San Diego, California is a large city with a population of 1,374,812 people. In San Diego, there are 4,233 people per square mile, which is well above the national population density average. More than a quarter of the residents of San Diego identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino, and 23% of the population speak Spanish as their primary or secondary language. San Diego has a high percentage of people who are married with children when compared to the rest of the country. In total, more than 73% of the population is classified as married and 56% have kids.
Are you trying to decide if living in San Diego is the right fit for your lifestyle? To ensure a positive experience before relocating to any new city in California, you will probably want to make sure that you check all of the most important boxes. Using the livability score which includes data from categories like amenities, education, employment, you can easily compare the best places to live in San Diego and also determine if there are any nearby cities that might be a better match for your lifestyle. You can also compare San Diego to California and the national average.
San Diego, CA receives 71 out of 100 for its livability score; this results in a ranking of #331 in California and #9,074 in the USA. If we check out each of the categories on their own, we see that San Diego ranks well for amenities (A+) and weather (A+). San Diego does not do well for the following: cost of living (F). It might be a smart idea to take a closer look at each category to find out why.
Conveniently located amenities and interesting attractions are a great way to continuously enjoy San Diego on a regular basis. Knowing that there are an abundance of amenities and things to do can ensure that you always have access to nearby grocery stores, restaurants and coffee shops. Some of the interesting things to do and attractions include: San Diego Zoo, USS Midway Museum, and SeaWorld San Diego.
Jobs are always a hot topic for anyone looking to relocate to a new area. Your chances of finding new employment in San Diego is actually far better than most areas. With a low unemployment rate of 1.43%, finding work should be much easier than the average city.
Being close to public transportation, grocery stores, parks and other conveniences are all important when weighing your options for a new home in San Diego. Before you determine if any of these amenities are available in the area, you will also want to know if the real estate prices in San Diego are affordable. Median real estate prices in San Diego come in at $488,600, which is 19.4% higher than the California average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In San Diego, the home price to income ratio is 7.2, which is 12.5% higher than the California average. For most people, purchasing a new home is the biggest investment they will make in their lifetime. Taking a look at overall real estate appreciation rates in San Diego will offer some insight into determining if your home purchase will be a solid investment for years to come. In San Diego, the year-over-year appreciation rates were 6.2%, and the 5 year appreciation rates came in at 8%.
| Statistic | San Diego | California | National |
| Average one way commute | 24min | 28min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 74.8% | 73.5% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 8.9% | 10.6% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 3.9% | 5.2% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 1.0% | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 3.1% | 2.7% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 6.9% | 5.4% | 4.6% |
| Walk | Bike | Compact | Car | S.U.V. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distance | |||||
| Duration | |||||
| Cost/Month |
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