Editing San Marcos, California

{{Short description|City in California, United States}}
{{For|the city in Texas|San Marcos, Texas}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = San Marcos, California
| settlement_type    = [[List of municipalities in California|City]]
| nickname           = Valley of Discovery
| motto              = Discover Life's Possibilities
| image_skyline      = 
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Looking north toward [[Lake San Marcos, California|Lake San Marcos]]
| image_seal         = Official_Seal_of_the_City_of_San_Marcos,_CA.png
| image_map          = San_Diego_County_California_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_San_Marcos_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 250x200px
| map_caption        = Location of San Marcos in [[San Diego County, California|San Diego County]] and the state of [[California]]. (The white portion in the southwestern quadrant is unincorporated [[Lake San Marcos, California|Lake San Marcos]].)
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = 
| pushpin_map        = USA
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the United States
| pushpin_relief     = 1
| coordinates_footnotes = <ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990|archive-date=August 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824085937/https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in California|County]]
| subdivision_name   = {{USA}}
| subdivision_name1  = {{flag|California}}
| subdivision_name2  = {{flagicon image|Flag of San Diego County, California.png}} [[San Diego County, California|San Diego]]
| established_title1 = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date1  = {{Start date|1963|01|28}}<ref>{{Cite web
 |url         = http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc
 |title       = California Cities by Incorporation Date
 |format      = Word
 |publisher   = California Association of [[Local Agency Formation Commission]]s
 |access-date  = August 25, 2014
|url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20141103002921/http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc
 |archive-date = November 3, 2014
|df          = mdy-all
}}</ref>
| established_title2 = [[Charter city|Chartered]]
| established_date2  = {{Start date|1994|07|04}}<ref>{{Cite web
 | url = http://www.ci.san-marcos.ca.us/index.aspx?page=374#52
 | title = FAQs
 | publisher = City of San Marcos, CA
 | access-date = March 18, 2015
| archive-date = December 25, 2018
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181225150513/http://www.san-marcos.net/?navid=374#52
 | url-status = dead
 }}</ref>
| government_type    = [[Council–manager government|Council/Manager]]<ref name=commission>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ci.san-marcos.ca.us/index.aspx?page=142 |title=City Council & Commissions |publisher=City of San Marcos, CA |access-date=March 18, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923203242/http://www.ci.san-marcos.ca.us/index.aspx?page=142 |archive-date=September 23, 2015  }}</ref>
| leader_title       = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name        = Rebecca Jones<ref name=cc>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ci.san-marcos.ca.us/index.aspx?page=146 |title=City Council |publisher=City of San Marcos, CA |access-date=March 18, 2015 |archive-date=January 23, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123090829/http://www.ci.san-marcos.ca.us/index.aspx?page=146 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<!-- Area------------------>| area_magnitude     = 
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_06.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 1, 2020|archive-date=January 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116044541/https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_06.txt|url-status=live}}</ref>
| area_total_sq_mi   = 24.36
| area_land_sq_mi    = 24.34
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.02
| area_total_km2     = 63.08
| area_land_km2      = 63.03
| area_water_km2     = 0.05
| area_water_percent = 0.08
| area_note          = 
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = <ref name=quif>{{Cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/sanmarcoscitycalifornia|title=San Marcos (city) QuickFacts|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
| population_total   = 94833
| pop_est_as_of      = 2019
| pop_est_footnotes  = <ref name="USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUse">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2019.html|date=May 24, 2020|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 27, 2020|archive-date=July 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210701194657/https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2019.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
| population_est     = 
| population_rank    = [[List of largest California cities by population|80th]] in California
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_metro   = 
| timezone           = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific]]
| utc_offset         = −8
| coordinates        = {{coord|33|8|31|N|117|10|13|W|region:US-CA_type:city(95,000)|display=inline,title}}
| timezone_DST       = PDT
| utc_offset_DST     = −7
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP Code]]s
| postal_code        = 92069, 92078–92079, 92096
| area_code_type     = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area codes]]
| area_code          = [[Area codes 442 and 760|442/760]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = {{FIPS|06|68196}}
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature IDs
| blank1_info        = {{GNIS 4|1661388}}, {{GNIS 4|2411797}}
| website            = {{URL|www.san-marcos.net}}
}}

