Oceanside vs Carlsbad
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $770,300 in Oceanside and $1,257,000 in Carlsbad.
- Households earn more in Carlsbad ($142,748 vs $97,737 median).
Side by side
| Oceanside, CA | Carlsbad, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 170,483 | 112,260 |
| Growth since 2020 | -2.1% | -2.2% |
| People per square mile | 4,131 | 2,969 |
| Median age | 38.9 | 42.5 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36% | 62% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $97,737 | $142,748 |
| Median home value | $770,300 | $1,257,000 |
| Home value to income | 7.9× | 8.8× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $2,303 | $2,808 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 111.9 | 111.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 179.3 | 179.3 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $83,900 | $83,900 |
| Homeowners | 58% | 63% |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | 13.3% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.03% | 9.03% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 28.7 | 27.1 |
| Work from home | 16% | 32% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.3% | 5.5% |
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 6.9% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 67° / 41° | 65° / 48° |
| July high / low | 77° / 62° | 74° / 64° |
| Precipitation per year | 12 in | 11 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 5 | 3 |
| Nights below freezing | 8 | 0 |
| Comfortable months | 10 | 12 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.7 | 99.7 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 18% | 18% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.5% | +2.5% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +40.8% | +40.8% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Oceanside: February to November. Carlsbad: January to December.
Full monthly tables: Oceanside weather by month and Carlsbad weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $83,900 in Oceanside and $83,900 in Carlsbad. Moving from Oceanside to Carlsbad, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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