Population 3,479 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Columbia San Diego
Household size in Columbia San Diego
| Period | Columbia San Diego | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.47 | 2.87 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.56 | 2.98 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.39 | 2.99 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.69 | 2.86 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.23 | −0.02 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Columbia San Diego is a place of small households, averaging 1.69 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 1.47, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next. Few San Diego neighborhoods have smaller households: only six of 81.
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 Columbia San Diego
| Period | Columbia San Diego | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.5 | 36.1 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.5 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 50.6 | 37.8 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.5 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.0 | +2.8 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Columbia San Diego skews older: half of its residents are older than 45.5, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Only five of San Diego's 81 neighborhoods are older.
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 Columbia San Diego
| Period | Columbia San Diego | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 11.8% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 3.5% | 11.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 1.5% | 10.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.4% | 10.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Columbia San Diego: 2.4% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Of San Diego's 81 neighborhoods, only three have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Columbia San Diego
Renters in Columbia San Diego
| Period | Columbia San Diego | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 58.8% | 44.1% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 49.7% | 46.6% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.9% | 46.7% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.3% | 45.4% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −24.5 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Columbia San Diego is about as common as it is nationally: 34.3% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in the San Diego area overall (45.4%). Nearly six in ten owners (57.6%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
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 Columbia San Diego
| Period | Columbia San Diego | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.3% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.2% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.5% | 7.1% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Columbia San Diego: 14.5% of homes are empty, 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. Few San Diego neighborhoods have a higher vacancy rate: only four of 81.
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 Columbia San Diego
| Period | Columbia San Diego | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1993 | 1977 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1995 | 1978 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1994 | 1979 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1995 | 1981 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Columbia San Diego is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1995, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. Columbia San Diego has newer homes than the great majority of San Diego neighborhoods.
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 Columbia San Diego
| Period | Columbia San Diego | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,240 | $1,408 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,199 | $1,481 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,328 | $1,868 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,217 | $2,468 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$976 | +$1,061 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Columbia San Diego pays $2,217 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are lower than in the wider San Diego area ($2,468). The typical renter here spends 24.9% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Columbia San Diego
Bachelor's degrees in Columbia San Diego
| Period | Columbia San Diego | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.5% | 33.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 44.2% | 34.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 44.2% | 38.2% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 51.6% | 42.8% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.1 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Columbia San Diego: 51.6% 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.
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 Columbia San Diego
| Period | Columbia San Diego | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.8% | 84.9% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 80.2% | 85.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.3% | 87.3% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.1% | 89.0% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Columbia San Diego is close to the national rate: 88.1% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Columbia San Diego has a lower share of high school graduates than most 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 Columbia San Diego
| Period | Columbia San Diego | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.5% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 1.9% | 9.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.6% | 6.1% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.3% | 6.1% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Columbia San Diego has been strong: just 2.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Only one other San Diego neighborhood has lower unemployment. 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).
Columbia San Diego 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia San Diego | 1.69 | 45.5 | 2.4% | 34.3% | 14.5% | 1995 | $2,217 | 51.6% | 88.1% | 2.3% |
| Little Italy | 1.52 | 35.9 | 2.0% | 81.1% | 9.6% | 2005 | $2,800 | 76.9% | 94.3% | 4.0% |
| Marina | 1.54 | 42.1 | 2.4% | 59.1% | 25.5% | 1996 | $2,077 | 67.5% | 94.6% | 5.2% |
| Cortez Hill | 1.52 | 42.8 | 1.3% | 80.8% | 8.0% | 1983 | $1,975 | 61.4% | 93.5% | 4.1% |
| Core | 1.48 | 34.2 | 2.8% | 92.6% | 10.0% | 2003 | $2,120 | 51.0% | 90.6% | 7.3% |
| East Village | 1.58 | 34.6 | 4.4% | 82.3% | 10.7% | 2010 | $2,487 | 54.6% | 90.8% | 11.2% |
| Park West | 1.81 | 48.5 | 4.3% | 66.4% | 8.8% | 1968 | $2,143 | 60.1% | 94.4% | 3.8% |
| Sherman Heights | 1.95 | 42.2 | 12.9% | 80.6% | 13.3% | 1976 | $1,363 | 23.2% | 79.1% | 22.6% |
| Middletown | 1.75 | 45.3 | 4.4% | 59.6% | 13.2% | 1963 | $1,990 | 62.3% | 97.0% | 7.4% |
| Balboa Park | 2.09 | 34.7 | 6.3% | 74.5% | 6.3% | 1960 | $2,102 | 57.0% | 94.4% | 6.8% |
| Hillcrest | 1.64 | 39.0 | 4.1% | 70.9% | 6.5% | 1980 | $2,251 | 63.5% | 97.6% | 4.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Downtown Grand Forks, Grand Forks, ND · Westbury, Lehi, UT · Heart of the City, Beaumont, TX · Fondren North Renaissance, Jackson, MS · Bluemound Heights, Milwaukee, WI · Historic Montford, Asheville, NC · Fairview, Charlotte, NC · Academy Hills Park, Albuquerque, NM · Summit Heights, Fontana, CA · Downtown Conneaut, Conneaut, OH
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 Columbia San Diego. 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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