Carlsbad homeowners were charged property taxes equal to 0.5% of their home’s value in the fourth quarter of 2025, a figure that is below 0.6 times the national average, according to BlockShopper.com.
During the same period, the median Carlsbad home sold for $1,556,000, based on 85 property transactions. The city’s median tax bill was $8,236 in 2025, reflecting 0.5% of the taxed homes’ median value.
The average effective property tax rate nationwide was 0.888% in 2024.
Oceanside posted the highest effective property tax rate among San Diego County cities.
The effective property tax rate for 2025 shown in this article uses estimated inflation rates and county-supplied 2024 tax information. In certain cases, actual rates may be slightly different.
On a national scale, home prices continued growing in 2025, with the median U.S. price rising to about $447,000 in June—a 1.13% increase compared to the prior year, Redfin reported. Data from Redfin also highlight a pronounced supply-demand gap, with 36% more homes offered by sellers than sought by buyers (a difference totaling 508,715 homes). According to Redfin, a market is considered balanced when the difference between sellers and buyers is no more than 10%.
The table below shows Oceanside’s median effective property tax rate compared to other cities in San Diego County, based on sales and tax data from the fourth quarter of 2025.
| City | Q4 2025 Sales | Q4 2025 Median Price | Median tax 2025 | Effective tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oceanside | 3 | $515,000 | $4,846 | 0.9% |
| El Cajon | 55 | $717,000 | $5,593 | 0.8% |
| Hidden Meadows | 3 | $1,150,000 | $8,905 | 0.8% |
| Escondido | 2 | $676,500 | $5,396 | 0.8% |
| Campo | 3 | $435,000 | $3,534 | 0.8% |
| Bonita | 2 | $874,000 | $6,694 | 0.8% |
| San Diego | 755 | $850,000 | $6,018 | 0.7% |
| Lemon Grove | 14 | $758,500 | $5,110 | 0.7% |
| Fallbrook | 30 | $830,750 | $5,918 | 0.7% |
| Chula Vista | 45 | $866,000 | $6,248 | 0.7% |
| Rancho San Diego | 5 | $880,000 | $6,450 | 0.7% |
| Fairbanks Ranch | 3 | $4,950,000 | $33,705 | 0.7% |
| Imperial Beach | 15 | $879,000 | $5,593 | 0.6% |
| Vista | 43 | $933,500 | $5,638 | 0.6% |
| La Mesa | 8 | $867,500 | $5,346 | 0.6% |
| Spring Valley | 8 | $896,250 | $5,500 | 0.6% |
| La Presa | 4 | $767,500 | $4,828 | 0.6% |
| National City | 5 | $720,000 | $4,019 | 0.6% |
| Casa de Oro-Mount Helix | 2 | $1,251,000 | $7,026 | 0.6% |
| Carlsbad | 85 | $1,556,000 | $8,236 | 0.5% |
| Encinitas | 37 | $1,675,000 | $8,518 | 0.5% |
| Bonsall | 5 | $1,225,000 | $6,395 | 0.5% |
| Coronado | 6 | $2,614,500 | $12,285 | 0.5% |
| San Marcos | 2 | $1,795,000 | $7,076 | 0.4% |
| Poway | 2 | $1,890,000 | $7,188 | 0.4% |
This article draws on data from BlockShopper.com. Source data is available here.