Population 61,637 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in La Mesa
Household size in La Mesa
| Period | La Mesa | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.35 | 2.87 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.50 | 2.98 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.54 | 2.99 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.47 | 2.86 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.12 | −0.02 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
The average household in La Mesa has 2.47 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.35, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the center.
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 La Mesa
| Period | La Mesa | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.6 | 36.1 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.9 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.3 | 37.8 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.3 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.2 | +2.8 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
The median resident of La Mesa is 38.3 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. The San Diego area as a whole looks much the same.
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 La Mesa
| Period | La Mesa | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.5% | 11.8% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 11.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.8% | 10.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.8% | 10.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in La Mesa (9.8%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The San Diego area as a whole looks much the same. The single-parent share is down 0.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 La Mesa
Renters in La Mesa
| Period | La Mesa | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 51.4% | 44.1% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 55.1% | 46.6% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 56.8% | 46.7% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 51.1% | 45.4% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in La Mesa rent: 51.1% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Nearly three in ten owners (28.8%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southwest.
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 La Mesa
| Period | La Mesa | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.3% | 7.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.3% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 7.1% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in La Mesa: 5.8% 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 1.3 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 La Mesa
| Period | La Mesa | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1965 | 1977 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1966 | 1978 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1966 | 1979 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1968 | 1981 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
La Mesa is a place of older homes: half were built before 1968, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1965 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, 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 La Mesa
| Period | La Mesa | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,211 | $1,408 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,305 | $1,481 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,562 | $1,868 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,134 | $2,468 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$924 | +$1,061 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in La Mesa costs $2,134 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). Rents are up $924 a month from 2006–10, a 76% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 35.8% 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 La Mesa
Bachelor's degrees in La Mesa
| Period | La Mesa | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.6% | 33.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.6% | 34.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.2% | 38.2% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 40.9% | 42.8% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.3 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
About four in ten adults 25 and older in La Mesa (40.9%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. That is in line with the rest of the San Diego area. The share with a degree has risen 8.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 La Mesa
| Period | La Mesa | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.2% | 84.9% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.3% | 85.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.6% | 87.3% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.6% | 89.0% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in La Mesa: 94.6% 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 3.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 La Mesa
| Period | La Mesa | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.7% | 9.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 6.1% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 6.1% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in La Mesa: 6.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 2.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
La Mesa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Mesa | 2.47 | 38.3 | 9.8% | 51.1% | 5.8% | 1968 | $2,134 | 40.9% | 94.6% | 6.1% |
| Lemon Grove | 3.25 | 36.6 | 12.8% | 46.9% | 4.7% | 1966 | $2,290 | 20.1% | 89.0% | 6.1% |
| Casa de Oro-Mount Helix | 2.80 | 45.6 | 12.6% | 22.8% | 5.9% | 1968 | $2,402 | 49.7% | 94.8% | 5.2% |
| Spring Valley | 3.18 | 39.1 | 12.5% | 38.5% | 3.8% | 1977 | $2,209 | 31.4% | 90.7% | 9.7% |
| La Presa | 3.22 | 37.4 | 11.6% | 33.3% | 4.9% | 1975 | $2,048 | 25.3% | 85.5% | 7.6% |
| El Cajon | 3.01 | 38.1 | 13.0% | 49.7% | 4.7% | 1975 | $2,021 | 25.0% | 85.2% | 9.3% |
| Bostonia | 2.97 | 36.9 | 15.1% | 55.4% | 6.1% | 1975 | $2,300 | 22.8% | 88.8% | 8.4% |
| 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% |
| San Diego area | 2.86 | 39.0 | 10.4% | 45.4% | 7.1% | 1981 | $2,468 | 42.8% | 89.0% | 6.1% |
| Bonita | 3.02 | 44.6 | 9.2% | 22.0% | 3.0% | 1979 | $2,075 | 41.9% | 91.4% | 5.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Brentwood, TN · Bristol, CT · Coeur d'Alene, ID · Tigard, OR · Moore, OK · Phenix City, AL · Pico Rivera, CA · Pontiac, MI · Santee, CA · Sheboygan, WI
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 La Mesa. 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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