'''San Marcos''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|s|æ|n|_|ˈ|m|ɑːr|k|oʊ|s}} {{respell|SAN|_|MAR|kohs}}; Spanish for "[[Saint Mark|St. Mark]]") is a city in the [[North County (San Diego area)|North County]] region of [[San Diego County, California]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the city's population was 94,833. It is the site of [[California State University San Marcos]] and [[Palomar College]]. The city is bordered by [[Escondido, California|Escondido]] to the east, [[Encinitas, California|Encinitas]] to the southwest, [[Carlsbad, California|Carlsbad]] to the west, and [[Vista, California|Vista]] to the northwest. [[Lake San Marcos, California|Lake San Marcos]] is an enclave, or [[county island]], within the southwestern part of the city and its sphere of influence but is an unincorporated community.

==History==
[[File:Diseño_of_Rancho_Vallecitos_de_San_Marcos.png|thumb|left|The origins and name of San Marcos come from [[Rancho Vallecitos de San Marcos]], a Mexican-era [[ranchos of California|rancho]] granted in 1840 to [[Californio]] ranchero [[José María Alvarado]] by his cousin Governor [[Juan Bautista Alvarado]].]]

According to historical legends, the San Luis Rey Mission flocks were robbed by a small band of Native Americans in the late 18th century. Fleeing the Spanish troops, the Native Americans escaped to the hills. While pursuing the Native Americans in 1797 the [[Spanish people|Spaniards]] came upon a fertile valley, 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 {{convert|160|acre|km2}} in the north Twin Oaks Valley and began wine and honey production.

German and Dutch immigrants began moving into the area in the early 1880s. In 1883, a few miles south of the settlement, John H. Barham (for whom the present-day Barham Drive is named) founded the first town in the area, originally situated on the southeast corner of what are now [[Rancho Santa Fe Road]] and [[San Marcos Boulevard]]. By 1884, the town of Barham had a post office, blacksmith, feed store and 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 hills began attracting home-seekers.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

The original town of San Marcos was about a mile north of Barham, at the intersection of what is now Grand Avenue and Rancho Santa Fe Road. In 1887, the [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway|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 {{convert|1|mi|km|spell=in}} from the center of the town. By 1896, San Marcos was a community with its own stores, post office, blacksmith, and railroad depot. The first school in the area, which was started in Barham in 1886, had been moved to San Marcos three years later, as Barham was fading due to its distance from the railroad. To prevent San Marcos from suffering a similar fate, in 1903 the people of the town picked up their homes and moved a couple miles east along the railroad tracks to what now are [[Mission Road (Escondido)|Mission Road]] and Pico Avenue. By 1905, the town had every convenience, including rural mail delivery and telephone service. Later that same year, the Richland School (now a wedding chapel on Woodland Parkway) was built, becoming the second school in San Marcos. The main business in San Marcos in the 19th and early 20th centuries was farming. 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, and had a population of 17,479 by 1980. The population continued to boom during succeeding decades, surpassing 30,000 in 1990 and nearing 100,000 by 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.san-marcos.net/about-us/demographics|title=San Marcos, CA : Demographics|website=www.san-marcos.net|language=en|access-date=May 1, 2017|archive-date=May 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170521172637/http://www.san-marcos.net/about-us/demographics|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Geography==
[[Image:lakesanmarcos.jpg|thumb|right|Lake San Marcos]]
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|24.4|sqmi|km2}}.  {{convert|24.4|sqmi|km2}} of it is land and {{convert|0.02|sqmi|km2}} of it (0.08%) is water. Due to the moderating influence of the nearby Pacific, temperatures rarely fall below freezing in winter and above 100 degrees F. in summer. Like most of coastal San Diego County, cool overcast from the Pacific is common in May and June ("May gray", "June gloom"). July through September are usually the warmest months, although hot and dry Santa Ana winds can strike any month (most commonly August) and raise risks of severe wildfires. Most of the rain falls between November and March, averaging about 13 inches per year, with up to 20 inches falling in the San Marcos Hills.

