City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

San Clemente, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for San Clemente - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

63,510
Residents
$134,735
Median income
$1,220,500
Median home
$3,236
Median rent (state)

San Clemente - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, San Clemente places in the 91st percentile for household income and the 47th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

91st
percentile, household income
98th
percentile, home value
98th
percentile, median rent
47th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: San Clemente, CA

California's San Clemente is a small city, with 63,510 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. San Clemente households earn a median of $134,735 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 2.9%. Typical homes in San Clemente are valued around $1,220,500, and the median resident age is 44.6 years. 51.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 59.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 43 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Stable), down 4% from five years earlier. San Clemente reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1450.8 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, California scores 110.7 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $3,236 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. The average commute for San Clemente workers runs 22.8 minutes, with 71.6% driving alone and 20.9% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 99.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

63,510 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$134,735 /yr

Poverty 2.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does San Clemente compare to other US cities?

Here's how San Clemente stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 91% higher than other cities
Home value 98% pricier than other cities
Median rent 98% pricier than other cities
Safety 47% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just California and the picture shifts: San Clemente ranks #131 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below San Clemente's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in California, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

91stIncome percentile
47thSafety percentile

91st percentile nationally for median household income · 47th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

San Clemente's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

San Clemente's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 47 Avg. percentile National median
San Clemente's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How San Clemente's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$1,220,500 2nd percentile more affordable than 2% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. San Clemente $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - San Clemente, CA San Clemente, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not San Clemente, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution San Clemente, CA median $134,735/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
San Clemente, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for San Clemente, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 51.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
63,510
Median Income
$134,735
Median Home Value
$1,220,500
Median Age
44.6
Poverty Rate
2.9%
Labor force participation
59.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
51.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1450.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
183.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1267.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
11
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
62,000 residents63,000 residents64,000 residents65,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 64,214 residents 62,226 residents ▼ -3.1%
San Clemente's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
43
housing units authorized
Single-Family
39
detached homes
Multifamily
4
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 45
2020 24
2021 189
2022 39
2023 30
2024 43

Permit volume decreased 4% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
22.8 minutes
Drive Alone
71.6%
Carpool
4.5%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
1.0%
Work from Home
20.9%
Other
1.7%

Based on 30,238 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county San Clemente sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$3,236/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Laguna Niguel
64,023 people
Porterville
62,765 people
South San Francisco
64,487 people
Brentwood
64,609 people
La Habra
62,233 people
Lynwood
65,291 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to San Clemente's 63,510 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Reston, VA
63,542 people
Caldwell, ID
63,465 people
Coon Rapids, MN
63,348 people
Millcreek, UT
63,342 people
Eden Prairie, MN
63,249 people
West Hartford, CT
63,809 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to San Clemente's $134,735 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Secaucus, NJ
$134,746 median income
Higganum, CT
$134,750 median income
Simonton, TX
$134,750 median income
Queen Creek, AZ
$134,719 median income
Marble Cliff, OH
$134,688 median income
Hawthorne, NY
$134,797 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - San Clemente, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition San Clemente, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 75.4% 14.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 17.8% White 75.4% Black or African American 1.5% Asian 4.6% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 3.4% Two or more races 14.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How San Clemente compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
San Clemente (this city) 63,510 $134,735
Laguna Niguel 64,023 $140,605
Porterville 62,765 $59,012
South San Francisco 64,487 $135,909
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about San Clemente, CA?

What is the population of San Clemente, CA? +

San Clemente, CA counts 63,510 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in San Clemente, CA? +

In San Clemente, the typical household earns $134,735 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in San Clemente? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for San Clemente; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is San Clemente, CA safe? +

San Clemente has a total crime rate of 1450.8 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in San Clemente, CA? +

Homes in San Clemente carry a median value of $1,220,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.