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San Carlos San Diego California
Bill Lovejoy

Living in San Carlos San Diego ⛰️ | What to Know Before Moving to San Carlos

Last Updated On: 24th July 2024, 07:43 am

If you want to settle down in a beautiful San Diego neighborhood, then look no further than San Carlos! Located just a few miles from Downtown San Diego, San Carlos is known for its gorgeous nature, family-friendly atmosphere, and beautiful real estate. Living in San Carlos San Diego has never been better! However, before moving to this San Diego County neighborhood, you’ll want to make sure it is a good fit for you. Here’s everything you need to know about what San Carlos offers.

Where Is San Carlos?

 

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Located in eastern San Diego, San Carlos is a lovely neighborhood in San Diego County. San Carlos San Diego CA is only 12.7 miles from Downtown San Diego, offering residents easy access to everything the big city has to offer. The neighborhood is bordered by the neighborhoods of Del Cerro, Tierrasanta, and Allied Gardens as well as the city of La Mesa. The northern border of San Carlos is made up of Mission Trails Regional Park, providing residents living in San Carlos San Diego with access to hiking and biking trails right in their own backyard. The San Carlos zip code is 92120.

When living in San Carlos San Diego, the best way to get from place to place is by car. There are public transportation stops within the neighborhood, but many stops and changes are required to travel anywhere significant. However, after moving to San Carlos, you can easily take advantage of Rideshare programs like Uber and Lyft. There are several freeways in and around San Carlos. Interstates and roads like California State Route 125 and Interstate 8 are easily accessible from San Carlos, offering residents quick and convenient access to Downtown.

After moving to San Carlos, you’ll have several opportunities for quick weekend trips. The neighborhood is 124 miles from Los Angeles, 219 miles from Santa Barbara, and 506 miles from San Francisco.

San Carlos San Diego Map

San Carlos History & Overview

 

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First founded in 1970, San Carlos was developed by Carlos Tavares, whom the neighborhood is named after. Additionally, Carlos’ wife, Claire, lent her name to the San Diego community of Clairemont. Tavares had a great love for nature, and many of the streets within the neighborhood start with the word ‘Lake.’ This East County neighborhood has always been largely residential, despite it growing significantly over the past few decades.

  • San Carlos population: 13,423
  • San Carlos median household income: $117,481
  • Median age: 41
  • Foreign-born population: 10.1%
  • Racial & ethnic composition: 80.43% White, 7.22% Asian, 5.02% two or more races, 3.86% Black or African American, 2.73% other race

What’s It Like Living in San Carlos San Diego?

 

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What can you expect after moving to San Carlos San Diego CA? San Carlos offers a calm, laid-back lifestyle that is perfect for families of all ages and sizes. Although this neighborhood is within the city of San Diego, it provides a rural feel, with several neighborhood parks as well as Mission Trails Regional Park to the north. Therefore, living in San Carlos San Diego is perfect for those who want to enjoy a laid-back lifestyle while still having easy access to big city amenities.

To add to the community atmosphere, San Carlos hosts the annual Lake Murray Fireworks and Music Fest. This music festival is held every year at Lake Murray Community Park and is hosted by volunteers and community members. The fireworks show can be seen all around San Carlos as well as the surrounding neighborhoods and communities of La Mesa, Del Cerro, and Allied Gardens.

As mentioned before, San Carlos San Diego CA is largely residential and is therefore very quiet and peaceful. There is no nightlife scene in this area, although residents living in San Carlos San Diego can easily commute into the Downtown area to enjoy all of the wonderful nightclubs and bars. Within the San Carlos neighborhood, you’ll find mostly single-family homes with well-manicured lawns.

Additionally, there are plenty of recreation areas with open space for residents to enjoy. Although there aren’t many businesses in the area, you’ll find a few grocery stores, department stores, and dining options scattered around the neighborhood. Additionally, there are several schools in and around San Carlos.

Things to Do in San Carlos - Best Restaurants, Attractions & Shopping

Aren’t sure what to do in San Carlos? Luckily there are several fun San Carlos attractions for you and your family to enjoy. Here are just a few fun things to do in San Carlos.

