Carlsbad, California Housing Market Prices
Carlsbad Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 1% above the California median$660,273
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Median rent 37% above the California median$2,779
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Carlsbad | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $660,273 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 1.8% | 8.9% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $2,779 | $2,036 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.4% | 5.8% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Carlsbad is about 1% higher than in California. Rent is about 37% higher than the California average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Carlsbad, up about 1.8% and 5.4% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
Median rent in Carlsbad rose about 57.3% between 2015 and 2024, from $1,767 to $2,779. Over the same span, rent in California rose about 62.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 4.5 yearly household incomes in Carlsbad.
Buying the median-priced home in Carlsbad costs roughly 19.8 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Carlsbad. The price-to-rent ratio in California is about 26.6.
| Metric | Carlsbad | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $660,273 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $145,720 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 4.5 | 6.6 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Carlsbad rose about 3.4%, while median household income rose about 56.7% between 2009 and 2025 — income grew faster than the home price.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Carlsbad | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 61.3% | 51.7% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 32.4% | 40.8% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 6.3% | 7.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 13.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2013 | 2011 | 2011 |
Carlsbad has a homeownership rate of 61.3%, higher than the California average of 51.7%. Its housing vacancy rate is 6.3%, compared with 7.5% in California.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Carlsbad | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.63 people | 2.84 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1988 | 1975 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.8 | 5.0 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Carlsbad was built around 1988. On average, 2.6 people live in a home with about 5.8 rooms, staying for about 13.0 years on average.
Carlsbad, CA Housing Compared With Nearby Cities
How Carlsbad, CA compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlsbad, CA | 112,376 | $660,273 #2/3 | $2,779 #1/3 | 65.4% #1/3 |
| Oceanside, CA | 169,882 | $689,038 | $2,305 | 57.4% |
| San Marcos, CA | 89,459 | $648,515 | $2,342 | 63.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Carlsbad, California.
What is the median home price in Carlsbad, California?
The median home price in Carlsbad, California is $660,273, higher than the California average of $650,794.
What is the average home price in Carlsbad, California?
The typical home price in Carlsbad, California, reported as the median sale price, is $660,273. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Carlsbad, California?
The median gross rent in Carlsbad, California is $2,779 per month, higher than the California average of $2,036.
What was the median gross rent in Carlsbad in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Carlsbad, California was $2,072 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Carlsbad, California?
The price-to-rent ratio in Carlsbad, California is about 19.8, meaning it would take roughly 19.8 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Carlsbad.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Carlsbad, California?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Carlsbad, up about 1.8% and 5.4% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Carlsbad, California?
61.3% of households in Carlsbad, California own their home, higher than the California average of 51.7%.
What is the vacancy rate in Carlsbad, California?
The housing vacancy rate in Carlsbad, California is 6.3%, lower than the California average of 7.5%.
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