Population 10,443 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Balboa Park
Household size in Balboa Park
| Period | Balboa Park | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.31 | 2.87 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.29 | 2.98 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.18 | 2.99 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.09 | 2.86 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.22 | −0.02 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Balboa Park is a place of small households, averaging 2.09 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.31 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the east and smallest in the southwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Balboa Park
| Period | Balboa Park | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.5 | 36.1 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.6 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.4 | 37.8 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.7 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.1 | +2.8 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 34.7, Balboa Park is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has climbed from 33.5 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the northeast, the oldest in the center.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Balboa Park
| Period | Balboa Park | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.0% | 11.8% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 11.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.7% | 10.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 10.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Balboa Park: 6.3% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 4.7 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Balboa Park
Renters in Balboa Park
| Period | Balboa Park | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 72.5% | 44.1% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 76.2% | 46.6% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 79.8% | 46.7% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 74.5% | 45.4% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Balboa Park: 74.5% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 29.5% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southwest and least common in the center. The renter share has risen 2.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Balboa Park
| Period | Balboa Park | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.0% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 7.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 7.1% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Balboa Park: 6.3% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. That is in line with the rest of the San Diego area. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 4.7 points, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Balboa Park
| Period | Balboa Park | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1959 | 1977 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1957 | 1978 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1961 | 1979 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1960 | 1981 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Balboa Park is a place of older homes: half were built before 1960, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the center. Few San Diego neighborhoods have older homes: only five of 81.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Balboa Park
| Period | Balboa Park | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $992 | $1,408 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,152 | $1,481 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,437 | $1,868 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,102 | $2,468 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,110 | +$1,061 | +$931 | +$606 |
Rent in Balboa Park runs $2,102 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in the San Diego area overall ($2,468). Rent has climbed $1,110 a month since 2006–10, up 112%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 30.7% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Balboa Park
Bachelor's degrees in Balboa Park
| Period | Balboa Park | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.8% | 33.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 36.1% | 34.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.5% | 38.2% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 57.0% | 42.8% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +24.2 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Balboa Park: 57.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 24.2 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Balboa Park
| Period | Balboa Park | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.5% | 84.9% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.9% | 85.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.6% | 87.3% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.4% | 89.0% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +13.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Balboa Park: 94.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 13.9 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Balboa Park
| Period | Balboa Park | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 9.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.4% | 6.1% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 6.1% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs high in Balboa Park: 6.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is up 1.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Balboa Park compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balboa Park | 2.09 | 34.7 | 6.3% | 74.5% | 6.3% | 1960 | $2,102 | 57.0% | 94.4% | 6.8% |
| Grant Hill | 3.07 | 31.9 | 22.6% | 63.1% | 5.8% | 1963 | $1,877 | 20.8% | 65.3% | 10.5% |
| Sherman Heights | 1.95 | 42.2 | 12.9% | 80.6% | 13.3% | 1976 | $1,363 | 23.2% | 79.1% | 22.6% |
| East Village | 1.58 | 34.6 | 4.4% | 82.3% | 10.7% | 2010 | $2,487 | 54.6% | 90.8% | 11.2% |
| Core | 1.48 | 34.2 | 2.8% | 92.6% | 10.0% | 2003 | $2,120 | 51.0% | 90.6% | 7.3% |
| Cortez Hill | 1.52 | 42.8 | 1.3% | 80.8% | 8.0% | 1983 | $1,975 | 61.4% | 93.5% | 4.1% |
| Mount Hope | 3.57 | 33.4 | 17.2% | 58.3% | 9.4% | 1966 | $1,896 | 10.7% | 69.4% | 5.2% |
| North Park San Diego | 1.92 | 36.1 | 6.1% | 69.4% | 7.3% | 1965 | $2,128 | 58.7% | 95.3% | 5.7% |
| Marina | 1.54 | 42.1 | 2.4% | 59.1% | 25.5% | 1996 | $2,077 | 67.5% | 94.6% | 5.2% |
| Bario Logan | 3.06 | 30.7 | 13.5% | 76.6% | 18.9% | 1969 | $1,810 | 18.3% | 74.7% | 6.8% |
| Columbia San Diego | 1.69 | 45.5 | 2.4% | 34.3% | 14.5% | 1995 | $2,217 | 51.6% | 88.1% | 2.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Mission Grove, Riverside, CA · Elk Plain, Spanaway, WA · Bloomfield-Allen, Des Moines, IA · North Shore, Haleiwa, HI · Saint Anthony, St. Paul, MN · Friendly, Fort Washington, MD · Bulls Head, Staten Island, NY · Mandarin, Jacksonville, FL · Sans Pareil, Jacksonville, FL · South Knoxville, Knoxville, TN
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Balboa Park. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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