92078 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
92069
92078
Opportunity
63 · Top 33%
vs67 · Top 25%
Growth
47 · Bottom 45%
vs47 · Bottom 45%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
8 · Bottom 3%
vs8 · Bottom 3%
Housing affordability
36 · Bottom 4%
vs44 · Bottom 8%
Access
68 · Bottom 11%
vs66 · Bottom 9%
Economic stability
67 · Top 35%
vs68 · Top 35%
Measured values
| Metric | 92069 | 92078 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 47,335 | 53,605 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $96,771 | $120,268 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,713 | $54,529 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,563/sq mi | 3,210/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $800,700 | $942,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,264 | $2,567 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.1% | 72.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.1% | 49.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.4% | 7.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 360 | 360 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.8 | 3.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -57.1% | -57.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 74°F | 74°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 48°F | 48°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.4" | 11.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 59 mi | 63 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 28.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.1 | 38.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.98 | 23.50 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 46.1% | 32.8% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
92069
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
92078
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: 92069 — San Marcos, CA · 92078 — San Marcos, CA · How this is calculated: methodology