San Carlos, California Housing Market Prices
San Carlos 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 29% below the California median$461,911
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Median rent 38% above the California median$2,813
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | San Carlos | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $461,911 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 3.8% | 8.9% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $2,813 | $2,036 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.7% | 5.8% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in San Carlos is about 29% lower than in California. Rent is about 38% 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 San Carlos, up about 3.8% and 5.7% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
Median rent in San Carlos rose about 62.4% between 2015 and 2024, from $1,733 to $2,813. Over the same span, rent in California rose about 62.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.2 yearly household incomes in San Carlos.
Buying the median-priced home in San Carlos costs roughly 13.7 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in San Carlos. The price-to-rent ratio in California is about 26.6.
| Metric | San Carlos | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $461,911 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $205,565 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 2.2 | 6.6 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in San Carlos fell about 57.2%, while median household income rose about 150.3% 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 | San Carlos | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 63.1% | 51.7% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 31.0% | 40.8% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 5.8% | 7.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 16.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2010 | 2011 | 2011 |
San Carlos has a homeownership rate of 63.1%, higher than the California average of 51.7%. Its housing vacancy rate is 5.8%, compared with 7.5% in California.
Housing Stock
| Metric | San Carlos | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.70 people | 2.84 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1962 | 1975 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.6 | 5.0 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in San Carlos was built around 1962. On average, 2.7 people live in a home with about 5.6 rooms, staying for about 16.0 years on average.
San Carlos, CA Housing Compared With Nearby Cities
How San Carlos, CA compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Carlos, CA | 27,659 | $461,911 #1/2 | $2,813 #2/2 | 67.0% #1/2 |
| San Mateo, CA | 101,951 | $296,936 | $3,073 | 50.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in San Carlos, California.
What is the median home price in San Carlos, California?
The median home price in San Carlos, California is $461,911, lower than the California average of $650,794.
What is the average home price in San Carlos, California?
The typical home price in San Carlos, California, reported as the median sale price, is $461,911. 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 San Carlos, California?
The median gross rent in San Carlos, California is $2,813 per month, higher than the California average of $2,036.
What was the median gross rent in San Carlos in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in San Carlos, California was $2,398 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in San Carlos, California?
The price-to-rent ratio in San Carlos, California is about 13.7, meaning it would take roughly 13.7 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in San Carlos.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in San Carlos, California?
Both home prices and rent are rising in San Carlos, up about 3.8% and 5.7% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in San Carlos, California?
63.1% of households in San Carlos, California own their home, higher than the California average of 51.7%.
What is the vacancy rate in San Carlos, California?
The housing vacancy rate in San Carlos, California is 5.8%, lower than the California average of 7.5%.
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