Signals
Lakeside
San Marcos
Opportunity
56 · Bottom 49%
vs65 · Top 32%
Climate
84 · Top 10%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
9 · Bottom 3%
vs9 · Bottom 3%
Housing affordability
52 · Bottom 12%
vs43 · Bottom 6%
Access
62 · Bottom 8%
vs67 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 38%
vs67 · Top 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Lakeside | San Marcos | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,447 | 94,882 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $96,447 | $109,377 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,149 | $47,841 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,240/sq mi | 3,862/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $634,400 | $868,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,016 | $2,348 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.5% | 63.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.1% | 43.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.9% | 9.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 89°F | 74°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 48°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 14.6" | 11.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 68 mi | 61 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.3 min | 28.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.7 | 36.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.25 | 23.25 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 43.5% | 39.2% | 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
Lakeside
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
San Marcos
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Lakeside
53
Your Score
—
Area Score
San Marcos
57
Your Score
54
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lakeside, CA · San Marcos, CA · How this is calculated: methodology