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Carlsbad, California
| Carlsbad is
located along the southern California coast, between Los
Angeles and San Diego, and is an affluent community with
pretty beaches, a Mediterranean character and a bounty
of flowers that create a carpet of color. Throw in lots
of sunshine, sand and surf and you have the classic,
balmy California dreamscape village. The cost of
living is nearly 75% above the national average, and the
median household income is also well above the national
average. The crime rate meets the national average, and
of the population, 42% is age 45 or better.
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Carlsbad got its start in the late 1800s when a
gentleman named John Fraizer dug a well and began
selling water at the train stop. The water seemed to
have the same qualities as some of the world's most
famous waters, located in various spots around the
globe, and soon people were coming Carlsbad for the
restorative wet stuff. Soon crops, including olives and
oranges, were growing in the fertile California soil,
and a growth spurt began.
The city is made up of several quadrants, each with a
distinct personality, and the median home price is
nearly $625,000. Housing is eclectic, with a variety of
condominiums, townhomes and single family homes. Many
are in historic neighborhoods. Carlsbad is also
the site of a renowned named Aviara.
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amazing climate is what brings many retirees
Carlsbad. The city sits in a subtropical
Mediterranean climate, with summer temperatures in the
80s and 90s, and winter temperatures in the50s 60s and
70s. As they say, it never rains in Southern
California, except it does, about 10 inches a year in
Carlsbad. It is rarely too hot or too cold,
and on the comfort index, a combination of temperature
and humidity, Carlsbad comes in above the national
average. The sun shines roughly 250 days of the
year.
As might be expected, local politics leans to the
left, with about 55% of residents calling themselves
Democrats. Citizens are educated, with 95% having
at least a high school diploma, and 34% having a college
degree.
When it comes to medical care, Carlsbad does not have
its own hospital, but to hospitals are within 10 miles
of the city. One is Tri-City Medical Center, and
the other is Scripps Memorial Hospital.
Between the two, the area has nearly 500 beds. Both
facilities are accredited by the Joint Commission, and
Scripps is award-winning.
Carlsbad has a reputation as a quiet, friendly
community, and with its breezy California lifestyle, it
is indeed a great place to retire.
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