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Data on this report is based on areas within the legal city boundary, outlined in black on the map. Any additional neighborhoods shown on the map are associated with the city by name and are included for reference only.



San Carlos, CA Real Estate Market

Source & Methodology

Analytics built by:   Location, Inc.

Raw data sources:   American Community Survey (U.S. Census Bureau), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Housing Finance Agency.

Date(s) & Update Frequency:
  • Home Values, Rents: Reflects Q2 2024. Updated quarterly.
  • Setting, Housing Stock, Homeownership: 2022 (latest available). Updated annually.

Methodology:   NeighborhoodScout uses over 600 characteristics to build a neighborhood profile… Read more about Scout's Real Estate Data

San Carlos, CA Housing Market Trends

With a population of 29,586, 11,361 total housing units (homes and apartments), and a median house value of $2,879,433, San Carlos house prices are not only among the most expensive in California, San Carlos real estate also is some of the most expensive in all of America.

Single-family detached homes are the single most common housing type in San Carlos, accounting for 68.72% of the city's housing units. Other types of housing that are prevalent in San Carlos include large apartment complexes or high rise apartments ( 24.14%), row houses and other attached homes ( 3.72%), and a few duplexes, homes converted to apartments or other small apartment buildings ( 3.42%).

Owner-occupied, three and four bedroom dwellings, primarily in single-family detached homes are the most prevalent type of housing you will see in San Carlos. Owner-occupied housing accounts for 69.07% of San Carlos's homes, and 53.15% have either three or four bedrooms, which is average sized relative to America.

At the end of World War II, American soldiers returned home triumphant and, with the help of the GI Bill, built homes by the millions on the edges of America's cities. These homes were predominantly capes and ranches, modest in size, but built to house a growing middle-class as the 20th century became the American century. San Carlos's housing was primarily built during this period, from the '40s through the '60s. A full 57.08% of the city's housing hails from this era. Other housing ages represented in San Carlos include homes built between 1970-1999 ( 28.55%) and housing constructed before 1939 ( 7.62%). There's also some housing in San Carlos built between 2000 and later ( 6.75%).

San Carlos Home Appreciation Rates

Appreciation rates for homes in San Carlos have been tracking above average for the last ten years, according to NeighborhoodScout data. The cumulative appreciation rate over the ten years has been 90.74%, which ranks in the top 50% nationwide. This equates to an annual average San Carlos house appreciation rate of 6.67%.

Over the last year, San Carlos appreciation rates have trailed the rest of the nation. In the last twelve months, San Carlos's appreciation rate has been 4.59%, which is lower than appreciation rates in most communities in America. In the latest quarter, NeighborhoodScout's data show that house appreciation rates in San Carlos were at 2.58%, which equates to an annual appreciation rate of 10.71%.

Relative to California, our data show that San Carlos's latest annual appreciation rate is lower than 60% of the other cities and towns in California.

One very important thing to keep in mind is that these are average appreciation rates for the city. Individual neighborhoods within San Carlos differ in their investment potential, sometimes by a great deal. Fortunately, you can use NeighborhoodScout to pinpoint the exact neighborhoods in San Carlos - or in any city or town - that have the best track record of real estate appreciation, by the latest quarter, the last year, 2 years, 5 years, 10 years, or even since 2000, to assist you in making the best San Carlos real estate investment or home purchase decisions.

Average Home Values

Median Home Value

$2,879,433

San Carlos, CA Home Prices
> $881,000
$661,001 - $881,000
$440,001 - $661,000
$352,001 - $440,000
$264,001 - $352,000
$176,001 - $264,000
$88,001 - $176,000
$44,001 - $88,000
$0 - $44,000
93.6%
93.6%
2.9%
2.9%
0.7%
0.7%
0.4%
0.4%
0.3%
0.3%
0.9%
0.9%
0.3%
0.3%
0.1%
0.1%
0.9%
0.9%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes
Very High

for California

Very High

for nation

Number of Homes And Apartments:

11,361

San Carlos Appreciation Rates

Rent & Ownership

Average Market Rent:

$4,384 / per month

Homeownership Rate

Owners
Renters
69.1%
69.1%
30.9%
30.9%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes

Vacancy Rate

Vacant
Occupied
5.3%
5.3%
94.7%
94.7%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes

Housing Market Details

Age of Homes

2000 or Newer
1970 - 1999
1940 - 1969
1939 or Older
6.7%
6.7%
28.6%
28.6%
57.1%
57.1%
7.6%
7.6%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes

Types of Homes

Single-Family
Townhomes
Small Apt. Buildings
Apt. Complexes
Mobile Homes
Other
68.7%
68.7%
3.7%
3.7%
3.4%
3.4%
24.1%
24.1%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes

Home Size

No Bedroom
1 Bedroom
2 Bedrooms
3 Bedrooms
4 Bedrooms
5 or more bedrooms
2.5%
2.5%
10.1%
10.1%
26.6%
26.6%
33.9%
33.9%
19.2%
19.2%
7.7%
7.7%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes