Population 8,423 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Core
Household size in Core
| Period | Core | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.41 | 2.87 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.46 | 2.98 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.39 | 2.99 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.48 | 2.86 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.07 | −0.02 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Core is a place of small households, averaging 1.48 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 crept up from 1.41, even as the national average fell. No other San Diego neighborhood has smaller households.
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 Core
| Period | Core | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.4 | 36.1 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 32.7 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.7 | 37.8 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.2 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −3.2 | +2.8 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 34.2, Core 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 dropped from 37.4 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose.
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 Core
| Period | Core | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.2% | 11.8% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 2.4% | 11.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 2.5% | 10.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.8% | 10.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 2.8% of households in Core, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 1.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Few San Diego neighborhoods have a lower share of single-parent households: only five of 81.
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 Core
Renters in Core
| Period | Core | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.4% | 44.1% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 92.0% | 46.6% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 88.8% | 46.7% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 92.6% | 45.4% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Core: 92.6% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 38.4% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share is down 1.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose. Only one other San Diego neighborhood has a higher share of renters.
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 Core
| Period | Core | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.2% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.5% | 7.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.7% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.0% | 7.1% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −8.1 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Core as nationally: 10.0%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the San Diego area as a whole (7.1%). Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 8.1 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Core
| Period | Core | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1977 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1989 | 1978 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 2001 | 1979 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2003 | 1981 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +30 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Core has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 2003, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1973 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the southwest. Few San Diego neighborhoods have newer homes: only two 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 Core
| Period | Core | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $682 | $1,408 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,141 | $1,481 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,675 | $1,868 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,120 | $2,468 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,438 | +$1,061 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Core pays $2,120 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in the San Diego area overall ($2,468). Rents are up $1,438 a month from 2006–10, a 211% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 34.6% 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 Core
Bachelor's degrees in Core
| Period | Core | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.8% | 33.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 47.2% | 34.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.1% | 38.2% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 51.0% | 42.8% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +18.2 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Core is highly educated: about half of adults 25 and older (51.0%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 18.2 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the southwest.
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 Core
| Period | Core | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.3% | 84.9% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.3% | 85.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.3% | 87.3% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.6% | 89.0% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Core is close to the national rate: 90.6% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is higher than in the wider San Diego area (89.0%). The share with a diploma is up 3.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Core
| Period | Core | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.9% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.1% | 9.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 6.1% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.3% | 6.1% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs high in Core: 7.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has risen 3.3 points since 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).
Core 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| Cortez Hill | 1.52 | 42.8 | 1.3% | 80.8% | 8.0% | 1983 | $1,975 | 61.4% | 93.5% | 4.1% |
| Marina | 1.54 | 42.1 | 2.4% | 59.1% | 25.5% | 1996 | $2,077 | 67.5% | 94.6% | 5.2% |
| 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% |
| Sherman Heights | 1.95 | 42.2 | 12.9% | 80.6% | 13.3% | 1976 | $1,363 | 23.2% | 79.1% | 22.6% |
| Park West | 1.81 | 48.5 | 4.3% | 66.4% | 8.8% | 1968 | $2,143 | 60.1% | 94.4% | 3.8% |
| 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% |
| Middletown | 1.75 | 45.3 | 4.4% | 59.6% | 13.2% | 1963 | $1,990 | 62.3% | 97.0% | 7.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Arlington Ridge, Arlington, VA · Bonneville, Orem, UT · Timberwood Park, San Antonio, TX · North Orange, Orlando, FL · Girvin, Jacksonville, FL · Nobility Hill Historic District, Stoneham, MA · New River Estates, Sunrise, FL · Midtown, Milwaukee, WI · Midtown District, San Diego, CA · Meadowlane, Lincoln, NE
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 Core. 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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