According to Country Reference, San Marcos is located in the Central Texas Hill Country, and is situated along the I-35 corridor between Austin and San Antonio. The city has an elevation of 475 feet and is located at 29°52’19” north latitude and 97°57’51” west longitude. San Marcos has a humid subtropical climate with hot summers, mild winters, and high humidity year round.
San Marcos was founded in 1851 by John Coffee Hays on land given to him by the state of Texas for his service in the Mexican War. The city was named after the Spanish city of San Marcos de Neve. In 1881, Southwest Texas State Normal School (now known as Texas State University) opened its doors to educate teachers, making it the oldest university in Texas that is still operating under its original name.
The city of San Marcos operates under a council-manager form of government with an elected mayor, five council members, and an appointed city manager. The economy of San Marcos is diverse with industries such as manufacturing, retail trade, healthcare services, educational services, hospitality services and construction being major contributors to its growth. The local school district consists of six elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school and one alternative school campus; all managed by the San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District (SMCISD).
San Marcos is home to many historical landmarks such as Aquarena Springs which was once home to underwater theater shows featuring mermaids; Wonder World Park which features a variety of natural attractions including a 180-foot tall observation tower; Tanger Outlet Mall which has over 100 stores for shopping; Cheatham Street Warehouse which hosts live music performances from up-and-coming artists; Glass Bottom Boats at Spring Lake which allows visitors to explore underwater life without getting wet; Aquarena Center where visitors can learn about local wildlife through interactive exhibits; Rio Vista Dam which provides access to fishing spots along the riverbank; Pecan Park Riverside Nature Center which offers walking trails through riverside woodlands; Rio Vista Falls where visitors can enjoy swimming or tubing down the river rapids during summer months; and Purgatory Creek Natural Area where visitors can take guided hikes through scenic trails filled with native plants.
Population: 34,733. Estimated population in July 2020: 46,111 (+32.8% change)
Males: 17,082 (49.2%), Females: 17,651 (50.8%)
Hays County
Zip codes: 78666.
Median resident age: 23.3 years
Median household income: $25,809
Median house value: $83,400
Races in San Marcos:
- White Non-Hispanic (55.2%)
- Hispanic (36.5%)
- Other race (17.0%)
- Black (5.5%)
- Two or more races (2.9%)
- American Indian (1.2%)
(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)
Ancestries: German (15.0%), Irish (8.1%), English (6.5%), United States (3.8%), French (2.9%), Italian (2.9%).
Elevation: 619 feet
Land area: 18.2 square miles
Population
San Marcos, Texas is a city located in Hays County and is situated in the heart of Central Texas. It has a population of 63,076 according to the 2019 United States Census Bureau. The majority of the population is Caucasian (65.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (30.7%), African American (2.1%), Asian (1.3%), and other races (0.5%). The median age of San Marcos residents is 26 years old, which is significantly lower than the national average age of 38 years old. Additionally, the median household income for San Marcos residents is $41,818 which is slightly lower than the national average income of $56,516 per year.
San Marcos also has a large student population due to its close proximity to Texas State University and Southwestern University which are two major colleges in the area with over 50,000 students combined. Additionally, San Marcos has seen an increase in foreign-born residents over recent years with 19% of its population being born outside of the United States compared to just 13% nationally. This influx in foreign-born residents has created a diverse culture within San Marcos that can be seen through its vibrant cuisine scene as well as its annual festivals such as Aquabrew and Sights & Sounds Festival that bring people together from all walks of life for entertainment and celebration each year
For population 25 years and over in San Marcos
- High school or higher: 79.5%
- Bachelor’s degree or higher: 29.0%
- Graduate or professional degree: 11.0%
- Unemployed: 8.7%
- Mean travel time to work: 20.6 minutes
For population 15 years and over in San Marcos city
- Never married: 58.0%
- Now married: 29.8%
- Separated: 1.1%
- Widowed: 4.0%
- Divorced: 7.1%
4.8% Foreign born (3.2% Latin America, 0.8% Asia, 0.6% Europe).
Population change in the 1990s: +5,609 (+19.3%).
