Del Mar, California


Del Mar is a beach city in San Diego County, California, United States, located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Established in 1885 as a seaside resort, the city was incorporated in 1959. The population was 3,954 at the 2020 census, down from 4,161 at the 2010 census.
The San Diego County Fair is an annual fair held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Horse racing is hosted at the Del Mar Racetrack every summer.
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History

Del Mar was first settled in the early 1880s by Theodore M. Loop, a railroad official, and his wife Ella. Ella gave the site its name, inspired by Bayard Taylor's poem "The Fight of Paso del Mar". In 1885, Colonel Jacob Taylor purchased from Enoch Talbert, with visions of building a seaside resort for the rich and famous.
The United States Navy operated a Naval Auxiliary Air Facility for blimps at Del Mar during World War II.
Much of the population is on the coast and nearby bluff which are vulnerable to sea level rise caused by climate change. In 2019, the city refused to develop a managed retreat strategy for moving infrastructure and population centers from the water. This decision was made against the recommendation of the California Coastal Commission. Instead the city is planning on using other climate change adaptation strategies, such as seawalls and beach nourishment.
The Surf Line railroad tracks are adjacent to coastal bluffs some above the beach for. Coastal erosion eats away at the bluffs each year. The North County Transit District drove steel beams into the beach at the base of the bluffs in September 2020 to stabilize the face of the bluffs for 20 or 30 years. The city wanted to require the transit agency to cover the shotcrete wall on the bluff with natural soil and native plantings. The city council, the California Coastal Commission, and residents have opposed the district's plans to install a chain-link fence that would stop pedestrians from crossing the tracks to get to the beach. The district considered this to be a safety issue as trespassers along the right-of-way have been hit by trains. This mile-and-a-half stretch along the southern half of the city does not have legal access to the beach. Due to offshore reefs and wave patterns, this section has some of the best surfing in San Diego County.
In 2023, the city was out of compliance with the state Housing Element Law. They submitted a housing plan to the state that did not meet guidelines for future housing. They were working with the state to get in compliance, but until they did, they couldn't block new housing projects based on city zoning laws alone.

Geography

Del Mar is one of only two locations where the Torrey pine tree naturally occurs. The Torrey pine is the rarest pine in the United States; only two populations of this endangered species exist, in Del Mar and on Santa Rosa Island. The Soledad Valley at the south of Del Mar severs two colony segments.
At the southern edge of Del Mar is the Los Peñasquitos Lagoon. To the north is the San Dieguito Lagoon and the San Dieguito River, which empties into the Pacific Ocean at Del Mar.
The bluffs along Del Mar's south beach are subject to collapse. Properties on the bluffs are subject to the impacts of climate change, such as sea level rise and coastal erosion. The transportation infrastructure is under threat. The city has a climate change adaptation plan which excludes the option of a managed retreat, the strategy that was recommended by the California Coastal Commission in 2019.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of, of which of it is land and of it is water.

Climate

Del Mar's climate is considered mediterranean-subtropical with warm, dry summers and mild, humid winters. Temperatures exceed only on a few occasions throughout the year and rarely drop below. The average yearly temperature in Del Mar is approximately. Del Mar regularly receives heavy marine layer clouds due to its position between two lagoons and bordered to the west by the Pacific Ocean.

Demographics

Race / Ethnicity Pop 2000Pop 2010Pop 2020% 2000% 2010% 2020
White alone 3,9903,7723,28290.91%90.65%83.00%
Black or African American alone 119160.25%0.22%0.40%
Native American or Alaska Native alone 15220.34%0.05%0.05%
Asian alone 1261151452.87%2.76%3.67%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone 2140.05%0.02%0.10%
Other race alone 1111260.25%0.26%0.66%
Mixed race or Multiracial 64762051.46%1.83%5.18%
Hispanic or Latino 1701752743.87%4.21%6.93%
Total4,3894,1613,954 100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020

The 2020 United States census reported that Del Mar had a population of 3,954. The population density was. The racial makeup of Del Mar was 84.8% White, 0.6% African American, 0.2% Native American, 3.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.5% from other races, and 9.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.9% of the population.
The whole population lived in households. There were 1,932 households, out of which 18.6% included children under the age of 18, 46.7% were married-couple households, 6.8% were cohabiting couple households, 25.7% had a female householder with no partner present, and 20.9% had a male householder with no partner present. 32.9% of households were one person, and 14.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.05. There were 1,101 families.
The age distribution was 12.7% under the age of 18, 5.6% aged 18 to 24, 20.1% aged 25 to 44, 31.3% aged 45 to 64, and 30.3% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 53.9years. For every 100 females, there were 97.7 males.
There were 2,574 housing units at an average density of, of which 1,932 were occupied. Of these, 57.4% were owner-occupied, and 42.6% were occupied by renters.
The median household income of Del Mar in 2019-2023 was $192,845, in 2023 dollars. About 0.4% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line.

2010

The 2010 United States census reported that Del Mar had a population of 4,161. The population density was. The racial makeup of Del Mar was 3,912 White, 10 African American, eight Native American, 118 Asian, three Pacific Islander, 25 from other races, and 85 from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 175 people.
There were 2,064 households, with 340 having children under the age of 18, and 927 with opposite-sex married couples living together, 114 had a female householder with no husband present, 57 had a male householder with no wife present. There were 124 unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 19 same-sex married couples or partnerships. There were 707 households comprising one individual, and 209 comprising one individual 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02. There were 1,098 families ; the average family size was 2.57.
The population comprised 564 people under the age of 18, 205 people aged 18 to 24, 1,071 people aged 25 to 44, 1,455 people aged 45 to 64, and 866 people who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.1 males.
There were 2,596 housing units at an average density of, of which 1,113 were owner-occupied, and 951 were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.9%. Of the population, 2,398 people lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,763 people lived in rental housing units.

Government

The City of Del Mar is governed by a city council of five elected representatives. Each year a new mayor is chosen from among the councilmembers. Terry Gaasterland is the mayor in 2025.
In the California State Legislature, Del Mar is in, and in.
In the United States House of Representatives, Del Mar is in.

Education

Del Mar is served by the Del Mar Union School District, which includes eight K–8 schools. High school education is provided by the San Dieguito Union High School District.

Transportation

The North County Transit District operates their BREEZE bus service. The historic Del Mar station once served passengers on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Surf Line and the Amtrak San Diegan intercity service between the early 1900s until its closure in 1995, due to the opening of the new Solana Beach station two miles north. That station provides Coaster commuter rail and Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner service. This trainline is the second busiest passenger rail corridor in the United States.
The railroad tracks were built adjacent to coastal bluffs some above the beach. San Diego Association of Governments is conducting a $3 million study on relocating the rail line farther inland through the city. On August 16, 2020, the California Coastal Commission emphasized the need to move the railroad tracks inland due to the persistent coastal erosion which eats away at the bluff each year. The accelerating rate of sea level rise due to global warming adds urgency to the issue. A tunnel under Del Mar which would cost more than $3 billion is being considered.

Attractions

Notable people

In popular culture

  • In 1966, winners of a KHJ radio station contest rode with members of The Monkees band on a train from Del Mar, which had been renamed 'Clarksville' for the day by the town's mayor.
  • Del Mar is the first surfing location mentioned in the 1963 Beach Boys song "Surfin' U.S.A."
  • Tip on a Dead Crab, William Murray's first mystery in the Shifty Lou Anderson series, is set at Del Mar's racetrack.