San Marcos is a wonderful bedroom community. One that has stunning scenery, amazing weather (albeit a few degrees warmer than the coast), and some of the best schools in the entire state. The homes are beautiful, the yards and parks are built for kiddos and doggos to run around and it’s as safe a city as you can find in Southern California. 

If you’re not looking for a bedroom community, you’re going to find San Marcos dull and it’s (as of yet) sorely lacking walkability. It’s also a rough spot if you’re commuting as the State Route 78 is the primary way to get anywhere from San Marcos and it can be a bear for commuting.  


Suburban Bliss

LookyLOO Review of San Marcos?

Located in the foothills of North San Diego County, San Marcos is mostly a sleepy suburb. However, CSU came to San Marcos in 1989 and the college brought some more buzzy action (and breweries.)

South of 78, it’s subdivisions and the occasional shopping center with decent hiking. 

San Marcos started as a rural area and is still not walkable but the city is undergoing major development including high-density housing, mixed-use and commercial development. This is raising costs and causing some disagreement. (At the time of this writing there’s quite a kerfuffle about a second Costco for example.) 

Nevertheless, the revitalization of Old California Restaurant Row is “envisioned as a vibrant, mixed-use hub that will include updated dining offerings, new retail space, landscaped pedestrian connections, a neighborhood park and a range of housing designed to facilitate a live/work environment. The Project is designed to activate W. San Marcos Blvd. through the inclusion of outdoor dining, street-facing homes to encourage walkability, social gathering spots, opportunities for public art, and other elements that improve this highly visible [**public space**](https://www.smrestaurantrow.com/project-description).

Lifestyle 

San Marcos is home to California State University San Marcos and Palomar College as well as six private higher education institutions so education is at a premium here. [**SMUSD**](https://www.smusd.org/) is considered a good school district and gets an [**A+ grade on niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/d/san-marcos-unified-school-district-ca/). [San Marcos High School](https://sanmarcoshigh.smusd.org/) is well-regarded as are several grade schools including; Discovery, Paloma, San Marcos, Double Peak, and San Elijah Elementary. 


Schools 

**SciosciaBuns**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

I grew up in south Orange County and have lived in Escondido for nearly 10 years. The Escondido/San Marcos area definitely reminds me of parts of north OC, like Orange, Santa Ana, Fullerton areas.

There are parts of Escondido that are super nice, it has a cute & small downtown, some great restaurants. Then there are areas that are not so great with homeless and prostitution and the area generally looks run down.

San Marcos is suburban all around and has a small/moderate sized university and a large community college. I wouldn’t care to live there personally as a majority of the housing are track homes and apartments.

I don’t feel that “keeping up with the Jones’s” mentality as much down here but it is definitely still present as it is around much of Southern California.

I’ve never been to NYC so I don’t know exactly how much of a culture shock it will be but I imagine the differences are pretty immense.

For more reviews of what living in San Marcos is like from locals check out: [**The Reviews**](
https://lookyloomove.com/locations/san-marcos/reviews).


Suburban Blues

Reviews of San Marcos from Locals

It's a pretty sweet location that is fairly close to the high priced North County beach locations without quite the steep housing costs and close to highways for commuter access to San Diego. Perhaps for some of you the $2 billion investment they are making in Downtown is the true incentive though. It will take a sleepy suburban town and turn it into a more vibrant, walkable, fun city. 

Why You Should Move Here Now? 

A masterplanned community, San Elijo Hills is a San Marcos favorite. It’s known for its rolling hills and scenic vistas. The neighborhood features a variety of housing options, including single-family homes, townhouses, and apartments. The architectural styles blend traditional and contemporary designs. One of the great characteristics of San Elijo is it is the only community in the city with its own town center. The [**San Elijo Hills Town Center**](https://www.sanelijohills.com/towncenter/), offers shops, restaurants, and gives the neighborhood an energy the others lack. Locals can also access miles of hiking and biking trails that wind through the natural landscapes.

The single-family homes are large custom builds, many with 4-5 bedrooms, and generally starting in the $1.5m range.

Families/Retirees/DINKs

San Elijo Hills

Lake San Marcos is an unincorporated area of San Diego, situated around a private lake which offers scenic views, boating, fishing, and paddleboarding. The lake is surrounded by walking trails, picnic areas, and parks. There’s also a private country club and golf course. Residents have access to the championship golf course, tennis courts, swimming pools, and a fitness center, that gives locals a resort-like lifestyle. Lake San Marcos also offers retirement living options, including age-restricted communities and is not appealing for young families. Median home prices are ~$852k. 

