Should I Move To
San Clemente, California is home to about 64,232 people. On cost of living, it lands in the very expensive band — 38% above the national average. The median renter pays around $2,289 a month against a typical household income of $134,730. Our composite UrbRank Score lands at 31 out of 100 (grade F), putting it at #945 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
San Clemente's composite cost-of-living index lands at 138 (100 = US average), which puts it in the very expensive band. At $2,289/mo against $134,730 in median household income, the typical renter spends about 20% of income on housing — right inside the standard 30%-of-income guideline. Median home value sits around $1,161,000.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Climate is hot-summer — summer averages around 103°F, winter averages around 37°F. Precipitation totals about 4 inches a year. You'll need a car for most things, though the central core is more walkable than the citywide score suggests. AQI runs about 46 — a "good" reading.
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
San Clemente doesn't obviously fit families. The profile-weighted score is 31/100 — a F. Its standout dimension is education (80/100); the soft spot is affordability (4/100).
San Clemente doesn't obviously fit retirees. The profile-weighted score is 16/100 — a F. Its standout dimension is education (80/100); the soft spot is affordability (4/100).
San Clemente doesn't obviously fit remote workers. The profile-weighted score is 15/100 — a F. Its standout dimension is education (80/100); the soft spot is affordability (4/100).
San Clemente doesn't obviously fit young professionals. The profile-weighted score is 37/100 — a F. Its standout dimension is education (80/100); the soft spot is affordability (4/100).
Our overall score for San Clemente is 31/100 — a F, sitting at #945 in the national ranking. It's a weighted average across the seven UrbRank dimensions.
By the composite index, San Clemente sits at 138 — very expensive, 38% above the national average. Median renter pays around $2,289 a month.
San Clemente runs hot-summer on the weather. Summer's near 103°F, winter's near 37°F; 4 inches of precipitation annually.
Walk Score: 31/100. You'll need a car for most things, though the central core is more walkable than the citywide score suggests.
Roughly 64,232 people live here, with 50% college-educated (bachelor's or higher) among adults 25+ with a median age of 44.
Drop San Clemente into the comparison tool with any other US city and you'll get housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life data lined up side by side. Profile-specific leaderboards (families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals) are linked from the navigation.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare San Clemente with other California cities scored on UrbRank.
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