The Town FilesNational City, California
City in San Diego County · population 56,173 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $612,200
- Household income
- $66,841
- Jan low / Jul high
- 47° / 75°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 36.1
National City is a city of 56,173 people in San Diego County, California. The median home is worth $612,200, close to the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more vibrant than 98% of California towns, better transit than 94% of California towns, more walkable than 93% of California towns.
How National City 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 National City is worth $612,200, close to the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 9.2 times the median household income of $66,841, which is more affordable than 15% of California towns. Median rent is $1,692 a month. 34.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | National City | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $612,200 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,692 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $66,841 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.2× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 34.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.0% | — |
Who lives in National City
| People | National City | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.1% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.1% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 36.0% | — |
| Work from home | 6.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 25.4 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.8% | 93.3% |
Weather in National City
July highs average 74.6°F and January lows 46.5°F. About 9.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of National City since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on March 19, 1991 about 5.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 23, 2005.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on February 25, 1958.
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 National City itself the ACS puts it at 6.6%.
Public schools in National City
16 public schools with 10,905 students, about 23.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego Workforce Innovation High (charter) | 9-12 | 2,492 | 24.9 |
| Sweetwater High | 9-12 | 2,425 | 24.5 |
| Granger Junior High | 7-9 | 743 | 21.2 |
| National City Middle | 7-8 | 678 | 23.4 |
| Central Elementary | K-6 | 508 | 23.1 |
| Las Palmas | K-6 | 489 | 23.3 |
| Lincoln Acres | K-6 | 449 | 23.6 |
| Olivewood | K-6 | 440 | 23.2 |
| Palmer Way | K-6 | 415 | 24.4 |
| El Toyon Elementary | K-6 | 411 | 21.6 |
| John A. Otis Elementary | K-6 | 400 | 22.2 |
| Ira Harbison | K-6 | 372 | 21.9 |
Towns near National City
- Coronado, CA3.4 mi · 20,192 people · home $2,000,001
- Bonita, CA5.4 mi · 12,917 people · home $962,800
- Chula Vista, CA5.5 mi · 275,487 people · home $758,700
- Lemon Grove, CA6.0 mi · 27,627 people · home $705,400
- La Presa, CA6.4 mi · 35,033 people · home $629,700
- Imperial Beach, CA7.0 mi · 26,137 people · home $857,000
- Spring Valley, CA8.4 mi · 30,998 people · home $714,700
- La Mesa, CA8.5 mi · 61,121 people · home $812,000
National City questions
Is National City, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, National City scores better for retirees than 11% of California towns and quieter than 4%. 15.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.1).
How much does a house cost in National City?
The median owner-occupied home in National City is valued at $612,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,841, so homes cost about 9.2 times income. Median rent is $1,692 a month.
What is the weather like in National City?
July highs average 74.6°F and January lows 46.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 9.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does National City get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of National City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on March 19, 1991. The typical California town has had 2.
- 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)