The area also has a strong [**community association**](https://lsmca.com/) that runs year-round events for families and retirees, and gives the residents a strong community vibe. 


Families/Retirees

Lake San Marcos

Santa Fe Hills is located in a hilly area, with spacious single-family houses and modern townhouses. The neighborhood has both open and luxury gated communities, if you're looking for upscale and private. The median home price is $855k. 

The nearby [**Double Peak Park**](https://www.san-marcos.net/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/803/1080?npage=2), with its hiking trails and views, is beloved by local nature enthusiasts and picnickers. Santa Fe Hills is close to the San Elijo Hills community which has its own town center that provides shopping, restaurants and cafes within just a few minutes drive. Local children are zoned for Carrillo Elementary School, San Elijo Middle School, and San Marcos High School -- all A rated schools. ****




Santa Fe Hills

This hilly neighborhood is perhaps the choice most appreciated by outdoor lovers. It's surrounded by open spaces and hiking trails, and Discovery Hills Children's Park, a dreamy green space with tons of outdoor play structures for the kiddos. The nearby Discovery Lake is a also hugely popular with families and parents looking to take a break, offering opportunities for fishing, picnicking, and walks along the pretty shoreline. 

Discovery Hills is primarily single family homes, with a median home price of ~$1m. They're typically 3-4 bedrooms, newer builds, and at least 2k but also up to 4k sq feet. The neighborhood also has some townhomes for sale in the ~$500k range. 


Discovery Hills

Old Creek Ranch is another San Marcos neighborhood with a focus on giving locals nature-centric experience. Outdoor living is the lifestyle here and there is an extensive network of walking, running and biking trails with beautiful views of the surrounding hills and green spaces. Old Creek Ranch features a mix of single-family houses and townhouses, with the median home price at $1.5m and townhomes in the ~$600k range.

The neighborhood has wonderful community parks, including Old Creek Park and Al Bar Ranch Park, both with open green spaces, sports courts, trails, playgrounds for the kiddos and doggo areas for Fido. Additionally, residents have access to a community pool, clubhouse, and fitness center, and top-rated schools such as San Elijo Elementary School, San Elijo Middle School, and San Marcos High School.


Old Creek Ranch

San Marcos

**pokemonprofessor121**
7mo ago
🦉🦉🦉

'Burbs
You'll love it here! But it's expensive. Check out realtor.com and recently sold listings. It's seriously comparable to Denver (not quite as much)! Almost anywhere in the midwest besides downtown Chicago will be cheaper.

Besides that, Madison is the best place! Lots of good food, outdoor events, summer fun etc. I will say that winter is almost not winter anymore. We only got 3 good snowfalls this year! I got to cross country ski twice. It's been like that for the last 7 years I've lived here. If you want great winter check out Appleton and maybe even Wausau (downhill skiing).

**the_olioli**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

We moved to San Marcos from Carlsbad last year. It’s a quickly growing area and there’s lots of new places and renovations planned in the next few years including a complete demolition of restaurant row on San Marcos Blvd. I wish there were more good casual dining but it’s pretty easy to drive to Carlsbad and Escondido. I like it here and if you are planning to buy a house it’s a good market to break into for growth potential.

**SciosciaBuns**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

I grew up in south Orange County and have lived in Escondido for nearly 10 years. The Escondido/San Marcos area definitely reminds me of parts of north OC, like Orange, Santa Ana, Fullerton areas.

There are parts of Escondido that are super nice, it has a cute & small downtown, some great restaurants. Then there are areas that are not so great with homeless and prostitution and the area generally looks run down.

San Marcos is suburban all around and has a small/moderate sized university and a large community college. I wouldn’t care to live there personally as a majority of the housing are track homes and apartments.

I don’t feel that “keeping up with the Jones’s” mentality as much down here but it is definitely still present as it is around much of Southern California.

I’ve never been to NYC so I don’t know exactly how much of a culture shock it will be but I imagine the differences are pretty immense.

San Marcos, California

San Marvelous

Looklyloo Score: 90

Reviews

What's it like to live in San Marcos?