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Sofia Stewart
best-worst
Things San Marcos needs to improve
Household incomes average around $51,030 in San Marcos.
3 upvotes
25 Replies
Cora Kim
As someone who grew up here, I love the pace of life here. A lot has changed in the past few years though. traffic used to be much growing but now it's better than expected.
40 upvotes
Roman Gonzalez
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 7 years ago from Minneapolis and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: If you look outside the main areas you can find deals. We're paying /mo for a 3-bed in Sunset. It's improving for what you get.
Jobs: The market is manageable right now, especially in legal. If you're in consulting you might struggle.
People: Generally excellent. It took about 18 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: solid. Tons of options if you like Vietnamese.
Good luck with whatever you decide..
Housing: If you look outside the main areas you can find deals. We're paying /mo for a 3-bed in Sunset. It's improving for what you get.
Jobs: The market is manageable right now, especially in legal. If you're in consulting you might struggle.
People: Generally excellent. It took about 18 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: solid. Tons of options if you like Vietnamese.
Good luck with whatever you decide..
40 upvotes
Peyton Bailey
good to know, thanks
40 upvotes
Miles O.
I'm a lawyer and I've found I wouldn't want to live anywhere else right now. The community is better than expected and there's always something going on.
40 upvotes
Riley P.
Bought a house here in 2015 and I love the pace of life here. Property values have gone down slightly since then.
40 upvotes
John Chavez
Public transit is tough here. You'll probably need a car for most things. it's not perfect but it works for me.
39 upvotes
Mason Ward
I work in tech here and I'm still on the fence after all this time. The job market for my field is excellent. Give it a chance - it might surprise you..
36 upvotes
Emma
lol so true
31 upvotes
sunny_allison38
glad someone said it
27 upvotes
Nolan Peterson
Depends on what you're looking for honestly. If you want cultural scene, then yeah this place is great. But if traffic matters to you, might want to look elsewhere.
26 upvotes
Riley
nah I disagree
23 upvotes
Jameson B.
accurate
21 upvotes
Caroline Reyes
My experience has been mostly positive. I'm still on the fence after all this time. The only thing I'd watch out for is public transit. Other than that, Good luck with whatever you decide..
20 upvotes
Jacob Morales
I'd say the biggest thing people don't talk about is outdoor recreation. the quality of life is solid. Worth doing your research before committing.
20 upvotes
Gerald S.
Hot take but I have mixed feelings honestly. I know a lot of people disagree but after 10 years here, that's my honest assessment.
18 upvotes
Aaron Johnson
The food scene here is pretty good. Tons of great Mexican places. it's exactly what I was looking for.
18 upvotes
Harper Bailey
Alright, I'll give you the full rundown since I see a lot of surface-level answers here.
I've been in Lakewood for 2 years. Moved from Minneapolis for my partner's job. Here's my honest, detailed take:
**Housing:**
The market right now is excellent. We bought in 2015 at k and it's now worth about the same than that. If you're renting, expect /mo for a decent 3-bed in a safe area. Buying is tough right now, renting is more reasonable.
**Employment:**
legal is strong here. government is hit or miss. If you're remote, you'll love the cost of living. Average salaries are affordable for the area.
**Quality of Life:**
I have mixed feelings honestly. The outdoor scene is improving - we have beaches within easy driving distance. Dining has gotten so much better in the past few years.
**Schools (if relevant):**
Varies hugely by district. Lakewood schools are decent. If you have kids, this should be your number one factor in choosing a neighborhood.
**The Bad:**
I'd be lying if I said everything is great. Limited shopping options. Bugs and humidity in summer. And housing market can be frustrating.
**Bottom line:**
For remote workers, I'd say this is a 8/10. Definitely worth checking out.. Feel free to ask specific questions - happy to help.
I've been in Lakewood for 2 years. Moved from Minneapolis for my partner's job. Here's my honest, detailed take:
**Housing:**
The market right now is excellent. We bought in 2015 at k and it's now worth about the same than that. If you're renting, expect /mo for a decent 3-bed in a safe area. Buying is tough right now, renting is more reasonable.