===Neighborhoods<ref>{{cite web |title=San Marcos Neighborhoods |url=http://maps2.san-marcos.net/mapgallery/map.html?webmap=2a844172bd3e4614baf5f131a2b2630e |website=maps2.san-marcos.net |access-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607193817/http://maps2.san-marcos.net/mapgallery/map.html?webmap=2a844172bd3e4614baf5f131a2b2630e |archive-date=June 7, 2023 |language=en |url-status=live}}</ref>===
{{Unreferenced section|date=March 2015}}
*Buenavida
*Coronado Hills
*Creek District
*Discovery Hills
*Discovery Meadows
*Grandon Estates
*[[Lake San Marcos, California|Lake San Marcos]] (unincorporated)
*Old Creek Ranch
*Rancho Coronado/Rancho Tesoro
*Rancho Dorado
*Rancho Santalina
*Rancho Tesoro
*Richland
*Richmar
*Rock Springs/Bennett District
*Sage Canyon
*[[San Elijo Hills]]
*Santa Fe Hills
*Stone Canyon
*Twin Oaks Valley
*Village O
*University District/North City<ref>[https://www.northcity.com/ University District/North City]</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1970= 3896
|1980= 17479
|1990= 38974
|2000= 54977
|2010= 83781
|2020= 94833
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015|archive-date=April 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426102944/http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

===2020===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''San Marcos city, California – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – San Marcos city, California|url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALSF12000.P004?g=160XX00US0668196|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 26, 2024}}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – San Marcos city, California|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0668196&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 26, 2024}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – San Marcos city, California|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0668196&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 26, 2024}}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|29,617
|40,736
|style='background: #ffffe6; |41,989
|53.87%
|48.62%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |44.28%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|1,001
|1,756
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,898
|1.82%
|2.10%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.00%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|214
|255
|style='background: #ffffe6; |189
|0.39%
|0.30%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.20%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|2,503
|7,363
|style='background: #ffffe6; |10,185
|4.55%
|8.79%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |10.74%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|119
|289
|style='background: #ffffe6; |253
|0.22%
|0.34%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.27%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|40
|196
|style='background: #ffffe6; |525
|0.07%
|0.23%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.55%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|1,212
|2,489
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,916
|2.20%
|2.97%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5.18%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|20,271
|30,697
|style='background: #ffffe6; |34,878
|36.87%
|36.64%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |36.78%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''54,977'''
|'''83,781'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''94,833'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

===2010===
The [[2010 United States Census]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0668196|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715040329/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0668196|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - San Marcos city|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}}</ref> reported that San Marcos had a population of 83,781. The population density was {{convert|3,435.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of San Marcos was 53,235 (63.5%) [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1,967 (2.3%) [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 591 (0.7%) [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 7,518 (9.0%) [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 322 (0.4%) [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 15,853 (18.9%) from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 4,295 (5.1%) from two or more races.  [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|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 [[marriage|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%) [[POSSLQ|unmarried opposite-sex partnerships]], and 186 (0.7%) [[same-sex partnerships|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 [[family (U.S. Census)|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 {{convert|1,174.3|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}, 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 [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website|archive-date=December 27, 1996|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961227012639/http://www.census.gov/|url-status=live}}</ref> of 2000, there were 54,977 people, 18,111 households, and 13,221 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|893.4|/km2|/mi2|disp=preunit|people|people|abbr=on}}. There were 18,862 housing units at an average density of {{convert|306.5|/km2|/mi2|disp=preunit|units|units|abbr=on}}. The racial makeup of the city was 67.39% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 2.00% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.82% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 4.67% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.24% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 20.39% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 4.48% from two or more races. 36.87% of the population were [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 18,111 households, out of which 39.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. Of all households, 20.3% were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.46.

