San Marcos, California
Encyclopedia
San Marcos is a suburb of San Diego
in the North County section of San Diego County
, California
. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 83,781. Outside the San Diego region, it is best known as the home of California State University, San Marcos
. The city is bordered by Escondido to the east, Encinitas to the Southwest, Carlsbad
to the west, and Vista
to the northwest.
came upon a fertile valley in 1797 which was named Los Vallecitos de San Marcos (Little Valleys of Saint Mark) to honor the day of discovery: April 25, “St. Mark’s Day”. On April 22, 1840, Governor Juan B. Alvarado granted Rancho Vallecitos de San Marcos
to his relative, Jose María Alvarado
. Jose Alvarado was killed at the Pauma Massacre
in 1846, and the land was left to his wife; she then sold the land to Lorenzo Soto. In the late 1850s, Soto sold part of his land to Cave Couts and his family was soon raising livestock. Although Cave Couts owned the land, Major Gustavus French Merriam from Topeka, Kansas made the first permanent settlement. Merriam homesteaded 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) in the north Twin Oaks Valley and began wine and honey production.
After Major Merriam’s settlement, German and Dutch immigrants began moving into the area in the early 1880s. Then in 1883 a few miles south of the settlement, John H. Barham founded the first town in the area. By 1884, the town of Barham had a post office, blacksmith, feed store and a weekly newspaper. In 1887 the San Marcos Land Company bought almost all of the San Marcos land formerly owned by the Couts family and promptly divided the land into tracts. Soon the beautiful hills began attracting home-seekers.
The original town of San Marcos was at the intersection of what is now Grand Avenue and Rancho Santa Fe Road. In 1887 the Santa Fe Railroad announced that it was going to lay tracks going through the valley, but to the disappointment of the citizens, the tracks were laid one mile (1.6 km) away from the center of the town. By 1896, San Marcos was a community with its own stores, post office, blacksmith and railroad depot. In 1903, the town appeared to be going downhill so the people of San Marcos picked up their homes and moved along the railroad tracks to what now are Mission Road and Pico Avenue. In 1905, the town had every convenience, including rural mail delivery and telephone service. The first school in the area, which had started in Barham in 1880, was moved in 1889 to San Marcos. Later that same year, the Richland School was built, being the second school in San Marcos. The main business in San Marcos in the 19th century and early 20th century was farming. Then in the mid-20th century, dairies and poultry production became a big part of the business in the town.
San Marcos experienced a period of growth from 1956 onward, when the first water from the Colorado River arrived. Several small businesses were founded and the population rapidly increased to 2,500. San Marcos became an incorporated city on January 28, 1963. In the 1970s, San Marcos was flourishing as the third fastest-growing city in the state with a population of 17,479 by 1980. The population continued to boom over the next two decades, reaching 33,800 in 1990 and 82,743 in 2000.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 24.4 square miles (63.2 km²). 24.4 square miles (63.2 km²) of it is land and 0.02 square mile (0.0517997622 km²) of it (0.08%) is water.
The San Marcos Unified School District is one of the largest school districts in San Diego County and includes 19 schools with diverse educational programs for kindergarten through adult education students. SMUSD has 11 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 2 comprehensive high schools, 1 charter high school,1 independent study high school and 1 continuation school. SMUSD serves more than 17,851 students in San Marcos, as well as sections of Vista, Escondido, Carlsbad, and some unincorporated areas of the County.
and is a member of the California Community Colleges system. Palomar enrolls approximately 30,000 full-time and part-time students. Palomar offers more than 250 associate degree and certificate programs, and residents of California are charged $26 per unit.
A giant letter P (for "Palomar") on the hillside above the campus is a ubiquitous landmark for San Marcos, visible miles away.
system. It was founded in 1989 and built on a 304 acres (1.2 km²) hillside in northern San Marcos. It enrolls about 9,000 students and offers 44 undergraduate programs, 10 graduate programs and 1 Doctorate in Education in three colleges and one nursing school.
Efforts by community and political leaders to attract a state university to North County
date back to 1968. In 1978, state legislator William A. Craven (1921–1999) won state funding for a North County satellite campus of San Diego State University
. In 1989, Gov. George Deukmejian
signed another Craven bill which established a CSU campus in San Marcos.
