CARLSBAD — Carlsbad was recently ranked among the top 20 cities for young families in Southern California by NerdWallet, a consumer advocacy website.
Carlsbad was ranked 19 out of 186 cities. The factors that were considered were public school excellence, home affordability, median household income, monthly home ownership costs and income growth.
Carlsbad’s median home value is $617,200 and the median household income is just under $84,000 annually, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
The most influencing factor in the study was public school performance, as rated by nonprofit school information site GreatSchools.org. Carlsbad High School was ranked within the top five percent nationally by U.S. News.
Public schools in Carlsbad Unified School District have an above average graduation rate of 94.9 percent, according to CUSD Superintendent Suzette Lovely.
Another factor included in the study was the average homeowner costs. On average, residents pay about $2,900 a month in homeowner costs.
The best Southern California town for young families is Irvine, as ranked by NerdWallet.
Encinitas was ranked about 20 spots lower than Carlsbad because of the high median home price, which is $703,000. Also, Encinitas schools weren’t as high performing as Carlsbad’s.
Oceanside was ranked at 94, with an average home price of $356,000. The schools were given a rating of six by GreatSchools, compared to Carlsbad’s rating of nine. The average annual household income is about $61,000 in Oceanside and homeowners spend about $2,300 monthly on home expenses.
Del Mar and Solana Beach weren’t considered in the study because their population sizes weren’t large enough.
Only one of the top 10 cities rated among the top for young families is directly located on the coast, Seal Beach in Orange County.
