Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, San Carlos had a population of 30,722. The population density was . The median age was 42.3 years. 23.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 92.1 males age 18 and over.

100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 11,791 households in San Carlos, of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 61.1% were married-couple households, 12.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. reported that San Carlos had a population of 28,406. The population density was . The racial makeup of San Carlos was 22,497 (79.2%) White, 233 (0.8%) African American, 65 (0.2%) Native American, 3,267 (11.5%) Asian, 70 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 827 (2.9%) from other races, and 1,447 (5.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2,855 persons (10.1%).

The Census reported that 28,315 people (99.7% of the population) lived in households, 79 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 12 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 11,524 households, out of which 3,854 (33.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 6,645 (57.7%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 830 (7.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 352 (3.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 481 (4.2%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 112 (1.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 2,972 households (25.8%) were made up of individuals, and 1,109 (9.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46. There were 7,827 families (67.9% of all households); the average family size was 2.99.

The population was spread out, with 6,699 people (23.6%) under the age of 18, 1,176 people (4.1%) aged 18 to 24, 7,657 people (27.0%) aged 25 to 44, 8,827 people (31.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 4,047 people (14.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.

There were 12,018 housing units at an average density of , of which 8,282 (71.9%) were owner-occupied, and 3,242 (28.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.3%. 21,635 people (76.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 6,680 people (23.5%) lived in rental housing units.

{|

|-

|align="left" |

{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible" style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;text-align: right;font-size: 90%;"

! 2010 Demographic profile

!Population

!Percentage

|-

|align="left" | Total Population || 28,406

|100.0%

|-

|align="left" | One Race || 26,959

|94.9%

|-

|align="left" | Not Hispanic or Latino || 25,551

|89.9%

|-

|align="left" | White alone || 20,786

|73.2%

|-

|align="left" | Black or African American alone || 214

|0.8%

|-

|align="left" | American Indian and Alaska Native alone || 32

|0.1%

|-

|align="left" | Asian alone || 3,234

|11.4%

|-

|align="left" | Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone || 67

|0.2%

|-

|align="left" | Some other race alone || 108

|0.4%

|-

|align="left" | Two or more races alone || 1,110

|3.9%

|-

|align="left" | Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 2,855

|10.1%

|}

|}

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 27,238 people, 11,455 households, and 7,606 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 11,691 housing units at an average density of .

There were 11,455 households, out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.5% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.1% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.

According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $99,110, and the median income for a family was $137,325. Males had a median income of $70,554 versus $51,760 for females. The per capita income for the city was $46,628. 2.7% of the population and 1.4% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 2.3% were under the age of 18 and 3.7% were 65 or older.

Economy

Companies based in San Carlos include Check Point, MarkLogic, Helix, and Natera.

Top employers

According to the city's 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|-

! #

! Employer

! # of Employees

|-

|1

|Natera

|934

|-

|2

|Pacific Gas and Electric

|323

|-

|3

|The Home Depot

|291

|-

|4

|Check Point Software Technologies

|225

|-

|5

|Delta Star

|214

|-

|6

|ChemoCentryx Inc.

|182

|-

|7

|Joby Aero Inc.

|170

|-

|8

|Allakos Inc.

|163

|-

|9

|Atreca Inc.

|140

|-

|10

|Thought Stream

|132

|}

L-3 Communications manufactured gas-filled and vacuum tubes used among others in radar system and TV-emitters at their San Carlos plant. In 2016, the company announced they would be moving their operations to South California and Pennsylvania.

Arts and culture

The San Carlos History Museum is dedicated to the display of the history of the town from early Native American history to the space age. This museum is open every Saturday from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. The Hiller Aviation Museum, a museum specializing in helicopter and aviation history, offers interactive exhibits and more than forty aircraft including a replica of the first aircraft to fly, a spy drone with a 200-foot wingspan, and the nose section of a Boeing 747.

San Carlos was also once home of the Circle Star Theater where performers such as Big Brother & the Holding Company, Richard Marx and Richard Pryor performed. It was torn down and replaced with office buildings.

Every May, the town hosts the "Hometown Days" carnival in Burton Park, the city's largest park. In October, the Chamber of Commerce hosts the San Carlos "Art & Wine Faire". October 2015 marked the 25th year it has been held. Sunday mornings during the summer Laurel street is home to a weekly farmer's market. San Carlos is home to a sculpture titled "Balancing Act" by artist James Moore, in front of Frank D. Harrington park on Laurel Street, which is often decorated for various holidays and local events.

The city is served by the San Carlos Public Library of the San Mateo County Libraries, a member of the Peninsula Library System.

Government

Municipal government

The current mayor of San Carlos is Sara McDowell. The current vice mayor is Pranita Venkatesh. The three city council members are John Dugan, Neil Layton, and Adam Rak.