The state purchased land in San Marcos, including the former Prohoroff Poultry Farms chicken ranch. The hillside site lies approximately 8 miles (12.9 km) due east of the Pacific Ocean
and 35 miles (56.3 km) due north of downtown San Diego. Today the campus comprises 304 acres (123 ha).
Bill Stacy was appointed president in June 1989. During the 1989-1990 academic year, Stacy hired 12 "Founding Faculty," who played an important role in the university's early years and today are memorialized in Founders Plaza.
CSUSM admitted upper division students and held classes from September 1990 through August 1992 in rented facilities in a San Marcos business park, alongside the North County campus of San Diego State University. Groundbreaking for the permanent campus occurred on February 23, 1990. Classes began at the current campus in August 1992. Craven Hall was the third instructional building opened in December 1992, and the largest building up to that time at 155000 square feet (14,400 m²).
Since 1992, the campus has been growing steadily. Major additions over the subsequent decade include the Foundation Classroom Buildings (December 1996), University Hall (1998), a second Science building (August 2002) and the Arts building (August 2002). The largest building to date is Kellogg Library, opened January 2004 with nearly 200000 square feet (18,580.6 m²). Markstein Hall, home of the College of Business Administration was completed in January 2006. A six story parking structure on the northeast side of the campus was also completed in July 2010.
was 3,435.1 people per square mile (1,326.3/km²). The racial makeup of San Marcos was 53,235 (63.5%) White, 1,967 (2.3%) African American, 591 (0.7%) Native American, 7,518 (9.0%) Asian, 322 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 15,853 (18.9%) from other races
, and 4,295 (5.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 30,697 persons (36.6%).
The Census reported that 82,937 people (99.0% of the population) lived in households, 736 (0.9%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 108 (0.1%) were institutionalized.
There were 27,202 households, out of which 11,724 (43.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 15,242 (56.0%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 3,056 (11.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,513 (5.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,372 (5.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 186 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 5,168 households (19.0%) were made up of individuals and 2,370 (8.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.05. There were 19,811 families
(72.8% of all households); the average family size was 3.49.
The population was spread out with 23,287 people (27.8%) under the age of 18, 9,215 people (11.0%) aged 18 to 24, 25,237 people (30.1%) aged 25 to 44, 17,515 people (20.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 8,527 people (10.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.9 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.
There were 28,641 housing units at an average density of 1,174.3 per square mile (453.4/km²), of which 17,094 (62.8%) were owner-occupied, and 10,108 (37.2%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.7%. 50,570 people (60.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 32,367 people (38.6%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there are 54,977 people, 18,111 households, and 13,221 families residing in the city. The population density
is 893.4/km² (2,314.3/mi²). There are 18,862 housing units at an average density of 306.5/km² (794.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 67.39% White, 2.00% African American, 0.82% Native American, 4.67% Asian, 0.24% Pacific Islander, 20.39% from other races, and 4.48% from two or more races. 36.87% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 18,111 households out of which 39.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.6% are married couples
living together, 9.6% have a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% are non-families. 20.3% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.03 and the average family size is 3.46.
In the city the population is spread out with 29.1% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 95.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $45,908, and the median income for a family is $51,292. Males have a median income of $36,297 versus $27,015 for females. The per capita income
for the city is $18,657. 12.0% of the population and 7.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 14.5% of those under the age of 18 and 7.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
San Marcos is also known for the abundance of shopping as well:
San Marcos features several golf courses, notably Lake San Marcos, which itself is a recreational venue. Recently, the growth of Cal State San Marcos has led to great opportunities for youth (such as the high-tech sector) are increasingly setting up workshop in the city's robust economy.
There are many fine hotels in the city including a Residence Inn, Hampton Inn, Ramada Inn, and First Choice Executive Suites.
San Marcos is has also become known for its abundance of open space and parks in recent years. Miles of trails have been planned and constructed to facilitate biking throughout the city. A popular destination is the top of Double Peak Park, which features a panorama of northern San Diego County from the highest coastal peak in the county. On a clear day one can see the San Bernardino Mountains in Los Angeles and the skyscrapers of downtown San Diego.
