North County's college town on the 78: CSU San Marcos and Palomar College, newer master plans in the hills, and prices a step below the coast.
San Marcos has climbed back through 2026. The three month median ran around $850K to $900K over the winter and spring and has pushed up toward $950K since, though it is still below the high it set in the summer of 2025. On a smoothed basis, San Marcos's median has risen roughly 18% over the past five years.
The recent median sits around $949,633, with about 2.6 months of supply, homes selling near 98.2% of original list, and a median of roughly 31 days on market.
Over five years the median sale price in San Marcos is up about 18% and the price per square foot is up about 21%. The two agree, which is what you want to see. It means the gain reflects prices rising rather than a shift in the kind of home selling, so the headline number is a fair read on what an owner gained.
Price per square foot is the sale price divided by the home's interior square footage.
Both figures use the same smoothed five year comparison: the average of the last twelve monthly medians against the average of the first twelve. A gap of eight points or more is treated as a mix shift. That threshold was set by testing, not picked: an earlier version flagged nine of nineteen areas, which is noise. It now flags eight of forty.
San Marcos gives you newer homes and North County schools for less than the coast. San Elijo Hills and the newer hillside plans cost more; the older neighborhoods near the 78 are where the value is. With supply around 2.6 months and homes going near 98.2% of list, come in pre-approved.
Supply is still tight, so a well-priced home gets looked at. September homes took a median of about 31 days, so price it right the first time rather than chasing the market down.
Supply is running around 2.6 months. As long as listings stay scarce, prices hold firm; a rise in inventory would be the first sign of easing.
Rates sit higher than a year ago. San Marcos draws a lot of first move-up buyers and families stretching for the schools, and those buyers feel every quarter point.
Get Pre-Approved →San Marcos is really a few markets: San Elijo Hills in the south is one of the newest and priciest, Twin Oaks Valley and Discovery Hills sit in the middle, and the older central neighborhoods around the 78 offer the most home for the money. Lake San Marcos is an unincorporated county island inside the city.
The City of San Marcos runs several Mello Roos districts, including one for San Elijo Hills (CFD 99-01). Add those and any HOA dues before you compare two homes at the same price.
San Marcos incorporated in 1963 and was one of the fastest growing cities in California in the 1970s, so most of its homes are newer than the coast's. The central neighborhoods near the 78 hold the older, simpler product. San Elijo Hills and the other hillside plans to the south and west are among the newest, with HOA dues and Mello Roos to match. CSU San Marcos and Palomar College are both in the city, and North City, the new downtown district beside the university, is planned for about 3,400 homes on 200 acres. The city's ZIPs are 92069 and 92078.
What is the median home price in San Marcos?
The median sale price in San Marcos is $949,633 on a trailing three month basis, using closed sales through September 2026.
How long do homes take to sell in San Marcos?
Homes in San Marcos are selling in a median of about 31 days.
Is San Marcos a buyer's or a seller's market?
San Marcos has about 2.6 months of supply, which reads as a seller market. Under three months favors sellers, three to six is balanced, and above six favors buyers.
How much have home prices risen in San Marcos?
The median in San Marcos is up about 18% over the past five years, measured as the average of the last twelve monthly medians against the first twelve.
Are homes in San Marcos selling for asking price?
Homes in San Marcos are closing at about 98.2% of original list price.
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