State and federal representation

In the California State Legislature, San Carlos is in , and in .

In the United States House of Representatives, San Carlos is in .

Education

Public schools

thumb|right|San Carlos Library

The public schools in San Carlos are run by the San Carlos School District, although the school district boundaries do not cover the entire city of San Carlos. Within the city, there are several elementary schools (grades K–3), two upper elementary schools (grades 4–5), and two middle schools (grades 6–8). Since the 1982 closure of San Carlos High School, local students have attended Sequoia High School in Redwood City and Carlmont High School in Belmont.

In 1996, Vice President Al Gore came to speak at Arundel Elementary School in regards to Net Day 1996. Former president Bill Clinton came to Charter Learning Center in 1997 to recognize the site as the second charter school in the nation.

Elementary schools

  • Arundel
  • Brittan Acres
  • Heather
  • White Oaks

Upper elementary schools

  • Arroyo
  • Mariposa

Middle schools

  • Central Middle School
  • Tierra Linda Middle School
  • Charter Learning Center (Kindergarten through 8th grade)

High schools

Up until 1982 San Carlos had its own public high school, San Carlos High School. It was closed due to a decline in student enrollment from an overall aging of San Carlos residents, with the students of San Carlos middle schools divided up among the nearby Carlmont High School in Belmont and Sequoia High School in Redwood City. The playing fields were kept and converted into Highlands Park, which now hosts many local youth sporting groups, while the school was replaced with new housing. By the late 1990s and early first decade of the 21st century, city demographics changed again to a new generation of younger families with children, with the concurrent growth in student populations a new challenge for local schools.

In December 2014, the Sequoia Union High School District proposed development of a small high school in east San Carlos. Due to community opposition, the District instead selected a location in Menlo Park, which opened in 2019 as TIDE Academy.

Parochial schools

  • St. Charles School

Private, non-parochial schools

  • Arbor Bay School

Infrastructure

Transportation

Bus

Bus service is provided by SamTrans, which is headquartered in downtown San Carlos. In 2002, the city began experimenting with a free shuttle bus service named SCOOT, short for San Carlos Optimum Operational Transit, to help with transportation difficulties for those living in the hills of the town, and especially to make up for a lack of school buses. However, voters rejected a parcel tax that placed 100% of the financial burden on property owners and the SCOOT program was dismantled on June 17, 2005.

Rail

Caltrain, also headquartered in downtown San Carlos, provides regional commuter rail service between San Francisco and San Jose, stopping at San Carlos station. Since the completion of the Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project in 2024, the station has been served by electric multiple units.

The station's original 1888 depot is a Richardsonian Romanesque structure built of Almaden sandstone; it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. The station serves as a transit hub, with connections to several SamTrans bus lines and employer-sponsored shuttles.

Airport

San Carlos Airport is located in San Carlos. It is a private airport, but will soon open the Mineta bus terminal, to allow easy transport to major airports in the area.

Notable people

  • Luís Antonio Argüello, first governor of Alta California
  • Kathryn Bigelow, film producer, director, first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director
  • Bryan Bishop, podcast personality
  • Hunter Bishop (born 1998), baseball player
  • Barry Bonds, former MLB player
  • Bobby Bonds, former MLB player
  • Sorcha Boru, pottery maker
  • Steve Capps, former Apple Fellow
  • Dana Carvey, actor and comedian; raised in San Carlos
  • Emma Chamberlain, internet personality and YouTuber; attended middle school in San Carlos
  • Keith Comstock, former MLB player and professional baseball coach
  • Jim Davenport, former MLB player/coach/manager
  • Jennifer Granholm, former governor of Michigan, political commentator on CNN, graduated from San Carlos High School
  • Randy Gomez, former Major League Baseball catcher.
  • James Kilburg, former mayor and inventor of the Geochron
  • Brad Lewis, producer of Pixar film Ratatouille and former city mayor
  • Kevin McCarthy, director of American Television game show, Jeopardy!
  • Paul McClellan, American Major League Baseball player for the San Francisco Giants
  • Mike McCurry, former United States press secretary
  • Timothy Guy Phelps, president of Southern Pacific Railroad
  • Greg Proops, actor and stand-up comedian
  • Dick Stuart, former MLB player (born in San Francisco, raised in San Carlos)
  • Tom Tennant, baseball player
  • Mark Ulriksen, painter and magazine illustrator
  • Rex J. Walheim, NASA astronaut, flying on three Space Shuttle missions, STS-110, STS-122 and the final Space Shuttle mission, STS-135
  • Bob Wasserman, former San Carlos police chief (19691972) and Mayor of Fremont, California (2004–2011)

Sister cities

Former

  • Maroondah, Australia
  • San Carlos, Río San Juan, Nicaragua