A lighted cross, which stands on a hill above Lake San Marcos and is visible at night from many parts of the city, has been a community landmark for decades.
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
in the North County section of San Diego County
San Diego County, California
San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 83,781. Outside the San Diego region, it is best known as the home of California State University, San Marcos
California State University, San Marcos
California State University San Marcos is a public, coeducational university and one of the 23 general campuses of the California State University system. located in San Marcos, California, a suburban town in north San Diego County. It was founded in 1989 as the 20th CSU campus and was the first...
. The city is bordered by Escondido to the east, Encinitas to the Southwest, Carlsbad
Carlsbad, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Carlsbad had a population of 105,328. The population density was 2,693.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Carlsbad was 87,205 White, 1,379 African American, 514 Native American, 7,460 Asian, 198 Pacific Islander, 4,189 from other...
to the west, and Vista
Vista, California
Vista is a city in north San Diego County, California. It was incorporated January 28, 1963 and became a charter city on June 13, 2007. Located just seven miles inland from the Pacific Ocean in northern San Diego County, the City of Vista has a Mediterranean climate...
to the northwest.
History
According to historical legends, the San Luis Rey Mission flocks were robbed by a small band of Indians in the late 18th century. Fleeing the Spanish troops, the Indians escaped to the hills. While pursuing the Indians, the SpaniardsSpanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
came upon a fertile valley in 1797 which was named Los Vallecitos de San Marcos (Little Valleys of Saint Mark) to honor the day of discovery: April 25, “St. Mark’s Day”. On April 22, 1840, Governor Juan B. Alvarado granted Rancho Vallecitos de San Marcos
Rancho Vallecitos de San Marcos
Rancho Vallecitos de San Marcos was a Mexican land grant in present day northern San Diego County, California given in 1840 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose María Alvarado. The name means little valleys of St. Mark...
to his relative, Jose María Alvarado
José María Alvarado
José María Alvarado was the son of Juan Bautista Alvarado and María Raimunda Yorba.-Life:...
. Jose Alvarado was killed at the Pauma Massacre
Pauma Massacre
The Pauma Massacre occurred in December 1846, north of Escondido, California. Luiseño Indians killed eleven Mexicans, Californio lancers who had stolen horses from them...
in 1846, and the land was left to his wife; she then sold the land to Lorenzo Soto. In the late 1850s, Soto sold part of his land to Cave Couts and his family was soon raising livestock. Although Cave Couts owned the land, Major Gustavus French Merriam from Topeka, Kansas made the first permanent settlement. Merriam homesteaded 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) in the north Twin Oaks Valley and began wine and honey production.
After Major Merriam’s settlement, German and Dutch immigrants began moving into the area in the early 1880s. Then in 1883 a few miles south of the settlement, John H. Barham founded the first town in the area. By 1884, the town of Barham had a post office, blacksmith, feed store and a weekly newspaper. In 1887 the San Marcos Land Company bought almost all of the San Marcos land formerly owned by the Couts family and promptly divided the land into tracts. Soon the beautiful hills began attracting home-seekers.
The original town of San Marcos was at the intersection of what is now Grand Avenue and Rancho Santa Fe Road. In 1887 the Santa Fe Railroad announced that it was going to lay tracks going through the valley, but to the disappointment of the citizens, the tracks were laid one mile (1.6 km) away from the center of the town. By 1896, San Marcos was a community with its own stores, post office, blacksmith and railroad depot. In 1903, the town appeared to be going downhill so the people of San Marcos picked up their homes and moved along the railroad tracks to what now are Mission Road and Pico Avenue. In 1905, the town had every convenience, including rural mail delivery and telephone service. The first school in the area, which had started in Barham in 1880, was moved in 1889 to San Marcos. Later that same year, the Richland School was built, being the second school in San Marcos. The main business in San Marcos in the 19th century and early 20th century was farming. Then in the mid-20th century, dairies and poultry production became a big part of the business in the town.
