San Marcos, TX

This city of 80,072 residents needs 5,740 more housing units over the next five years. San Marcos is a CDBG-entitlement community, see how the ROAD to Housing Act could change that funding. San Marcos is part of the Capital Area MPO.

Housing snapshot

Population
80,072 (2026)
Households
29,692
Median household income
$57,660 (2026)
Typical home value
$311,558
Owner-occupied
28%
Five-year housing need
5,740 units

Comparison to other Texas municipalities

San Marcos: $57,660 Median income (2026 estimate)
<$23K >$162K
San Marcos: 1.33 jobs to household ratio
<0 >2.52
San Marcos: Permits since 2021 represent 16.8% of housing
<0% >28%
On this page

How affordable is this community?

A typical home in San Marcos, TX costs $311,558, somewhat above the Texas average of $245,578. At a median household income of $57,660 in San Marcos, TX, affordability is stretched, with households needing roughly $27,098 more to comfortably afford the typical home.

This chart tracks whether housing prices are keeping pace with local incomes. The gap between what homes cost and what households can afford reveals affordability trends over time.

How is the population changing?

San Marcos, TX has a population of roughly 70,897 and is one of the faster-growing communities in its state, adding residents at 3.6% per year.

Population growth patterns reveal how communities are evolving. This chart shows historical population changes by age group and projects future trends based on demographic patterns.

How has employment changed over time?

Jobs by industry sector since 2012. Switch between local jobs — counted where the jobs are located — and resident jobs, counted where the workers live. On the local view the most recent year is a nowcast: it grows the latest local LODES job mix forward using recent county employment growth from QCEW and the BLS local employment series, so the newest point tracks today's economy instead of data that is roughly two years old.

How are households changing by income?

San Marcos, TX is one of the faster-growing communities in Texas, adding households at 3.6% per year and totaling roughly 29,692 households.

Understanding how households at different income levels are growing or declining helps identify which groups face the greatest housing pressure and where new housing is most needed.

Who lives here today?

The housing stock in San Marcos, TX is relatively mixed, with detached single-family as the most common type at 35%. San Marcos, TX is a heavily renter-occupied market, with just 28% of households owning their home.

Households may have different structure type preferences depending on characteristics such as household size, income, employment, presence of children, age of individuals, and lifestyle choices. Understanding the housing stock in corresponding terms helps assess how well existing units align with existing households' ideals.

What does the housing stock look like?

The mix of housing types and ownership patterns shapes a community's character. This chart breaks down housing units by structure type and whether they're owner-occupied or rented.

How much new housing supply is needed?

To keep up with growth and fill current housing shortages, San Marcos, TX needs 5,740 new units over the next 5 years.

4,482
Units needed to keep up with expected growth
Projected total household growth from 2026 to 2031.
15.1%
Projected household growth rate
Expected increase in total households from 29,692 in 2026 to 34,174 in 2031.
1,258
Units to address shortages in existing housing stock
Production needs to address vacancy rates and other factors.
177
Replacement housing
Effective annual loss rate is 1.2 per 1,000 units.
555
Rental vacancy adjustment
Rental vacancy is 4.9%. This is below the minimum stable target of 7.4%.
526
Overcrowding adjustment
Overcrowding rate is 5.3%. This is above National avg. of 3.4%.
5,740
Total 5-year housing production need (2026-2031)
1,148
Annual production pace
Average units needed per year to meet 5-year need
18.9%
Total housing unit growth
Percent increase in housing stock over 5 years
3.8%
Annual housing unit growth
Average percent increase in housing stock per year

Build Now Act: how could CDBG funding change?

The Build Now Act (Section 213 of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act) ties a CDBG entitlement community's grant to how much housing it is building. This is a CommunityScale estimate from public ACS data, not HUD's official determination — HUD calculates from Census Master Address File block counts.

How does this place compare to similar communities?