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Economy, jobs and prices in Carlsbad, California: official figures

The median household income in Carlsbad was $142,748 a year in the 2020-2024 American Community Survey (in 2024 dollars), 36th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US median was $80,734 and the California median $99,122.

Median household income
$142,748
2020-2024
Unemployment rate (ACS)
5.5%
2020-2024
Mean travel time to work
27.1 min
2020-2024
Median gross rent (monthly)
$2,808
2020-2024
Median home value (owner-occupied)
$1,257,000
2020-2024
Homes occupied by their owners
62.9%
2020-2024
Households with a broadband subscription
96.1%
2020-2024

What is the per capita income in Carlsbad?

Income per resident (per capita income) in Carlsbad averaged $72,390 a year in 2020-2024, 47th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $44,673; California: $49,513).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How unequal are incomes in Carlsbad?

Carlsbad's Gini index of household income inequality was 0.460 in 2020-2024 (0 means equal incomes, 1 maximum inequality), 311th most unequal of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US figure was 0.483.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What is the unemployment rate in Carlsbad, California?

5.5% of the civilian labor force in Carlsbad was unemployed on average over 2020-2024 (3,179 people), 361st highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US rate in the same survey was 5.2% and California's 6.6%.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What share of people in Carlsbad are working?

64.6% of Carlsbad's 90,912 residents aged 16 and over were in the labor force (working or looking for work) in 2020-2024, 335th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 63.5%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many people in Carlsbad have jobs?

54,478 residents of Carlsbad held civilian jobs, 59.9% of those aged 16 and over (US: 59.7%), and 1,057 served in the armed forces.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What are the main industries in Carlsbad?

The largest industry group for working residents of Carlsbad was professional, scientific, management and administrative services (21.4% of employed residents), followed by education, health care and social assistance (18.4%) and manufacturing (11.6%), 2020-2024.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many people in Carlsbad work in manufacturing?

Manufacturing employed 11.6% of working residents of Carlsbad, 217th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 9.9%); professional, scientific and management services employed 21.4% (US: 12.6%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How long is the commute in Carlsbad, California?

Commuters in Carlsbad took 27.1 minutes on average to get to work in 2020-2024, 270th longest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 26.4 minutes); 8.1% travelled an hour or more and 25.0% less than 15 minutes.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How do people in Carlsbad get to work?

31.9% of workers living in Carlsbad worked from home in 2020-2024, 29th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 15.1%). 59.6% drove to work alone, 5.0% carpooled, 0.8% used public transport and 1.3% walked.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What is the average rent in Carlsbad, California?

The median gross rent (rent plus utilities) in Carlsbad was $2,808 a month in 2020-2024, 24th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $1,413; California: $2,036).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does a house cost in Carlsbad?

Owner-occupied homes in Carlsbad had a median value of $1,257,000 in 2020-2024 as estimated by their owners, 25th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $332,700; California: $734,700).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How affordable are homes in Carlsbad?

The median home value in Carlsbad was 8.8 times the median household income, 46th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 4.1 times).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What share of people in Carlsbad, California own their home?

62.9% of the 44,038 occupied homes in Carlsbad were lived in by their owners in 2020-2024 and 16,350 were rented, 300th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more for home ownership (US: 65.2%; California: 55.9%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What share of homes in Carlsbad have broadband?

96.1% of households in Carlsbad had a broadband internet subscription of some type in 2020-2024, 101st highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 91.0%; California: 93.5%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many households in Carlsbad have no internet?

2.2% of households in Carlsbad (978) had no internet access at home in 2020-2024, 110th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 6.5%); 6.3% relied on a cellular data plan alone (US: 11.5%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How Carlsbad compares with other cities in the United States

Median household income (2024 dollars) (2020-2024)

Carlsbad ranks 36 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMedian household income (2024 dollars)
33Castle Rock$145,197
34Apex$144,135
35Plainfield$144,000
36Carlsbad$142,748
37Brentwood$142,494
38Bowie$141,995
39Queen Creek$141,978
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Per capita income (2024 dollars) (2020-2024)

Carlsbad ranks 47 of 823, highest first.

RankCityPer capita income (2024 dollars)
44Flower Mound$73,350
45Mount Pleasant$73,202
46Bothell$72,775
47Carlsbad$72,390
48Dunwoody$72,129
49Plymouth$71,865
50Eden Prairie$71,657
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Gini index of household income inequality (2020-2024)

Carlsbad ranks 311 of 823, highest first.