San Marcos experienced a period of growth from 1956 onward, when the first water from the Colorado River arrived. Several small businesses were founded and the population rapidly increased to 2,500. San Marcos became an incorporated city on January 28, 1963. In the 1970s, San Marcos was flourishing as the third fastest-growing city in the state with a population of 17,479 by 1980. The population continued to boom over the next two decades, reaching 33,800 in 1990 and 82,743 in 2000.
Geography
San Marcos is located at 33°8′31"N 117°10′13"W (33.142077, -117.170233).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 24.4 square miles (63.2 km²). 24.4 square miles (63.2 km²) of it is land and 0.02 square mile (0.0517997622 km²) of it (0.08%) is water.
Top employers
According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hunter Industries Hunter Industries Hunter Industries is a manufacturer of irrigation equipment for the landscaping and golf course industries, based in San Marcos, California.Hunter produces pop-up gear-driven rotors, spray sprinklers, valves, controllers, central controllers and weather sensors. The company reports that it holds... |
726 |
| 2 | United Parcel Service United Parcel Service United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the... |
467 |
| 3 | Wal-Mart Wal-Mart Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000... |
395 |
| 4 | TriStaff | 387 |
| 5 | Costco Costco Costco Wholesale Corporation is the largest membership warehouse club chain in the United States. it is the third largest retailer in the United States, where it originated, and the ninth largest in the world... |
360 |
| 6 | Oncore Manufacturing Services | 320 |
| 7 | Teamwork Athletic Apparel | 300 |
| 8 | Lusardi Construction | 300 |
| 9 | Fry's Electronics Fry's Electronics Fry's Electronics is a big-box store and retailer of software, consumer electronics, computer hardware, with in store computer repair and custom computer building services and household appliances with a chain of superstores headquartered in Silicon Valley... |
290 |
| 10 | Kaiser Permanente Kaiser Permanente Kaiser Permanente is an integrated managed care consortium, based in Oakland, California, United States, founded in 1945 by industrialist Henry J. Kaiser and physician Sidney Garfield... |
231 |
| 11 | California State University, San Marcos California State University, San Marcos California State University San Marcos is a public, coeducational university and one of the 23 general campuses of the California State University system. located in San Marcos, California, a suburban town in north San Diego County. It was founded in 1989 as the 20th CSU campus and was the first... |
230 |
| 12 | Signet Armorlite Signet Armorlite Signet Armorlite, Inc., an optical company owned by Essilor, recently celebrated its 60th anniversary since incorporation. The headquarters, U.S. distribution center and lens technology center, Signetek, are located in San Marcos, California. Glass lenses and molds are designed and produced at... |
214 |
| 13 | Hollandia Dairy | 190 |
| 14 | Fluid Components International | 184 |
| 15 | The Land Stewards | 155 |
| 16 | 24 Hour Fitness | 149 |
| 17 | The Home Depot The Home Depot The Home Depot is an American retailer of home improvement and construction products and services.The Home Depot operates 2,248 big-box format stores across the United States , Canada , Mexico and China, with a 12-store chain... |
143 |
| 18 | Hughes Circuits | 140 |
| 19 | Village Square Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Kindred Healthcare Kindred Healthcare Incorporated is a healthcare services company that through its subsidiaries operates hospitals, nursing centers, and contract rehabilitation services across the United States... |
130 |
| 20 | Falmat | 126 |
Education
San Marcos is quickly becoming known as the educational hub of San Diego North with its award-winning school district, Palomar Community College and California State University San Marcos. Easy commutes are also available to other nearby colleges/universities as well as several employee skills training opportunities.San Marcos Unified School District
San Marcos Unified School District is arguably one of the best school districts in San Diego County and even in the state of California. It is apparent, that students enrolled in SMUSD schools tend to score higher on California State Tests than their peers. The similar schools ranking of the CA API scores is the best indicator of how students perform when compared to other schools with similar demographics, socioeconomic status, etc. For the 2008 CA state test, SMUSD schools received an average similar schools ranking of 8.875, the highest average of any K-12 district in San Diego County. In addition, Caucasian, Filipino, and African American students enrolled within SMUSD have the highest API scores for their ethnicity among all K-12 districts.The San Marcos Unified School District is one of the largest school districts in San Diego County and includes 19 schools with diverse educational programs for kindergarten through adult education students. SMUSD has 11 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 2 comprehensive high schools, 1 charter high school,1 independent study high school and 1 continuation school. SMUSD serves more than 17,851 students in San Marcos, as well as sections of Vista, Escondido, Carlsbad, and some unincorporated areas of the County.
