Population 29,347 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in College Area
Household size in College Area
| Period | College Area | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.69 | 2.87 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.86 | 2.98 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.26 | 2.99 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.92 | 2.86 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.23 | −0.02 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
College Area is a place of big households: 2.92 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 climbed from 2.69, 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 College Area
| Period | College Area | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.8 | 36.1 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 27.5 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 26.4 | 37.8 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 25.5 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −3.4 | +2.8 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 25.5, College Area is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults in their twenties. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 28.8, even as the national median rose. Few San Diego neighborhoods are younger: only two of 81.
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 College Area
| Period | College Area | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 11.8% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 11.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 10.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 10.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.5% of households in College Area, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 1.5 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 College Area
Renters in College Area
| Period | College Area | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 58.6% | 44.1% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 61.7% | 46.6% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 63.0% | 46.7% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 65.3% | 45.4% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.7 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in College Area: 65.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Nearly three in ten owners (28.7%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the southeast; owners are most common in the northwest. The renter share is up 6.7 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 College Area
| Period | College Area | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.3% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.7% | 7.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.2% | 7.1% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.9 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 18.2% of the housing in College Area, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 5.9 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 College Area
| Period | College Area | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1965 | 1977 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1967 | 1978 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1979 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1981 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in College Area is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1969, 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 1965 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the southwest has the oldest housing.
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 College Area
| Period | College Area | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,447 | $1,408 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,338 | $1,481 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,691 | $1,868 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,237 | $2,468 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$790 | +$1,061 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in College Area costs $2,237 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in the San Diego area as a whole ($2,468). Rent has climbed $790 a month since 2006–10, up 55%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 39.2% 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 College Area
Bachelor's degrees in College Area
| Period | College Area | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.1% | 33.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 37.2% | 34.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 44.8% | 38.2% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 53.7% | 42.8% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.6 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in College Area: 53.7% 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 13.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 College Area
| Period | College Area | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.1% | 84.9% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.6% | 85.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.6% | 87.3% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.9% | 89.0% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in College Area: 95.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 5.8 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 College Area
| Period | College Area | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 9.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 6.1% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.1% | 6.1% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in College Area: 9.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
College Area 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| College Area | 2.92 | 25.5 | 5.5% | 65.3% | 18.2% | 1969 | $2,237 | 53.7% | 95.9% | 9.1% |
| Rolando | 2.29 | 36.1 | 8.2% | 45.7% | 6.4% | 1963 | $1,879 | 47.2% | 93.5% | 5.3% |
| Del Cerro | 2.74 | 41.1 | 7.4% | 19.2% | 3.1% | 1966 | $2,624 | 61.5% | 98.5% | 3.4% |
| El Cerritos | 2.68 | 32.7 | 16.6% | 54.7% | 4.1% | 1973 | $2,181 | 45.5% | 89.5% | 4.2% |
| Talmadge | 2.14 | 39.3 | 11.0% | 63.8% | 4.8% | 1965 | $2,244 | 48.6% | 86.7% | 5.2% |
| Darnall | 3.06 | 35.2 | 23.1% | 34.5% | 2.3% | 1968 | $2,067 | 23.7% | 80.6% | 4.8% |
| City Heights East | 3.37 | 32.6 | 20.4% | 80.1% | 6.6% | 1973 | $1,792 | 17.7% | 63.3% | 6.5% |
| San Carlos | 2.65 | 41.8 | 8.5% | 24.5% | 6.0% | 1971 | $2,949 | 67.8% | 97.7% | 6.1% |
| Kensington | 2.25 | 49.3 | 9.8% | 35.6% | 5.1% | 1948 | $2,768 | 71.7% | 98.6% | 8.3% |
| Oak Park | 3.21 | 34.6 | 12.3% | 51.2% | 3.2% | 1972 | $2,011 | 22.3% | 76.6% | 6.4% |
| Grantville | 2.08 | 34.2 | 6.5% | 69.6% | 10.5% | 1990 | $2,514 | 48.5% | 94.6% | 7.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Shadow Creek Ranch, Pearland, TX · Northwest Austin, Austin, TX · Eastchester, Bronx, NY · Weequahic, Newark, NJ · Greater Upper Marlboro, Brock Hall, MD · UC Irvine, Irvine, CA · Highland, St. Paul, MN · Oxon Hill-Glassmanor, Oxon Hill, MD · North Central, Pasadena, CA · North Central Dallas, Carrollton, TX
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 College Area. 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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