RankCityGini index of household income inequality
308Harlingen0.461
309Hialeah0.460
310Fall River0.460
311Carlsbad0.460
312Rochester0.459
313Redlands0.459
314Pontiac0.459
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Unemployment rate (share of civilian labor force) (2020-2024)

Carlsbad ranks 361 of 823, highest first.

RankCityUnemployment rate (share of civilian labor force)
358Jersey City5.5%
359Concord5.5%
360Camarillo5.5%
361Carlsbad5.5%
362Clarksville5.5%
363Carson City5.5%
364Placentia5.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Labor force participation rate (16 and over) (2020-2024)

Carlsbad ranks 489 of 823, highest first.

RankCityLabor force participation rate (16 and over)
486Dubuque64.6%
487St. Petersburg64.6%
488Woodland64.6%
489Carlsbad64.6%
490Harrisburg64.6%
491Wellington64.5%
492Santee64.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Mean travel time to work (minutes) (2020-2024)

Carlsbad ranks 270 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMean travel time to work (minutes)
267Pompano Beach27.1
268Simi Valley27.1
269Norwalk27.1
270Carlsbad27.1
271Westminster27.0
272Palm Coast27.0
273Clarksville27.0
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Workers who worked from home (2020-2024)

Carlsbad ranks 29 of 823, highest first.

RankCityWorkers who worked from home
26Roswell32.2%
27Newton32.2%
28Fremont32.1%
29Carlsbad31.9%
30Sandy Springs31.9%
31Cupertino31.8%
32Eden Prairie31.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Workers commuting by public transportation (2020-2024)

Carlsbad ranks 497 of 823, highest first.

RankCityWorkers commuting by public transportation
494Lincoln0.8%
495Oshkosh0.8%
496Des Moines0.8%
497Carlsbad0.8%
498Tustin0.8%
499Merced0.8%
500Moreno Valley0.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Employed residents working in manufacturing (2020-2024)

Carlsbad ranks 217 of 823, highest first.

RankCityEmployed residents working in manufacturing
214Fullerton11.6%
215Bellflower11.6%
216Mooresville11.6%
217Carlsbad11.6%
218Plymouth11.6%
219La Habra11.6%
220Noblesville11.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Employed residents in education, health care and social assistance (2020-2024)

Carlsbad ranks 746 of 823, highest first.

RankCityEmployed residents in education, health care and social assistance
743West New York18.6%
744El Monte18.5%
745Huntington Park18.5%
746Carlsbad18.4%
747Sandy Springs18.4%
748Apex18.3%
749Plano18.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Median gross rent per month (2020-2024)

Carlsbad ranks 24 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMedian gross rent per month
21Weston$2,851
22Yorba Linda$2,846
23Mission Viejo$2,839
24Carlsbad$2,808
25South San Francisco$2,802
26Cambridge$2,787
27Brentwood$2,758
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Median value of owner-occupied homes (2020-2024)

Carlsbad ranks 25 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMedian value of owner-occupied homes
22Dublin$1,317,100
23Redondo Beach$1,279,200
24Newton$1,264,900
25Carlsbad$1,257,000
26Milpitas$1,251,700
27Alameda$1,235,700
28San Jose$1,233,200
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Median home value as a multiple of median household income (2020-2024)

Carlsbad ranks 45 of 820, highest first.

RankCityMedian home value as a multiple of median household income
42Novato8.9x
43Santa Clara8.8x
44Garden Grove8.8x
45Carlsbad8.8x
46Downey8.8x
47Watsonville8.8x
48Anaheim8.7x
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Occupied homes lived in by their owners (2020-2024)

Carlsbad ranks 300 of 823, highest first.

RankCityOccupied homes lived in by their owners
297Schaumburg62.9%
298Decatur62.9%
299Davenport62.9%
300Carlsbad62.9%
301St. Petersburg62.8%
302Delano62.8%
303Mesquite62.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Households with a broadband subscription (2020-2024)

Carlsbad ranks 101 of 823, highest first.

RankCityHouseholds with a broadband subscription
98Mansfield96.2%
99Wellington96.2%
100Murrieta96.1%
101Carlsbad96.1%
102West Jordan96.1%
103Plymouth96.1%
104Palo Alto96.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Households with no internet access (2020-2024)

Carlsbad ranks 714 of 823, highest first.

RankCityHouseholds with no internet access
711Minnetonka2.2%
712Newton2.2%
713Lakeville2.2%
714Carlsbad2.2%
715Mansfield2.2%
716Thornton2.2%
717Diamond Bar2.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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Sources

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