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. Much of the housing stock in Carmel-by-the-Sea was built prior to World War II, 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.

A relatively large number of people in Carmel-by-the-Sea telecommute to their jobs. Overall, about 18.32% of the workforce works from home. While this may seem like a small number, as a fraction of the total workforce it ranks among the highest in the country. 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 a major vacation destination. Much of the city’s population is seasonal: many people own second homes and only live there part-time, during the vacation season. The effect on the local economy is that many of the businesses are dependent on tourist dollars, and may operate only during the high season. As the vacation season ends, Carmel-by-the-Sea’s population drops significantly, such that year-round residents will notice that the city is a much quieter place to live.

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.

One of the nice things about Carmel-by-the-Sea is that it is nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Because of this, visitors and locals will often go to these areas to take in the scenery or to enjoy waterfront activities.

One of the benefits of Carmel-by-the-Sea is that there is very little traffic. The average commute to work is 16.26 minutes, which is substantially less than the national average. Not only does this mean that the drive to work is less aggravating, but noise and pollution levels are lower as a result.

Carmel-by-the-Sea is a small city, and as such doesn't have a public transit system that people use to get to and from their jobs every day.

If knowledge is power, Carmel-by-the-Sea is a pretty powerful place. 76.02% of the adults in Carmel-by-the-Sea have earned a 4-year college degree, masters degree, MD, law degree, or even PhD. Compare that to the national average of 21.84% for all cities and towns.

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.