Lake San Marcos is a community in San Diego County, California, home to about 4,693 people across 1.7 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 92078.
Homes sold for a median of $530 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly San Marcos; part is in Lake San Marcos
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Lake San Marcos. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Lake San Marcos’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Lake San Marcos well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | San Diego International Airport (SAN)27 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | McClellan-Palomar Airport (CLD)6 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | San Diego, CA20 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Lake San Marcos; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Lake San Marcos had 5,328 residents in the 2020 census, up 29% since 2000.
It’s the 677th largest of 1,563 towns in California by population.
San Diego County grew from 35,090 residents in 1900 to 3,298,634 in 2020.
San Diego County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 76°F in summer, and winter lows average 47°F. About 11.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Carlsbad Palomar Ap, CA weather station (5 miles away).
1,391,721 jobs at 93,407 businesses in San Diego County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
446 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Lake San Marcos.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 53 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 36 |
| Dentists | 53 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 45 |
| Mental health providers | 123 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 96 |
| Optometrists | 8 |
| Chiropractors | 32 |
| Pharmacies | 15 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (4 nearby)
Grocery stores
Pharmacies
Libraries
Theaters and performance venues
Counts are within about 1 mile of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Baypoint Preparatory Academy - San Diego District, San Marcos Unified, High Tech Elementary North County District and others. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baypoint Preparatory Academy - San DiegoSan Marcos | K–8 | 162 | Charter | 2.4 mi |
| Discovery ElementarySan Marcos | K–5 | 717 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| Double PeakSan Marcos | K–8 | 1,171 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| High Tech Elementary North CountySan Marcos | K–5 | 438 | Charter | 1.4 mi |
| La Mirada AcademySan Marcos | K–8 | 868 | Public | 1.9 mi |
| Pivot Charter School - San Diego IISan Marcos | K–12 | 90 | Charter | 1.4 mi |
| San Elijo ElementarySan Marcos | K–5 | 834 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| High Tech Middle North CountySan Marcos | 6–8 | 341 | Charter | 1.3 mi |
| San Elijo MiddleSan Marcos | 6–8 | 1,395 | Public | 1.6 mi |
| High Tech High North CountySan Marcos | 9–12 | 409 | Charter | 1.3 mi |
| San Marcos HighSan Marcos | 9–12 | 3,067 | Public | 1.5 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Joseph AcademySan Marcos | TK–12 | 355 | Roman Catholic | 2.3 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with San Marcos and Harmony Grove.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.