**Employment:**
legal is strong here. government is hit or miss. If you're remote, you'll love the cost of living. Average salaries are affordable for the area.
**Quality of Life:**
I have mixed feelings honestly. The outdoor scene is improving - we have beaches within easy driving distance. Dining has gotten so much better in the past few years.
**Schools (if relevant):**
Varies hugely by district. Lakewood schools are decent. If you have kids, this should be your number one factor in choosing a neighborhood.
**The Bad:**
I'd be lying if I said everything is great. Limited shopping options. Bugs and humidity in summer. And housing market can be frustrating.
**Bottom line:**
For remote workers, I'd say this is a 8/10. Definitely worth checking out.. Feel free to ask specific questions - happy to help.
18 upvotes
Zoe Richardson
Renting here right now, paying about /mo for a 3-bedroom. I love the pace of life here. Compared to Charlotte it's surprisingly good.
17 upvotes
fresno_alexander
good to know, thanks
13 upvotes
Jose K.
Alright, I'll give you the full rundown since I see a lot of surface-level answers here.
I've been in North for 6 years. Moved from Austin for a fresh start. Here's my honest, detailed take:
**Housing:**
The market right now is challenging. We bought in 2023 at k and it's now worth up a bit than that. If you're renting, expect /mo for a decent 1-bed in a safe area. Buying is tough right now, renting is more reasonable.
**Employment:**
government is strong here. legal is hit or miss. If you're remote, you'll love the cost of living. Average salaries are manageable for the area.
**Quality of Life:**
it exceeded my expectations. The outdoor scene is hit or miss - we have lakes within easy driving distance. Dining has gotten so much better in the past few years.
**Schools (if relevant):**
Varies hugely by district. North schools are decent. If you have kids, this should be your number one factor in choosing a neighborhood.
**The Bad:**
I'd be lying if I said everything is great. Dating scene is rough. Bugs and humidity in summer. And traffic can be frustrating.
**Bottom line:**
For retirees, I'd say this is a 7/10. Feel free to reach out with questions.. Feel free to ask specific questions - happy to help.
I've been in North for 6 years. Moved from Austin for a fresh start. Here's my honest, detailed take:
**Housing:**
The market right now is challenging. We bought in 2023 at k and it's now worth up a bit than that. If you're renting, expect /mo for a decent 1-bed in a safe area. Buying is tough right now, renting is more reasonable.
**Employment:**
government is strong here. legal is hit or miss. If you're remote, you'll love the cost of living. Average salaries are manageable for the area.
**Quality of Life:**
it exceeded my expectations. The outdoor scene is hit or miss - we have lakes within easy driving distance. Dining has gotten so much better in the past few years.
**Schools (if relevant):**
Varies hugely by district. North schools are decent. If you have kids, this should be your number one factor in choosing a neighborhood.
**The Bad:**
I'd be lying if I said everything is great. Dating scene is rough. Bugs and humidity in summer. And traffic can be frustrating.
**Bottom line:**
For retirees, I'd say this is a 7/10. Feel free to reach out with questions.. Feel free to ask specific questions - happy to help.
12 upvotes
Aaron Gutierrez
I work in finance here and I genuinely enjoy living here. The job market for my field is tough. Happy to answer more specific questions..
12 upvotes
Adrian Carter
underrated comment
8 upvotes
Asher D.
Gonna give a different perspective here since most replies seem solid.
I've been here 1 years and I'm still on the fence after all this time. The thing nobody mentions is food scene. It's reasonable and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the community vibe is legit. And if you're into kayaking, this place is challenging.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Old Town side vs the Meadowbrook side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Good luck with whatever you decide..
I've been here 1 years and I'm still on the fence after all this time. The thing nobody mentions is food scene. It's reasonable and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the community vibe is legit. And if you're into kayaking, this place is challenging.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Old Town side vs the Meadowbrook side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Good luck with whatever you decide..
7 upvotes
Everly Parker
I'm a chef and I've found it's exactly what I was looking for. The community is better than expected and there's always something going on.
6 upvotes
Joshua R.
great question, following
4 upvotes