Carmel-by-the-Sea is a very small coastal city (i.e. on the ocean, a bay, or inlet) located in the state of California. With a population of 3,146 people and two associated neighborhoods, Carmel-by-the-Sea is the 601st largest community in California. Carmel-by-the-Sea has a large stock of pre-World War II architecture, making it one of the older and more historic cities in the country.

Carmel-by-the-Sea home prices are not only among the most expensive in California, but Carmel-by-the-Sea real estate also consistently ranks among the most expensive in America.

Of important note, Carmel-by-the-Sea is also a city of artists. Carmel-by-the-Sea has more artists, designers and people working in media than 90% of the communities in America. This concentration of artists helps shape Carmel-by-the-Sea’s character.

One interesting thing about the economy is that relatively large numbers of people worked from their home: 18.32% of the workforce. While this number may seem small overall, as a fraction of the total workforce this is high compared to the rest of the county. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.

Another notable thing is that Carmel-by-the-Sea is an extremely popular vacation destination. A significant portion of the population is seasonal. During the vacation season, the city experiences a large influx of people who take up residence in second homes they own in the area. As the vacation season ends, the population drops again, leaving behind a substantially quieter and smaller city.

In addition, Carmel-by-the-Sea is home to many people who could be described as "urban sophisticates". Urban sophisticates are people who are both educated and wealthy, and thus tend to be older, richer, and more established than young professionals. "Urban sophisticates" is not just about being educated and well-off financially: it is a point of view and state of mind, one that you might call 'urbaneness'. But such people can and do regularly live in small towns, suburbs and rural areas, as well as in big cities. They read, support the arts and high-end shops, and love travel.

Carmel-by-the-Sea is also nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Quite often, nautical areas such as these attract visitors and locals who come to enjoy the scenery and various waterfront activities.

Compared to the rest of the country, citizens of Carmel-by-the-Sea spend much less time in their cars: on average, their commute to work is only 16.26 minutes. This also means that noise and pollution levels in the city are less than they would otherwise be.

Being a small city, Carmel-by-the-Sea does not have a public transit system used by locals to get to and from work.

Do you have a 4-year college degree or graduate degree? If so, you may feel right at home in Carmel-by-the-Sea. 76.02% of adults here have a 4-year degree or graduate degree, whereas the national average for all cities and towns is just 21.84%.

The per capita income in Carmel-by-the-Sea in 2022 was $84,508, which is wealthy relative to California and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $338,032 for a family of four.

The people who call Carmel-by-the-Sea home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Carmel-by-the-Sea residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in Carmel-by-the-Sea include German, English, Irish, Scottish, and Norwegian.

The most common language spoken in Carmel-by-the-Sea is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and German/Yiddish.