Neighborhood · Community within Encinitas
Cardiff-by-the-Sea
Seaside Reef, the Kook statue, and restaurant row on the bluff with the best sunset seating in North County.
Population
Median home value
Aug high / Jan low
To downtown
Cardiff-by-the-Sea is the southernmost community in the City of Encinitas, a hillside beach town of roughly 11,000 people wrapped around the San Elijo Lagoon. Developer J. Frank Cullen named it in the early 1910s at the urging of his wife, Esther, a native of Cardiff, Wales, and many of its streets carry British names such as Birmingham, Manchester and Oxford. Cardiff was unincorporated county land until it became part of Encinitas in 1986, but it keeps its own ZIP code, 92007, and a fiercely local identity. The community has three distinct pieces. Along the coast, Highway 101 runs between the ocean and the lagoon past Cardiff State Beach, San Elijo State Beach's bluff-top campground and a short restaurant row where diners watch the surf at Cardiff Reef. Up the hill, the village around Newcastle Avenue and Aberdeen Drive holds Seaside Market, coffee shops and the Cardiff School District's two elementary schools. Farther east, newer subdivisions climb toward Encinitas Boulevard. Cardiff draws surfers, young families and longtime residents who remember when it was a sleepy beach town. The bronze surfer statue known locally as the Cardiff Kook has become its unofficial mascot. Home prices now sit well above the Encinitas citywide figure, with a typical 92007 value around $2.14 million, and the major local issues are sea-level rise along the low-lying Highway 101 stretch and preserving the village scale.
Living here
Draws
- Surfable beaches, a state campground and a large lagoon reserve within minutes
- A true small-village center with a beloved local market
- Its own highly regarded elementary school district
- Quick access to I-5 and two Coaster stations
Tradeoffs
- Typical 92007 home value around $2.14 million
- Steep hills and narrow streets
- Low-lying Highway 101 is exposed to flooding and sea-level rise
- Heavy summer beach traffic
Good for: Surfers and families who want a close-knit beach village with good elementary schools and can afford a premium market.
Weather
Cardiff's beaches and lagoon sit fully in the marine layer, so early summer mornings are often gray and damp while the hillside village clears sooner. The lagoon valley collects cool air and fog on winter nights. Highway 101 along the state beaches occasionally floods when high tides, big swells and winter storms coincide.
Aug avg high
Jan avg low
Annual rain
Best time to visit: Late summer and early fall bring warm water, sunny afternoons and the Dog Days of Summer festival in August.
Housing
Typical home value $2,140,560 (+8.1% year over year)
Small mid-century cottages and remodeled beach houses on hillside lots with ocean views, plus 1970s-1990s single-family subdivisions and some condos toward the east side of the ZIP.
Facts
- Cardiff-by-the-Sea was named in the early 1910s by developer J. Frank Cullen at the urging of his wife, Esther, a native of Cardiff, Wales.
- The MacKinnon family settled in the area in 1875, and development of the townsite began in 1909.
- Cardiff became part of the City of Encinitas when the city incorporated in 1986.
- ZIP code 92007 is unique to Cardiff within Encinitas.
- The Cardiff School District operates two elementary schools, Cardiff Elementary and Ada Harris Elementary.
- The family-owned Seaside Market opened in 1985.
- ZIP 92007 had a median household income of about $182,600 and 72.2 percent of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher in recent ACS estimates.
Fun facts
- Many Cardiff streets, including Birmingham, Manchester and Oxford, carry British place names from the town's Welsh-inspired naming.
- The Cardiff Kook statue was mocked as a stiff, awkward surfer when it was unveiled in 2007, which only inspired locals to dress it up.
- Professional surfer Rob Machado is among Cardiff's best-known residents.
- The Chart House and neighboring restaurants sit on a narrow strip where Highway 101 runs between the ocean and the lagoon.
Getting around
Freeways: I-5
Transit: NCTD Breeze Route 101 along the coast; the nearest Coaster stations are Solana Beach and Encinitas.
Parking: State beach lots charge day-use fees and fill in summer; free Highway 101 roadside parking goes quickly on weekends.
Walkability: The village core and beach strip are walkable and bikeable, but the hills between them are steep.
Frequently asked
Is Cardiff-by-the-Sea a good place to live?
Cardiff offers surf breaks, a lagoon reserve and a walkable village with its own elementary school district. ZIP 92007 has a median household income of about $182,600, according to Census estimates. Its costs and steep hillside streets are the main drawbacks.
What is the average home price in Cardiff-by-the-Sea?
Zillow's Home Value Index for ZIP 92007 was $2,140,560 in June 2026, up 8.1 percent from a year earlier. Redfin's median sale price for its Cardiff neighborhood was higher, about $2.67 million for the three months ending August 2026.
What is the weather like in Cardiff-by-the-Sea?
NOAA normals from the nearby Oceanside Marina station show January highs around 63 and lows around 47, with August highs around 71 and lows around 66. Rain totals about 10 inches a year, and early summer mornings are often foggy.
What is Cardiff-by-the-Sea known for?
Cardiff is known for Cardiff Reef and San Elijo State Beach, its oceanfront restaurant row, Seaside Market's tri-tip and the Cardiff Kook statue.
Is Cardiff-by-the-Sea its own city?
No. Cardiff has been part of the City of Encinitas since 1986, though it keeps its own ZIP code, 92007, and its own elementary school district.
Nearby neighborhoods
Sources
- Zillow Home Values: ZIP 92007
- Redfin: Cardiff, Encinitas housing market
- Census Reporter: ZIP 92007
- Wikipedia: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Encinitas, California
- Wikipedia: Oceanside climate table (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
- Cardiff 101 Main Street: Dog Days of Summer 2026
- Yelp: Ki's Restaurant
- Yelp: Chart House Cardiff
- Seaside Market tri-tip