High Tech High & Middle, North County
High Tech High and Middle are both charter schools located in San Marcos. High Tech High, which started with a single school in 2000, is known for its small-school settings, where students learn through projects, internships and interaction with professionals.Palomar College
The main 200 acre (0.809372 km²) campus of Palomar College is located in northern San Marcos. It is a public two-year community collegeCommunity colleges in the United States
In the United States, community colleges are primarily two-year public institutions of higher education and were once commonly called junior colleges....
and is a member of the California Community Colleges system. Palomar enrolls approximately 30,000 full-time and part-time students. Palomar offers more than 250 associate degree and certificate programs, and residents of California are charged $26 per unit.
A giant letter P (for "Palomar") on the hillside above the campus is a ubiquitous landmark for San Marcos, visible miles away.
CSU San Marcos
CSU San Marcos is a smaller campus in the California State UniversityCalifornia State University
The California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the...
system. It was founded in 1989 and built on a 304 acres (1.2 km²) hillside in northern San Marcos. It enrolls about 9,000 students and offers 44 undergraduate programs, 10 graduate programs and 1 Doctorate in Education in three colleges and one nursing school.
Efforts by community and political leaders to attract a state university to North County
North San Diego County, California
North County is a region in the northern area of San Diego County, California. It is the second most populous region in the county after San Diego, with an estimated population of 826,985. North County is well known for its affluence, especially in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Carlsbad, Del Mar, Rancho...
date back to 1968. In 1978, state legislator William A. Craven (1921–1999) won state funding for a North County satellite campus of San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
. In 1989, Gov. George Deukmejian
George Deukmejian
Courken George Deukmejian, Jr. born June 6, 1928) is an Armenian American politician from California who as a Republican served as the 35th Governor of California and as California Attorney General .-Early life:...
signed another Craven bill which established a CSU campus in San Marcos.
The state purchased land in San Marcos, including the former Prohoroff Poultry Farms chicken ranch. The hillside site lies approximately 8 miles (12.9 km) due east of the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
and 35 miles (56.3 km) due north of downtown San Diego. Today the campus comprises 304 acres (123 ha).
Bill Stacy was appointed president in June 1989. During the 1989-1990 academic year, Stacy hired 12 "Founding Faculty," who played an important role in the university's early years and today are memorialized in Founders Plaza.
CSUSM admitted upper division students and held classes from September 1990 through August 1992 in rented facilities in a San Marcos business park, alongside the North County campus of San Diego State University. Groundbreaking for the permanent campus occurred on February 23, 1990. Classes began at the current campus in August 1992. Craven Hall was the third instructional building opened in December 1992, and the largest building up to that time at 155000 square feet (14,400 m²).
Since 1992, the campus has been growing steadily. Major additions over the subsequent decade include the Foundation Classroom Buildings (December 1996), University Hall (1998), a second Science building (August 2002) and the Arts building (August 2002). The largest building to date is Kellogg Library, opened January 2004 with nearly 200000 square feet (18,580.6 m²). Markstein Hall, home of the College of Business Administration was completed in January 2006. A six story parking structure on the northeast side of the campus was also completed in July 2010.
University of St. Augustine
The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences is a Physical and Occupational Therapy graduate institution. The university's mission is the professional development of health care providers through innovative and individualized education. They offer a unique, hands-on curriculum which provides students with the tools it takes to become skilled clinicians.Government
San Marcos is governed by a council-manager system. The city council consists of a mayor and four City Council Members, who are elected at-large to alternating four-year terms. The current mayor is Jim Desmond. The current Vice Mayor is Hal Martin. Current City Council Members are Rebecca Jones, Chris Orlando, and Kristal Jabara. The current City Manager is Paul Malone.Demographics
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that San Marcos had a population of 83,781. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,435.1 people per square mile (1,326.3/km²). The racial makeup of San Marcos was 53,235 (63.5%) White, 1,967 (2.3%) African American, 591 (0.7%) Native American, 7,518 (9.0%) Asian, 322 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 15,853 (18.9%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 4,295 (5.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 30,697 persons (36.6%).
