Population 19,052 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bostonia
Household size in Bostonia
| Period | Bostonia | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.75 | 2.87 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.95 | 2.98 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.98 | 2.99 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.97 | 2.86 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.23 | −0.02 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Bostonia are large by national standards, averaging 2.97 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.75, even as the national average fell.
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 Bostonia
| Period | Bostonia | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.9 | 36.1 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.1 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.0 | 37.8 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.9 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.0 | +2.8 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Bostonia is 36.9 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 33.9 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the east.
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 Bostonia
| Period | Bostonia | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.5% | 11.8% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.2% | 11.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.0% | 10.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.1% | 10.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in seven households in Bostonia (15.1%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 1.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Bostonia
Renters in Bostonia
| Period | Bostonia | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.1% | 44.1% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 58.2% | 46.6% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 60.4% | 46.7% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 55.4% | 45.4% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Bostonia: 55.4% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 43.2% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Bostonia has a higher share of renters than at least four in five California cities.
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 Bostonia
| Period | Bostonia | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.1% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 7.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.5% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 7.1% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.9 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Bostonia: 6.1% 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 3.9 points, mirroring the country.
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 Bostonia
| Period | Bostonia | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1977 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1972 | 1978 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1979 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1981 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Bostonia run a bit older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1975 against 1980. The newest homes are mostly in the center, the oldest in the east.
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 Bostonia
| Period | Bostonia | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,185 | $1,408 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,222 | $1,481 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,583 | $1,868 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,300 | $2,468 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,115 | +$1,061 | +$931 | +$606 |
Rent in Bostonia runs $2,300 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in the San Diego area overall ($2,468). Rents are up $1,115 a month from 2006–10, a 94% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 40.9% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Bostonia
Bachelor's degrees in Bostonia
| Period | Bostonia | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.2% | 33.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.2% | 34.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.4% | 38.2% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.8% | 42.8% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.6 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Bostonia have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 22.8%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 8.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the center.
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 Bostonia
| Period | Bostonia | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.2% | 84.9% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.4% | 85.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.4% | 87.3% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.8% | 89.0% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Bostonia is close to the national rate: 88.8% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 6.6 points since 2006–10, as it has 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 Bostonia
| Period | Bostonia | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.1% | 9.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.3% | 6.1% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 6.1% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Bostonia runs well above the national rate: 8.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Bostonia has higher unemployment than the great majority of California cities. 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).
Bostonia compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bostonia | 2.97 | 36.9 | 15.1% | 55.4% | 6.1% | 1975 | $2,300 | 22.8% | 88.8% | 8.4% |
| El Cajon | 3.01 | 38.1 | 13.0% | 49.7% | 4.7% | 1975 | $2,021 | 25.0% | 85.2% | 9.3% |
| Lakeside | 3.04 | 39.7 | 12.3% | 31.2% | 5.6% | 1979 | $2,066 | 27.0% | 91.6% | 5.6% |
| Santee | 2.81 | 40.5 | 7.8% | 27.7% | 4.2% | 1983 | $2,490 | 35.3% | 92.8% | 4.5% |
| Rancho San Diego | 2.88 | 45.8 | 4.7% | 25.2% | 6.2% | 1984 | $2,573 | 43.9% | 93.4% | 8.0% |
| Casa de Oro-Mount Helix | 2.80 | 45.6 | 12.6% | 22.8% | 5.9% | 1968 | $2,402 | 49.7% | 94.8% | 5.2% |
| La Mesa | 2.47 | 38.3 | 9.8% | 51.1% | 5.8% | 1968 | $2,134 | 40.9% | 94.6% | 6.1% |
| Spring Valley | 3.18 | 39.1 | 12.5% | 38.5% | 3.8% | 1977 | $2,209 | 31.4% | 90.7% | 9.7% |
| Lemon Grove | 3.25 | 36.6 | 12.8% | 46.9% | 4.7% | 1966 | $2,290 | 20.1% | 89.0% | 6.1% |
| La Presa | 3.22 | 37.4 | 11.6% | 33.3% | 4.9% | 1975 | $2,048 | 25.3% | 85.5% | 7.6% |
| Morena | 3.18 | 45.3 | 8.5% | 10.6% | 4.4% | 1987 | $1,630 | 22.5% | 87.6% | 7.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Charlestown, MA · Clinton, NC · Clanton, AL · Vinton, VA · Ciales, PR · Choctaw, OK · Chino Valley, AZ · Chickasha, OK · Washington Court House, OH · Cherry Hill, NJ
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 Bostonia. 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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