Carlsbad, California Income Statistics
Carlsbad Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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A+
Carlsbad Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Carlsbad | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $145,720 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $106,779 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.1% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 30.9% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 34.6% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Carlsbad is about 47% higher than in California. Income has been growing slower in Carlsbad (5.1%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 31% of adults in Carlsbad earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Carlsbad, California grew by 68.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $145,720 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.1% per year.
Carlsbad has been far above the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024. Even at its closest, in 2012, its income was 62% higher. The gap has widened from 69% in 2009 to 81% in 2024.
Income Distribution in Carlsbad
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 27,678 households (64.9% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 13.3% of households in Carlsbad had an income under $35,000 and 48.9% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Carlsbad has a larger share of households earning $200,000 or more (34.6% vs 13.2%) and a smaller share earning $50,000 to $74,999 (9.2% vs 15.5%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 1,539 | 3.6% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 717 | 1.7% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 1,464 | 3.4% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 1,970 | 4.6% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 1,941 | 4.6% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 3,923 | 9.2% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 3,421 | 8.0% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 6,822 | 16.0% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 6,118 | 14.3% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 14,738 | 34.6% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 42,653 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 28,091 residents (30.9% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 35.3% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 12.5% of Carlsbad residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 21.8% had some income but less than $25,000, and 39.1% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Carlsbad has a larger share of residents earning $100,000 or more (30.9% vs 13.9%) and a smaller share earning $35,000 to $49,999 (8.5% vs 12.6%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 11,383 | 12.5% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 8,389 | 9.2% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 3,989 | 4.4% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 7,482 | 8.2% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 5,820 | 6.4% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 7,764 | 8.5% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 10,521 | 11.6% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 7,510 | 8.3% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 28,091 | 30.9% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 90,951 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 12.5% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Carlsbad
| Metric | Carlsbad | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.523 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $118,814 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $93,542 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 21.3% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Carlsbad, it is 0.523, lower than California's 0.572, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 27% more than women's income in Carlsbad, California. Over a 35-year career, a 27% wage gap accumulates to roughly $884,520 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Carlsbad, California has narrowed from about 31% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 33% in 2011, and was narrowest at 19% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,137 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Carlsbad | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 32.5% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 22 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 3,188 people are unemployed in Carlsbad, California.
The average commute time in Carlsbad is 22 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Carlsbad, California has fallen from 7.4% to 5.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.0% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.2% in 2018.
Carlsbad started 1.3 points below the U.S. unemployment rate in 2011 but had risen above it by 2021, and has not been below it since. In 2024 its rate was 0.1 points higher.
Carlsbad, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
Carlsbad, CA is the 2nd largest of the 5 cities compared here, 112,376 residents against a local median of 90,913. Carlsbad, CA's median household income, at $145,720, runs 41% above the $103,638 typical of the cities around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 5.1%/yr against a local median of 6.7%/yr, 24% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: median household income runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Carlsbad, CA is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The cities themselves spread $61,049 on median household income, so Carlsbad, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Carlsbad, CA has the 2nd highest median household income of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlsbad, CA | 112,376 | $145,720 #2/5 | 5.1%/yr #5/5 | 5.4% #4/5 | 0.523 #2/5 |
| Encinitas, CA | 61,025 | $154,129 | 5.8%/yr | 4.2% | 0.503 |
| Vista, CA | 92,368 | $93,080 | 6.8%/yr | 6.8% | 0.549 |
| Oceanside, CA | 169,882 | $98,361 | 6.7%/yr | 5.0% | 0.537 |
| San Marcos, CA | 89,459 | $108,916 | 7.6%/yr | 4.8% | 0.572 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Carlsbad, California has an overall wealth index grade of A+, making it notably better than California, and far better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Carlsbad, California.
How Rich Is Carlsbad, California?
Carlsbad has a wealth index grade of A+. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an A+ grade means it is one of the most prosperous areas in the country. The median household income is $145,720, about 47% higher than the California average of $99,161.
How has median household income changed in Carlsbad, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Carlsbad, California rose 68%, from $86,489 to $145,720. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +68% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Carlsbad in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Carlsbad, California was $142,342, up 3% from $137,537 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Carlsbad in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Carlsbad, California was $115,645. By 2024 it had risen 26% to $145,720.
Is Carlsbad, California a high-income area?
Yes. 31% of adults in Carlsbad, California earn $100,000 or more a year (about 1 in 3), against 18% (about 1 in 6) in California. 35% of households have a combined income of $200,000 or more, compared with 20% in California.
What is the Gini coefficient in Carlsbad, California?
The Gini coefficient in Carlsbad is 0.523. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Carlsbad, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Carlsbad, California has narrowed from about 31% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 33% in 2011, and was narrowest at 19% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,137 since 2009.
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