The Census reported that 82,937 people (99.0% of the population) lived in households, 736 (0.9%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 108 (0.1%) were institutionalized.
There were 27,202 households, out of which 11,724 (43.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 15,242 (56.0%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 3,056 (11.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,513 (5.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,372 (5.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 186 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 5,168 households (19.0%) were made up of individuals and 2,370 (8.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.05. There were 19,811 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(72.8% of all households); the average family size was 3.49.
The population was spread out with 23,287 people (27.8%) under the age of 18, 9,215 people (11.0%) aged 18 to 24, 25,237 people (30.1%) aged 25 to 44, 17,515 people (20.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 8,527 people (10.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.9 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.
There were 28,641 housing units at an average density of 1,174.3 per square mile (453.4/km²), of which 17,094 (62.8%) were owner-occupied, and 10,108 (37.2%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.7%. 50,570 people (60.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 32,367 people (38.6%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there are 54,977 people, 18,111 households, and 13,221 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
is 893.4/km² (2,314.3/mi²). There are 18,862 housing units at an average density of 306.5/km² (794.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 67.39% White, 2.00% African American, 0.82% Native American, 4.67% Asian, 0.24% Pacific Islander, 20.39% from other races, and 4.48% from two or more races. 36.87% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 18,111 households out of which 39.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.6% are married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.6% have a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% are non-families. 20.3% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.03 and the average family size is 3.46.
In the city the population is spread out with 29.1% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 95.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $45,908, and the median income for a family is $51,292. Males have a median income of $36,297 versus $27,015 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city is $18,657. 12.0% of the population and 7.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 14.5% of those under the age of 18 and 7.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Neighborhoods
- Buenavida
- Coronado Hills
- Creek District
- Discovery Hills
- Grandon Estates
- Lake San Marcos
- Old Creek Ranch
- Rancho Coronado
- Richmar
- San Elijo Hills
- Santa Fe Hills
- Stone Canyon
- Twin Oaks Valley
- University District
- Rock Springs/Bennett District
Attractions
San Marcos is known for having some of the best restaurants in North County. Old California Restaurant Row features a large concentration of restaurants offering a variety of cuisines. San Marcos is also known for its very popular chain restaurants throughout the city. Notable Restaurants and Restaurant Chains Include:- Applebees
- Panera Bread
- Chins Schezwan
- Mr. Taco
- Cold Stone
- Boudin San Francisco (one of three locations in SoCal)
- Elephant Bar (one of 2 SD locations)
- Sammy's Woodfired Pizza
- Phil's BBQ ( one of 2 locations in SD county)
- Broken Yolk Cafe (one of 5 in the county)
- Chick-fil-A (one of 5 in the county)
- In N Out
- Churchills Pub & Grille (50 Craft Beers on Draft)
- Dalton's Roadhouse
San Marcos is also known for the abundance of shopping as well:
- Nordstrom Rack
- Ulta
- Costco
- Frys Electronics
- Sprouts Market
- Best Buy
- Lowes
- Home Depot
- Sports Chalet
- Harley Davison
San Marcos features several golf courses, notably Lake San Marcos, which itself is a recreational venue. Recently, the growth of Cal State San Marcos has led to great opportunities for youth (such as the high-tech sector) are increasingly setting up workshop in the city's robust economy.
There are many fine hotels in the city including a Residence Inn, Hampton Inn, Ramada Inn, and First Choice Executive Suites.
San Marcos is has also become known for its abundance of open space and parks in recent years. Miles of trails have been planned and constructed to facilitate biking throughout the city. A popular destination is the top of Double Peak Park, which features a panorama of northern San Diego County from the highest coastal peak in the county. On a clear day one can see the San Bernardino Mountains in Los Angeles and the skyscrapers of downtown San Diego.
A lighted cross, which stands on a hill above Lake San Marcos and is visible at night from many parts of the city, has been a community landmark for decades.