Hospitals
Hospital/medical center in San Marcos:
- CENTRAL TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER (1301 WONDER WORLD DRIVE)
Other hospitals/medical centers near San Marcos:
- MCKENNA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL (about 17 miles; NEW BRAUNFELS, TX)
- GUADALUPE VALLEY HOSPITAL (about 22 miles; SEGUIN, TX)
- SETON EDGAR B DAVIS (about 24 miles; LULING, TX)
Airports
Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to San Marcos:
- AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTL (about 29 miles; AUSTIN, TX; Abbreviation: AUS)
- SAN ANTONIO INTL (about 44 miles; SAN ANTONIO, TX; Abbreviation: SAT)
- LACKLAND AFB (KELLY FLD ANNEX) (about 56 miles; SAN ANTONIO, TX; Abbreviation: SKF)
Other public-use airports nearest to San Marcos:
- SAN MARCOS MUNI (about 7 miles; SAN MARCOS, TX; Abbreviation: HYI)
- NEW BRAUNFELS MUNI (about 14 miles; NEW BRAUNFELS, TX; Abbreviation: BAZ)
- LOCKHART MUNI (about 19 miles; LOCKHART, TX; Abbreviation: 50R)
SAN MARCOS (LBJ DR. & COMAL ST.). Services: fully wheelchair accessible, free short-term parking, free long-term parking, call for taxi service.
Colleges and Universities
College/University in San Marcos:
- SOUTHWEST TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY (Full-time enrollment: 18,822; Location: 601 UNIVERSITY DR; Public; Website: www.swt.edu; Offers Doctor’s degree)
Other colleges/universities with over 2000 students near San Marcos:
- SAINT EDWARD’S UNIVERSITY (about 29 miles; AUSTIN, TX; Full-time enrollment: 2,870)
- THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN (about 32 miles; AUSTIN, TX; Full-time enrollment: 46,503)
- AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 36 miles; AUSTIN, TX; Full-time enrollment: 12,819)
- UNIVERSITY OF THE INCARNATE WORD (about 45 miles; SAN ANTONIO, TX; Full-time enrollment: 2,734)
- SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE (about 49 miles; SAN ANTONIO, TX; Full-time enrollment: 11,226)
- TRINITY UNIVERSITY (about 49 miles; SAN ANTONIO, TX; Full-time enrollment: 2,474)
- ST PHILIPS COLLEGE (about 49 miles; SAN ANTONIO, TX; Full-time enrollment: 4,778)
Schools
Public high schools in San Marcos:
- SAN MARCOS H S (Students: 1,891; Location: 1301 STATE HWY 123; Grades: 09 – 12)
- PRIDE HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 79; Location: 540 STAPLES RD; Grades: 09 – 12)
Private high schools in San Marcos:
- SAN MARCOS BAPTIST ACADEMY (Students: 305; Location: 2801 RANCH ROAD 12; Grades: 6 – 12)
- SAN MARCOS CENTER SCHOOL (Students: 147; Location: 120 BERT BROWN ROAD; Grades: 7 – 12)
- HILL COUNTRY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL (Students: 123; Location: PO BOX 2149; Grades: KG – 12)
Public primary/middle schools in San Marcos:
- HERNANDEZ INT (Students: 959; Location: 333 STAGECOACH TRL; Grades: 05 – 06)
- TRAVIS EL (Students: 696; Location: 1437 POST RD; Grades: KG – 04)
- CROCKETT EL (Students: 693; Location: 1300 GIRARD ST; Grades: KG – 04)
- DEZAVALA EL (Students: 633; Location: F M 621 S; Grades: KG – 04)
- BOWIE EL (Students: 629; Location: 1225 HWY 123; Grades: KG – 04)
- GOODNIGHT J H (Students: 600; Location: 607 PETER GARZA; Grades: 07 – 08)
- MILLER J H (Students: 450; Location: 301 FOXTAIL RUN; Grades: 07 – 08)
- BONHAM PK (Students: 419; Location: 210 LEE ST; Grades: PK – PK)
- SAN MARCOS PREP SCHOOL (Students: 124; Location: 715 VALLEY ST; Grades: PK – 08)
- HAYS CO JUVENILE JUSTICE ALTERNATI (Students: 3; Location: 501 S LBJ DR; Grades: 05 – 12)
Private primary/middle schools in San Marcos:
- WONDERLAND SCHOOL (Students: 191; Location: 302 COUNTRY ESTATES DR; Grades: PK – 5)
- THE MASTER’S SCHOOL (Students: 94; Location: 329 NORTH ST #A; Grades: KG – 5)
- SAN MARCOS ADVENTIST JUNIOR AC (Students: 24; Location: PO BOX 801; Grades: PK – 7)
Libraries
Library in San Marcos:
- SAN MARCOS PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $865,815; Location: 625 E HOPKINS ST; 120,922 books; 1,917 audio materials; 3,871 video materials; 240 serial subscriptions)