In the city, the population was 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 were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $45,908, and the median income for a family was $51,292. Males had a median income of $36,297 versus $27,015 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $18,657. 12.0% of the population and 7.8% of families were 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 were living below the poverty line.

=== Ethnic/cultural diversity ===
San Marcos has a diversity of races and ethnic groups common in suburban communities (not ranked, but for example): [[African Americans]], [[Irish people|Irish]], [[Italian People|Italian]], [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]], [[German people|German]], [[Polish People|Polish]], [[Russian People|Russian]], [[Armenian People|Armenian]], [[Iranian peoples|Iranian]], [[Indian people|Indian]], [[Vietnamese people|Vietnamese]], [[Chinese people|Chinese]], [[Japanese people|Japanese]], [[Filipinos|Filipino]], [[Mexican people|Mexican]], [[Salvadorans|Salvadorian]], [[Argentines|Argentine]], [[Cuban people|Cuban]], [[Puerto Rican people|Puerto Rican]], [[Hawaiian people|Hawaiian]], [[Jewish People|Jewish]], and [[Samoan people|Samoan]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.diversitydata.org/Data/Profiles/Show.aspx?loc=1228 |title=Archived copy |access-date=April 1, 2016 |archive-date=March 25, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160325023536/http://diversitydata.org/Data/Profiles/Show.aspx?loc=1228 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Economy==
===Top employers===
According to the city's 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.san-marcos.net/home/showpublisheddocument/26032/637769054858870000 |title=City of San Marcos ACFR|access-date=May 29, 2022 }}</ref> the top 10 employers in the city are:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Rank !! Employer !! # of Employees !! % of total employment
|-
| 1 || [[San Marcos Unified School District]] || 2,464 || 5.33%
|-
| 2 || [[California State University San Marcos]] || 1,800 || 3.89%
|-
| 3 || [[Palomar College|Palomar Community College]] || 1,769 || 3.82%
|-
| 4 || [[Hunter Industries]] || 815 || 1.76%
|-
| 5 || [[United Parcel Service]] || 551 || 1.19%
|-
| 6 || [[Kaiser Permanente|So. CA Permanente Med Group]] || 449 || 0.97%
|-
| 7 || [[Costco Wholesale]] || 390 || 0.84%
|-
| 8 || TrueCare || 250 || 0.54%
|-
| 9 || Lusardi Construction Co. || 250 || 0.54%
|-
| 10 || [[Wal-Mart]] || 216 || 0.47%
|}

==Arts and culture==
An illuminated cross on a hill above Lake San Marcos that is visible at night from many parts of the city has been a community landmark for decades.<ref>Sterrett, David. [https://archive.today/20120904112757/http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/article_ca912e9d-e31d-5535-aea6-4c9c6600b86a.html Lights on cross above Lake San Marcos back on]. [[North County Times]]. January 14, 2006. Retrieved March 8, 2010.</ref> Other landmarks include the Williams Barn (or "Red Barn"), a community center and reception hall built in 1952 to resemble a "big red barn". It is in Walnut Grove Park in Twin Oaks, along with a collection of historic houses from around the city maintained by the San Marcos Historical Society.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://92078magazine.com/2017/07/07/the-san-marcos-historical-society-enriches-our-future-by-preserving-our-past/|title=The San Marcos Historical Society Enriches Our Future by Preserving Our Past|date=July 7, 2017|work=92078 Magazine|access-date=June 4, 2018|archive-date=November 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171129103912/http://92078magazine.com/2017/07/07/the-san-marcos-historical-society-enriches-our-future-by-preserving-our-past/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Government==
San Marcos uses a [[Council–manager government|council-manager]] system of government with a separately elected mayor. The city council consists of the mayor and four other members. The mayor is elected at-large every four years, while the other council members are elected individually to represent one of four districts in the city. They also serve four-year terms. Formerly, these members were elected at-large, with all candidates appearing on a single slate and the top four vote-getters being declared elected. But in 2018, the city was divided into four districts, each electing a separate council member. Their terms are staggered, so that members from districts 1 and 2 are elected one year, and those from districts 3 and 4 are voted in two years later. As of December 2024, the mayor is Rebecca Jones, the mayor Pro Tem is Mike Sannella (D2), and the other councilmembers are Maria Nuñez (D1), Danielle LeBlang (D3) and Ed Musgrove (D4).
  