Restaurants

You’ll find no shortage of incredible restaurants in San Carlos. Mountain Mike’s Pizza is one of the best restaurants in San Carlos, offering up traditional pies and delicious appetizers. If you are in the mood for tacos, then head over to Cotijas Taco Shop, where you’ll find quick Mexican fast food options. A few of the other best places to eat in San Carlos include Primos Mexican Food and The Trails Eatery.

Things to Do

This San Diego neighborhood is known for its amazing recreational areas. Mission Trails Regional Park, which is located just north of the neighborhood, is an 8,000-acre recreational park featuring over 60 miles of hiking and biking trails. The park also contains Cowles Mountain, which is the highest point in San Diego. Other fun attractions include Mission Trails Golf Course and Lake Murray Park.

Shopping

If you love to shop, then there are plenty of places for you to explore when living in San Carlos. The Navajo Shopping Center is the neighborhood's most popular mall, featuring several retail stores as well as eateries and restaurants. Other nearby options include San Carlos Village and Grossmont Center.

San Carlos Schools

Are you moving to San Carlos with children? If so, you’ll be happy to know that there are plenty of amazing schools in the area. Residents living in San Carlos San Diego California are served by the San Diego Unified School District. This San Carlos school district is the second-largest school district in California, just behind Los Angeles Unified. The public schools within San Carlos include:

  • Dailard Elementary School
  • Gage Elementary School
  • Green Elementary School
  • Benchley/Weinberger Elementary School
  • Lewis Middle School
  • Pershing Middle School
  • Patrick Henry High School

There are also a few private schools in the area. One of the most popular private schools in San Carlos is The Charter School of San Diego. This independent study program serves grades 6 through 12 and has been awarded the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award twice. This is the nation's highest Presidential honor for performance excellence, and CSSD was the first K-12 school to ever receive the award.

If you are moving to San Carlos San Diego California with older children, then there are a few higher education options nearby. San Diego State University is only 5 miles away from the neighborhood, while Grossmont College is only 3.5 miles away.

When living in San Carlos, you can utilize the resources at the San Carlos Branch Library.

Is San Carlos San Diego Safe?

San Carlos is easily one of the safest neighborhoods in San Diego. Let’s take a look at the crime rates for this East County neighborhood.

  • Overall crime rate: 1,089 crimes per 100,000 people (69.4% lower than the city of San Diego)
  • Violent crime rate: 152 crimes per 100,000 people (95.7% lower than the city of San Diego)
  • Property crime rate: 937 crimes per 100,000 people (63.9% lower than the city of San Diego)

As you can see, living in San Carlos is very safe. The crime rates in the neighborhood are well below the averages for the city of San Diego. After moving to San Carlos, you’ll be served by the City of San Diego Police Department.

San Carlos Real Estate

Are you on the hunt for San Carlos San Diego homes for sale? The San Carlos San Diego real estate market is booming, with a median home price of $930,000, according to Redfin. This is above the national average of $433,000 but below the city of San Diego average of $970,000. Most of the properties in San Carlos are single-family homes, but you’ll find a few condos and apartments scattered throughout the area.

If you’d rather rent in San Carlos, then you can explore places like the Lakeshore Villa Apartments, Canyon View Apartments, and Vue at Lake Murray. According to RentCafe, the average rent in San Carlos San Diego California is $2,674 per month.

Is moving to San Carlos in your future? Living in San Carlos San Diego is a great opportunity for anyone. Residents enjoy fabulous public schools, beautiful nature, and friendly neighborhoods in this cozy community. If you are ready to make your move, then get in touch with our San Carlos CA movers. Give our team a call today at (619) 591-0079 to get started with a free estimate.

Bill Lovejoy
Bill Lovejoy is the president of Republic Moving and Storage. Purchasing the assets of Republic Relocations in May 2008. In 2008, Republic did $700K of business and today is over $15 Million. Republic was named AMSA’s 2010 Agent of the Year for Service Excellence after only two years in business. Bill is proud that he grew up doing every facet of the business from a local mover, over the road driver, salesperson, operations manager, and general manager. (and just about everything else in between) Before purchasing Republic, Bill was with Bekins Moving and Storage where he served as a Senior Vice President and was a partner. He was responsible for three HHG companies as well as two logistics companies. A proud Father of six children, and a lovely wife, Carol, Bill constantly works to keep a balance between work and family Life. Bills “stress relieving” hobbies include racket ball, basketball, tennis, and golf.
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