The Town FilesPoway, California
City in San Diego County · population 48,841 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,034,800
- Household income
- $148,359
- Jan low / Jul high
- 46° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 41.2
Poway is a city of 48,841 people in San Diego County, California. The median home is worth $1,034,800, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for families than 87% of California towns, more upscale than 86% of California towns, better for young professionals than 77% of California towns.
How Poway 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 Poway is worth $1,034,800, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 7.0 times the median household income of $148,359, which is more affordable than 41% of California towns. Median rent is $2,301 a month. 75.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Poway | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,034,800 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,301 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $148,359 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.0× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 75.2% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Poway
| People | Poway | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.2 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.0% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 54.2% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 8.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 18.0% | — |
| Work from home | 23.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 25.3 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.6% | 93.3% |
Weather in Poway
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 45.9°F. About 14.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 21 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Poway since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on November 10, 2000 about 2.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 11, 2006.
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 Poway itself the ACS puts it at 5.2%.
Public schools in Poway
13 public schools with 18,982 students, about 27.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Coast Academy (charter) | K-12 | 5,612 | 35.1 |
| Cabrillo Point Academy (charter) | K-12 | 4,884 | 31.7 |
| Poway High | 9-12 | 2,161 | 22.7 |
| Twin Peaks Middle | 6-8 | 1,101 | 20.4 |
| Meadowbrook Middle | 6-8 | 984 | 21.9 |
| Chaparral Elementary | K-5 | 869 | 24.8 |
| Valley Elementary | K-5 | 659 | 24.4 |
| Painted Rock Elementary | K-5 | 608 | 23.4 |
| Midland Elementary | K-5 | 588 | 21.8 |
| Garden Road Elementary | K-5 | 532 | 19.7 |
| Tierra Bonita Elementary | K-5 | 399 | 23.5 |
| Pomerado Elementary | K-5 | 342 | 21.4 |
Towns near Poway
- Eucalyptus Hills, CA8.4 mi · 5,517 people · home $857,200
- Ramona, CA9.3 mi · 21,468 people · home $766,400
- Santee, CA9.4 mi · 60,037 people · home $727,200
- Fairbanks Ranch, CA9.6 mi · 3,002 people · home $2,000,001
- Escondido, CA10.5 mi · 151,038 people · home $714,500
- Rancho Santa Fe, CA10.6 mi · 3,156 people · home $2,000,001
- Lakeside, CA11.3 mi · 21,152 people · home $634,400
- Winter Gardens, CA11.8 mi · 22,380 people · home $608,600
Poway questions
Is Poway, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Poway scores better for retirees than 69% of California towns and quieter than 48%. 19.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.2).
How much does a house cost in Poway?
The median owner-occupied home in Poway is valued at $1,034,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $148,359, so homes cost about 7.0 times income. Median rent is $2,301 a month.
What is the weather like in Poway?
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 45.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 14.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Poway get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Poway since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on November 10, 2000. 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)