92078 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
92078
92069
Opportunity
67 · Top 25%
vs63 · Top 33%
Growth
47 · Bottom 45%
vs47 · Bottom 45%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
8 · Bottom 3%
vs8 · Bottom 3%
Housing affordability
44 · Bottom 8%
vs36 · Bottom 4%
Access
66 · Bottom 9%
vs68 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
68 · Top 35%
vs67 · Top 35%
Measured values
| Metric | 92078 | 92069 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 53,605 | 47,335 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $120,268 | $96,771 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $54,529 | $40,713 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,210/sq mi | 2,563/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $942,300 | $800,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,567 | $2,264 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.0% | 56.1% | 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 | 49.2% | 36.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.0% | 11.4% | 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 | 63 mi | 59 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.5 min | 28.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.8 | 36.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.50 | 22.98 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 32.8% | 46.1% | 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
92078
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
92069
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: 92078 — San Marcos, CA · 92069 — San Marcos, CA · How this is calculated: methodology