | 38.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.2 | 39.4 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.8 | 40.1 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.6 | 41.3 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.1 | +2.7 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
San Carlos skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.6, against 40.1 nationally. The picture is much the same across the San Francisco area. Residents skew youngest in the north and oldest in the south.
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 San Carlos
| Period | San Carlos | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 10.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.1% | 9.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 9.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 8.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in San Carlos: 6.4% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 2.3 points, even as the national share fell. San Carlos has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five California cities.
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 San Carlos
Renters in San Carlos
| Period | San Carlos | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.8% | 43.7% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.1% | 46.2% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.5% | 45.3% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 31.0% | 44.5% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in San Carlos own their homes; 31.0% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. More than a quarter of owners (27.8%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the north; owners are most common in the south. The renter share has risen 4.2 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 San Carlos
| Period | San Carlos | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.5% | 8.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 7.1% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 6.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.9% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in San Carlos: 6.9% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across the San Francisco area. Vacancy is up 3.4 points from 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 San Carlos
| Period | San Carlos | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1958 | 1964 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1958 | 1965 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1959 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1962 | 1968 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
San Carlos is a place of older homes: half were built before 1962, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1958 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the southeast has the oldest housing.
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 San Carlos
| Period | San Carlos | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,649 | $1,452 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,781 | $1,551 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,650 | $2,139 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,060 | $2,666 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,411 | +$1,214 | +$931 | +$606 |
Rent in San Carlos runs $3,060 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,411 a month since 2006–10, up 86%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 28.2% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the east; the highest are in the south.
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 San Carlos
Bachelor's degrees in San Carlos
| Period | San Carlos | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 58.3% | 42.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 60.3% | 44.1% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 68.7% | 48.9% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 71.2% | 52.2% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.9 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in San Carlos: 71.2% 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. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 12.9 points, as it has nationally. Only 50 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of college graduates.
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 San Carlos
| Period | San Carlos | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.2% | 86.8% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.1% | 87.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.4% | 88.8% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.9% | 89.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in San Carlos: 96.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 0.7 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. San Carlos has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of California cities.
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 San Carlos
| Period | San Carlos | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.5% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 8.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.3% | 4.6% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 5.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 4.7%, unemployment in San Carlos is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is lower than in the San Francisco area as a whole (5.8%). Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
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).
San Carlos compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Carlos | 2.76 | 42.6 | 6.4% | 31.0% | 6.9% | 1962 | $3,060 | 71.2% | 96.9% | 4.7% |
| Belmont | 2.61 | 40.9 | 5.3% | 44.5% | 8.8% | 1965 | $2,949 | 69.9% | 95.5% | 6.6% |
| Redwood City | 2.78 | 39.7 | 8.3% | 48.1% | 7.1% | 1970 | $3,033 | 55.4% | 87.4% | 4.3% |
| North Fair Oaks | 3.70 | 34.7 | 16.9% | 59.7% | 6.9% | 1967 | $2,231 | 20.1% | 70.3% | 8.8% |
| Foster City | 2.55 | 41.5 | 7.1% | 49.2% | 5.9% | 1979 | $3,442 | 73.8% | 96.3% | 4.9% |
| Woodside | 2.94 | 43.1 | 5.1% | 14.6% | 9.3% | 1966 | $3,298 | 74.5% | 99.0% | 4.3% |
| San Mateo | 2.69 | 39.2 | 8.9% | 49.4% | 7.4% | 1966 | $3,100 | 56.6% | 90.0% | 4.6% |
| Atherton | 2.78 | 44.1 | 4.0% | 16.2% | 15.9% | 1963 | $3,422 | 80.5% | 97.7% | 3.7% |
| Highlands-Baywood Park | 3.19 | 43.8 | 0.8% | 9.9% | 3.5% | 1963 | $3,501 | 84.3% | 98.7% | 2.3% |
| Menlo Park | 2.79 | 40.4 | 6.5% | 42.0% | 11.7% | 1967 | $3,095 | 72.5% | 92.5% | 5.0% |
| Hillsborough | 3.05 | 47.0 | 6.9% | 9.6% | 6.4% | 1965 | $3,419 | 82.0% | 98.7% | 6.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Milford, OH · Pueblo West, CO · Port Chester, NY · Plattsburgh, NY · Pittsford, NY · Pineville, LA · Paradise Hills, NM · Palm City, FL · Orangevale, CA · Niles, IL
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 San Carlos. 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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