As of September 2023, the city manager is Michelle Bender.<ref>{{Cite web|title=City Manager|url=http://www.ci.san-marcos.ca.us/index.aspx?page=41|publisher=City of San Marcos, CA|access-date=March 18, 2015|archive-date=September 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923203250/http://www.ci.san-marcos.ca.us/index.aspx?page=41|url-status=live}}</ref>

At the state level, San Marcos is in {{Representative|caad|76|fmt=adistrict}}, and {{Representative|casd|40|fmt=sdistrict}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Final Maps |url=https://www.wedrawthelinesca.org/final_maps |access-date=May 17, 2023 |website=We Draw the Lines CA |language=en}}</ref> The city is represented by [[Jim Desmond]] in the 5th district of the County Board of Supervisors.

===Federal representation===
With respect to the [[United States House of Representatives]], San Marcos is in {{Representative|cacd|50|fmt=district}}.

==Education==
===San Marcos Unified School District===
{{Main|San Marcos Unified School District}}
The San Marcos Unified School District is one of San Diego County's largest school districts and includes 20 schools with diverse educational programs from kindergarten through adult education students. SMUSD has 11 elementary schools, 3 middle schools (San Elijo Hills, Woodland Park and San Marcos middle schools), 2 K-8 school (Double Peak, La Mirada Academy K-8), 2 comprehensive high schools ([[San Marcos High School (San Marcos, California)|San Marcos High School]] and [[Mission Hills High School]]), 1 charter high school, 1 independent study high school, 1 continuation school, and 1 adult school. SMUSD serves more than 21,000 students in San Marcos, as well as sections of Vista, Escondido, Carlsbad and Encinitas, and some unincorporated areas of the county, such as Buena, Twin Oaks Valley, Deer Springs, Lake San Marcos, Harmony Grove, and Elfin Forrest. San Marcos Adult School was established in 1993 by the San Marcos Unified School District. It provides adult education services in the City of San Marcos and its surrounding communities. The adult school campus is on the grounds of Twin Oaks High School, in Twin Oaks Valley. San Marcos Adult School offers adult education courses for in high school diploma, GED, HISET, adult basic education, and English as a Second Language. It works with Palomar College and other local adult schools to connect students with post-secondary education and training. San Marcos Adult School is a member of the Education to Career Network of North San Diego County. ETCN is one of 71 Consortiums in California and is funded by the California Adult Education Program.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.smusd.org/Page/10 |title=District Overview / Key Facts |access-date=October 17, 2016 |archive-date=October 18, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018231232/http://www.smusd.org/Page/10 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===High Tech High, Middle and Elementary, North County===
High Tech High, Middle and Elementary are all charter schools in San Marcos. High Tech High, which started with a single school in 2000, uses small-school settings, where students learn through projects, internships and interaction with professionals. It is across the street from [[San Marcos High School (San Marcos, California)|San Marcos High School]] on San Marcos Boulevard.<ref>hightechhigh.org/schools/HTHNC</ref>

===Palomar College===
{{Main|Palomar College}}
The main {{convert|200|acre|km2|adj=on}} campus of Palomar College is in northern San Marcos. It is a public two-year [[Community colleges in the United States|community college]] and part of the [[California Community Colleges]] system. It enrolls about 30,000 full-time and part-time students. Palomar offers more than 250 associate degree and certificate programs. California residents are charged $46 per unit.

