Population 5,671 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Little Italy
Household size in Little Italy
| Period | Little Italy | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.54 | 2.87 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.72 | 2.98 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.57 | 2.99 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.52 | 2.86 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | −0.02 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Little Italy are small: just 1.52 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Of San Diego's 81 neighborhoods, only two have 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 Little Italy
| Period | Little Italy | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.2 | 36.1 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.3 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.8 | 37.8 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.9 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.8 | +2.8 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Little Italy is young: half of its residents are under 35.9, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has climbed from 31.2 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Little Italy
| Period | Little Italy | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 11.8% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 11.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 10.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.0% | 10.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Little Italy: 2.0% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 3.7 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only two of San Diego's 81 neighborhoods 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 Little Italy
Renters in Little Italy
| Period | Little Italy | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.6% | 44.1% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 75.1% | 46.6% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 78.5% | 46.7% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 81.1% | 45.4% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Little Italy: 81.1% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. About a third of owners (33.9%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 1.6 points, as it has nationally. Of San Diego's 81 neighborhoods, only three have 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 Little Italy
| Period | Little Italy | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.3% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 27.7% | 7.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.8% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.6% | 7.1% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −10.6 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Just as many homes sit empty in Little Italy as nationally: 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the San Diego area overall (7.1%). Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 10.6 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 Little Italy
| Period | Little Italy | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1999 | 1977 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 2000 | 1978 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 2001 | 1979 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2005 | 1981 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Little Italy has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 2005, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1999 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the northwest has the oldest housing. Only one other San Diego neighborhood has newer homes.
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 Little Italy
| Period | Little Italy | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,571 | $1,408 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,781 | $1,481 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,146 | $1,868 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,800 | $2,468 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,229 | +$1,061 | +$931 | +$606 |
Rent in Little Italy runs $2,800 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,229 a month from 2006–10, a 78% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 27.0% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the east; the highest are in the south.
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 Little Italy
Bachelor's degrees in Little Italy
| Period | Little Italy | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 71.3% | 33.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 65.0% | 34.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 74.7% | 38.2% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 76.9% | 42.8% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.6 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Little Italy: 76.9% 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 5.6 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Few San Diego neighborhoods have a higher share of college graduates: only three of 81.
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 Little Italy
| Period | Little Italy | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.0% | 84.9% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.6% | 85.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.6% | 87.3% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.3% | 89.0% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Little Italy: 94.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has fallen 3.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose.
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 Little Italy
| Period | Little Italy | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.9% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.2% | 9.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 6.1% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 6.1% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Little Italy runs below the national rate: 4.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Little Italy has lower unemployment than at least four in five San Diego neighborhoods. 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).
Little Italy 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Italy | 1.52 | 35.9 | 2.0% | 81.1% | 9.6% | 2005 | $2,800 | 76.9% | 94.3% | 4.0% |
| Columbia San Diego | 1.69 | 45.5 | 2.4% | 34.3% | 14.5% | 1995 | $2,217 | 51.6% | 88.1% | 2.3% |
| Cortez Hill | 1.52 | 42.8 | 1.3% | 80.8% | 8.0% | 1983 | $1,975 | 61.4% | 93.5% | 4.1% |
| Park West | 1.81 | 48.5 | 4.3% | 66.4% | 8.8% | 1968 | $2,143 | 60.1% | 94.4% | 3.8% |
| Marina | 1.54 | 42.1 | 2.4% | 59.1% | 25.5% | 1996 | $2,077 | 67.5% | 94.6% | 5.2% |
| 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% |
| Middletown | 1.75 | 45.3 | 4.4% | 59.6% | 13.2% | 1963 | $1,990 | 62.3% | 97.0% | 7.4% |
| Sherman Heights | 1.95 | 42.2 | 12.9% | 80.6% | 13.3% | 1976 | $1,363 | 23.2% | 79.1% | 22.6% |
| Hillcrest | 1.64 | 39.0 | 4.1% | 70.9% | 6.5% | 1980 | $2,251 | 63.5% | 97.6% | 4.4% |
| Balboa Park | 2.09 | 34.7 | 6.3% | 74.5% | 6.3% | 1960 | $2,102 | 57.0% | 94.4% | 6.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Far Southside, Abilene, TX · Sunwood Central, Santa Ana, CA · Stephens, Little Rock, AR · Springfield Lake Shore Improvement, Springfield, IL · Linda Mar, Pacifica, CA · Greenwood Forest, Houston, TX · Greater South, Lincoln, NE · Golf Course Terrace, Sacramento, CA · Fourth Ward, Charlotte, NC · Fourth Street Historic District, Massillon, 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 Little Italy. 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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