The Town FilesSan Diego, California
City in San Diego County · population 1,386,932 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $906,700
- Household income
- $108,077
- Jan low / Jul high
- 46° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 36.2
San Diego is a city of 1,386,932 people in San Diego County, California. The median home is worth $906,700, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for young professionals than 90% of California towns, more seaside character than 88% of California towns, more vibrant than 87% of California towns.
How San Diego 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 San Diego is worth $906,700, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.4 times the median household income of $108,077, which is more affordable than 21% of California towns. Median rent is $2,313 a month. 47.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | San Diego | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $906,700 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,313 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $108,077 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.4× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 47.3% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.8% | — |
Who lives in San Diego
| People | San Diego | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.2 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.6% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 18.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.0% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.0% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 6.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 25.1% | — |
| Work from home | 21.2% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 23.5 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.2% | 93.3% |
Weather in San Diego
July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 46.0°F. About 11.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of San Diego since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on March 19, 1991 about 5.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 19, 1991.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on June 3, 2009.
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 San Diego itself the ACS puts it at 6%.
Public schools in San Diego
265 public schools with 151,067 students, about 22.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Torrey Pines High | 9-12 | 2,644 | 27.0 |
| Del Norte High | 9-12 | 2,564 | 25.1 |
| Henry High | 9-12 | 2,512 | 25.6 |
| Rancho Bernardo High | 9-12 | 2,278 | 25.6 |
| Mira Mesa High | 9-12 | 2,228 | 26.5 |
| Westview High | 9-12 | 2,186 | 26.0 |
| Canyon Crest Academy | 9-12 | 2,183 | 26.0 |
| Hoover High | 9-12 | 2,105 | 21.9 |
| Scripps Ranch High | 9-12 | 1,920 | 26.7 |
| San Diego High | 9-12 | 1,855 | 20.6 |
| Mt. Carmel High | 9-12 | 1,831 | 23.5 |
| The O'Farrell Charter (charter) | K-12 | 1,819 | 23.9 |
Towns near San Diego
- La Mesa, CA7.1 mi · 61,121 people · home $812,000
- Santee, CA8.0 mi · 60,037 people · home $727,200
- Lemon Grove, CA8.4 mi · 27,627 people · home $705,400
- El Cajon, CA9.5 mi · 106,215 people · home $681,700
- Casa de Oro-Mount Helix, CA10.0 mi · 19,576 people · home $952,400
- Bostonia, CA10.4 mi · 16,882 people · home $487,600
- La Presa, CA10.6 mi · 35,033 people · home $629,700
- Eucalyptus Hills, CA10.9 mi · 5,517 people · home $857,200
San Diego questions
Is San Diego, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, San Diego scores better for retirees than 38% of California towns and quieter than 19%. 14.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.2).
How much does a house cost in San Diego?
The median owner-occupied home in San Diego is valued at $906,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $108,077, so homes cost about 8.4 times income. Median rent is $2,313 a month.
What is the weather like in San Diego?
July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 46.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does San Diego get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of San Diego 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)