A giant letter P (for "Palomar") on the hillside above campus is a San Marcos landmark, visible miles away.<ref>http://wikimapia.org/676190/The-Palomar-College-P {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928225713/http://wikimapia.org/676190/The-Palomar-College-P |date=September 28, 2012 }} - Palomar Letter P</ref>

===California State University===
{{Main|California State University, San Marcos}}

Cal State San Marcos is a campus in the [[California State University]] system. It was founded in 1989 and built on a {{convert|304|acre|km2|adj=on}} hillside in southeastern San Marcos. It enrolls about 14,000 students and offers 44 undergraduate programs, 10 graduate programs and 1 Doctorate in Education in three colleges and one nursing school.

==Infrastructure==
===Transportation===
====Roads and highways====
[[California State Route 78|State Route 78]] provides freeway access to San Marcos, with six interchanges serving the city. Several roads in San Marcos are county routes that connect the city with other nearby cities including Vista, Carlsbad and Escondido, such as Rancho Santa Fe Road ([[California county routes in zone S#S10|CR S10]]), San Marcos Boulevard and Twin Oaks Valley Road ([[California county routes in zone S#S12|CR S12]]), and Mission Road ([[California county routes in zone S#S14|CR S14]]).

====Public transportation====
[[Sprinter (rail service)|SPRINTER]] light rail service, operated by the [[North County Transit District]] (NCTD), is available in San Marcos, with stops at [[Palomar College station|Palomar College]], [[San Marcos Civic Center station|San Marcos Civic Center]], [[Cal State San Marcos station|Cal State San Marcos]], and Nordahl Road. BREEZE buses, also operated by NCTD, serve the city using lines 304, 305, 347, 353, and 445.<ref>{{cite web |title=NCTD System Map |url=https://gonctd.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/NCTDSystemMap.pdf |access-date=September 19, 2020 |archive-date=February 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210206010430/https://gonctd.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/NCTDSystemMap.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Notable people==
<!--ALPHABETICAL order by surname, please! DO NOT add yourself! DO NOT add anyone without a Wikipedia article!  Thanks.-->
* [[Joe Barton (soccer)|Joe Barton]], soccer player<ref>{{Cite web |title=Joe Barton |url=https://plnusealions.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/joe-barton/2279 |access-date=January 7, 2025 |website=[[Point Loma Sea Lions]]}}</ref>
* [[Terrell Burgess]], [[National Football League]] (NFL) player
* [[Greg Evans (cartoonist)|Greg Evans]], cartoonist and creator of ''[[Luann (comic strip)|Luann]]''
* [[Liliana Mumy]], actress<ref>{{cite web |date=August 2, 2020 |title=Disney Channel Stars |url=https://mailamovie.info/2020/08/02/disney-channel-stars/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923082150/https://mailamovie.info/2020/08/02/disney-channel-stars/ |archive-date=September 23, 2020 |access-date=August 4, 2020 |work=MailAMovie}}</ref>
*[[Fred Warner (American football)|Fred Warner]], professional football player
*[[Nia Jax]], professional wrestler with WWE

==See also==
{{Portal|California}}
* [[List of cities and towns in California]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|San Marcos, California}}
{{Wikivoyage|San Marcos (California)}}
* [https://www.san-marcos.net/ San Marcos official website]
* [http://www.sanmarcoschamber.com/ San Marcos Chamber of Commerce]
* [https://discoveramericastatebystate.com/travel/san-marcos-city-guide/ San Marcos City Guide]

{{San Diego County}}
{{San Diego metropolitan area}}
{{California}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:San Marcos, California| ]]
[[Category:1963 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Cities in San Diego County, California]]
[[Category:Incorporated cities and towns in California]]
[[Category:North County (San Diego County)]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1963]]
[[Category:San Diego metropolitan area]]