The Town FilesAlpine, California
Community in San Diego County · population 14,696 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $864,000
- Household income
- $108,660
- Jan low / Jul high
- 43° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 42.4
Alpine is a community of 14,696 people in San Diego County, California. The median home is worth $864,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks easier by car than 87% of California towns, better for first-time buyers than 71% of California towns.
How Alpine ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Alpine is worth $864,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.0 times the median household income of $108,660, which is more affordable than 28% of California towns. Median rent is $1,973 a month. 73.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Alpine | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $864,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,973 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $108,660 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.0× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 73.9% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Alpine
| People | Alpine | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.4 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.0% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.0% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 8.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.5% | — |
| Work from home | 16.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 30.2 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.8% | 93.3% |
Weather in Alpine
July highs average 86.7°F and January lows 42.5°F. About 16.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 55 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 3 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Alpine since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on September 2, 2003.
Severe weather in San Diego County since 1996
San Diego County has been included in 51 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 19, 2024 | Flood | DR-4758: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| October 16, 2020 | Fire | DR-4569: Wildfires |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in San Diego County
San Diego County had 1,536,541 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $82,854 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Alpine itself the ACS puts it at 3%.
Public schools in Alpine
6 public schools with 1,825 students, about 21.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joan MacQueen Middle | 6-8 | 429 | 18.7 |
| Boulder Oaks Elementary | 1-5 | 393 | 21.8 |
| Shadow Hills Elementary | 1-5 | 380 | 20.0 |
| The Heights Charter (charter) | K-8 | 286 | 31.8 |
| Creekside Early Learning Center | K-K | 259 | 21.6 |
| Mountain View Learning Academy | K-8 | 78 | 26.0 |
Towns near Alpine
- Harbison Canyon, CA4.9 mi · 4,048 people · home $688,600
- Crest, CA7.1 mi · 2,828 people · home $724,500
- Lakeside, CA8.7 mi · 21,152 people · home $634,400
- Granite Hills, CA9.1 mi · 3,267 people · home $974,500
- Winter Gardens, CA9.9 mi · 22,380 people · home $608,600
- Jamul, CA10.9 mi · 6,179 people · home $1,047,300
- Bostonia, CA10.9 mi · 16,882 people · home $487,600
- Rancho San Diego, CA11.0 mi · 21,858 people · home $905,300
Alpine questions
Is Alpine, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Alpine scores better for retirees than 61% of California towns and quieter than 62%. 19.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.4).
How much does a house cost in Alpine?
The median owner-occupied home in Alpine is valued at $864,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $108,660, so homes cost about 8.0 times income. Median rent is $1,973 a month.
What is the weather like in Alpine?
July highs average 86.7°F and January lows 42.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 16.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Alpine get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Alpine in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)