Town Hall · San Marcos

San Marcos, CA town hall & government

San Marcos spent $139.7 million in the year to June 30, 2022, about $1,433 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach San Marcos's government.

Local leadership

Who runs San Marcos

From public records (Open States and Wikidata), which can lag behind an election. If a name is out of date, tell us: when two neighbors agree, it's hidden until the records catch up.

Town budget

Where San Marcos's money goes

Spent
$139.7 million
fiscal year to June 30, 2022
Per resident
$1,433
typical California cities: $1,906
Long-term debt
$53.4 million
$548 per resident
Roads & transportation
$32.9 million24%
Administration & buildings
$26.8 million19%
Police
$22.6 million16%
Fire
$16.1 million12%
Health & welfare
$13.2 million9%
Parks & libraries
$10.2 million7%
Housing & development
$8.4 million6%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$2.1 million1%
Interest on debt
$1.6 million1%
Other
$5.8 million4%

Where the money comes from

  • Fees & charges 24%
  • From the federal government 19%
  • Sales taxes 18%
  • Property taxes 15%
  • Interest, fines & other 14%
  • From other local governments 5%
  • From the state 3%
  • Other taxes & licenses 2%
Town workforce

Who works for San Marcos

Full-time staff
229
109 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$110,900
a year, before benefits
Full-time firefighters
70
on the town payroll
Fire
86 full-time16 part
Parks & libraries
41 full-time72 part
Administration & buildings
40 full-time12 part
Roads & transportation
36 full-time4 part
Housing & development
12 full-time2 part
Other
14 full-time3 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2022. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

San Marcos Unified School District

San Marcos's K–12 school district. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$16,525
California: $21,206
Students
19,374
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$428.9 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from California districts overall: 36% local, 52% state, 11% federal

  • Local 43%
  • State 50%
  • Federal 7%

Of the $16,525 per pupil, $10,329 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Also serving San Marcos: San Dieguito Union High School District ($15,720 per pupil) · Escondido Union High School District ($21,430 per pupil).

Property tax

What homeowners in San Marcos pay

Typical tax bill
$6,608
a year · California typical $5,124
Effective rate
0.76%
of home value · California 0.70%
Typical home value
$868,000
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact San Marcos's government

🏛️ Official websiteci.san-marcos.ca.us ↗

Town hall & decisions in San Marcos →

Beyond town hall

Who represents San Marcos

San Marcos is represented in Congress by Senators Alex Padilla and Adam B. Schiff and Representative Scott H. Peters. Gavin Newsom is governor.

All of San Marcos's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

You’re browsing

San Marcos

California · CA
View town boundary →
Township / city / CDP overlaps possible.
Loading boundary…

San Marcos is your selected town. The feed includes posts assigned to this town, not a distance radius or ZIP code.

Neighborhoods narrow the feed further, while townwide announcements, events, and issues remain visible.

Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01