Population 20,738 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in City Heights West
Household size in City Heights West
| Period | City Heights West | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.18 | 2.87 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.25 | 2.98 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.17 | 2.99 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.01 | 2.86 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.16 | −0.02 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
City Heights West is a place of big households: 3.01 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 3.18, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 City Heights West
| Period | City Heights West | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.9 | 36.1 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 29.9 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.1 | 37.8 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.1 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.2 | +2.8 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
City Heights West is young: half of its residents are under 34.1, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young families with children. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 30.9, mirroring the country.
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 City Heights West
| Period | City Heights West | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.7% | 11.8% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.3% | 11.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.1% | 10.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 18.3% | 10.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in six households in City Heights West (18.3%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 1.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. City Heights West has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five San Diego neighborhoods.
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 City Heights West
Renters in City Heights West
| Period | City Heights West | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 70.9% | 44.1% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 77.7% | 46.6% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 77.4% | 46.7% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 72.3% | 45.4% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in City Heights West: 72.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Just over a third of owners (35.4%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the northeast; owners are most common in the south. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 1.4 points, in line with the national trend.
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 City Heights West
| Period | City Heights West | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 7.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 7.1% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in City Heights West: 6.0% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The San Diego area as a whole looks much the same. Vacancy is down 2.9 points from 2006–10, 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 City Heights West
| Period | City Heights West | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1963 | 1977 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1978 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1979 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1970 | 1981 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in City Heights West is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1970, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1963 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the south.
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 City Heights West
| Period | City Heights West | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $996 | $1,408 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,036 | $1,481 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,228 | $1,868 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,782 | $2,468 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$786 | +$1,061 | +$931 | +$606 |
Rent in City Heights West runs $1,782 a month at the median, utilities included, above the U.S. median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in the wider San Diego area ($2,468). Rent has climbed $786 a month since 2006–10, up 79%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 35.6% of the typical renter's income, 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 City Heights West
Bachelor's degrees in City Heights West
| Period | City Heights West | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.8% | 33.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.2% | 34.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.5% | 38.2% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.8% | 42.8% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.0 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in City Heights West than nationally: 26.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 11.0 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the east.
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 City Heights West
| Period | City Heights West | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 66.1% | 84.9% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 68.7% | 85.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 63.5% | 87.3% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 72.5% | 89.0% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
More than a quarter of adults in City Heights West never finished high school, well above the national share: only 72.5% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 6.4 points, mirroring the country. City Heights West has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of San Diego neighborhoods.
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 City Heights West
| Period | City Heights West | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 9.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 6.1% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.8% | 6.1% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in City Heights West: 9.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is up 2.6 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).
City Heights West 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City Heights West | 3.01 | 34.1 | 18.3% | 72.3% | 6.0% | 1970 | $1,782 | 26.8% | 72.5% | 9.8% |
| East San Diego | 2.50 | 34.9 | 12.7% | 78.0% | 8.0% | 1966 | $1,846 | 28.9% | 78.3% | 5.5% |
| City Heights East | 3.37 | 32.6 | 20.4% | 80.1% | 6.6% | 1973 | $1,792 | 17.7% | 63.3% | 6.5% |
| North Park San Diego | 1.92 | 36.1 | 6.1% | 69.4% | 7.3% | 1965 | $2,128 | 58.7% | 95.3% | 5.7% |
| Normal Heights | 1.95 | 37.6 | 7.3% | 69.6% | 4.6% | 1966 | $2,000 | 52.5% | 93.6% | 3.7% |
| Ridgeview-Webster | 2.88 | 50.9 | 19.3% | 42.8% | 7.1% | 1960 | $1,934 | 25.3% | 84.1% | 12.7% |
| Kensington | 2.25 | 49.3 | 9.8% | 35.6% | 5.1% | 1948 | $2,768 | 71.7% | 98.6% | 8.3% |
| Talmadge | 2.14 | 39.3 | 11.0% | 63.8% | 4.8% | 1965 | $2,244 | 48.6% | 86.7% | 5.2% |
| Oak Park | 3.21 | 34.6 | 12.3% | 51.2% | 3.2% | 1972 | $2,011 | 22.3% | 76.6% | 6.4% |
| El Cerritos | 2.68 | 32.7 | 16.6% | 54.7% | 4.1% | 1973 | $2,181 | 45.5% | 89.5% | 4.2% |
| University Heights | 1.76 | 38.5 | 5.0% | 77.1% | 8.3% | 1974 | $2,044 | 60.2% | 95.8% | 4.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Au-Tenleytown, Washington, DC · Baker-Zachary Area, Baker, LA · Bario Logan, San Diego, CA · Whiskey Point, Chicago, IL · Westside, Santa Cruz, CA · Chinquapin Park-Belvedere, Baltimore, MD · Villa Carolina, Carolina, PR · Central Boulder, Boulder, CO · Vance Jackson, San Antonio, TX · Orangecrest, Riverside, CA
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 City Heights West. 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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