Population 70,475 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Mira Mesa
Household size in Mira Mesa
| Period | Mira Mesa | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.14 | 2.87 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.28 | 2.98 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.20 | 2.99 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.02 | 2.86 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.12 | −0.02 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Mira Mesa is a place of big households: 3.02 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 dropped from 3.14, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Mira Mesa
| Period | Mira Mesa | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.2 | 36.1 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.6 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.4 | 37.8 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.4 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.2 | +2.8 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Mira Mesa is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.4, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 34.2 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the southeast, the oldest in the west.
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 Mira Mesa
| Period | Mira Mesa | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 11.8% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 11.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.6% | 10.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.2% | 10.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Mira Mesa: 7.2% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 2.0 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 Mira Mesa
Renters in Mira Mesa
| Period | Mira Mesa | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.7% | 44.1% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 39.6% | 46.6% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.2% | 46.7% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 47.1% | 45.4% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Mira Mesa than nationally: 47.1% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 32.2% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the southeast; owners are most common in the west. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 5.4 points, 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 Mira Mesa
| Period | Mira Mesa | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.2% | 7.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 7.1% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.5% of homes in Mira Mesa are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 0.7 points, mirroring the country.
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 Mira Mesa
| Period | Mira Mesa | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1982 | 1977 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1978 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1979 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1985 | 1981 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Mira Mesa are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1985, versus 1980 across the U.S. The picture is much the same across the San Diego area.
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 Mira Mesa
| Period | Mira Mesa | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,646 | $1,408 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,760 | $1,481 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,121 | $1,868 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,718 | $2,468 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,072 | +$1,061 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Mira Mesa costs $2,718 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,072 a month since 2006–10, up 65%, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 31.0% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southeast; the highest are in the northeast.
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 Mira Mesa
Bachelor's degrees in Mira Mesa
| Period | Mira Mesa | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.6% | 33.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 42.8% | 34.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.2% | 38.2% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 50.5% | 42.8% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.9 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Mira Mesa is highly educated: about half of adults 25 and older (50.5%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 10.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the south.
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 Mira Mesa
| Period | Mira Mesa | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.2% | 84.9% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.7% | 85.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.4% | 87.3% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.8% | 89.0% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Mira Mesa have finished high school (90.8%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged up 0.6 points, a smaller shift than 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 Mira Mesa
| Period | Mira Mesa | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 9.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 6.1% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 6.1% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.2%, unemployment in Mira Mesa is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is lower than in the San Diego area overall (6.1%). 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).
Mira Mesa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mira Mesa | 3.02 | 37.4 | 7.2% | 47.1% | 5.5% | 1985 | $2,718 | 50.5% | 90.8% | 5.2% |
| Miramar | 3.97 | 21.4 | 9.3% | 100.0% | 9.2% | 1994 | $3,501 | 33.4% | 98.1% | 5.6% |
| Sorrento Valley | 2.68 | 38.9 | 5.9% | 47.8% | 5.4% | 1994 | $3,272 | 70.9% | 94.2% | 4.5% |
| Scripps Ranch | 2.83 | 44.9 | 6.2% | 19.5% | 5.3% | 1994 | $3,252 | 70.6% | 97.9% | 3.6% |
| Sabre Springs | 2.78 | 39.3 | 7.7% | 35.5% | 3.9% | 1993 | $3,012 | 66.3% | 95.3% | 6.3% |
| Rancho Penasquitos | 2.95 | 41.5 | 7.8% | 28.4% | 5.9% | 1993 | $2,933 | 68.2% | 95.9% | 4.3% |
| Carmel Valley | 2.74 | 39.2 | 6.9% | 43.4% | 7.8% | 2001 | $3,194 | 81.5% | 98.0% | 3.4% |
| Carmel Mountain | 2.57 | 39.4 | 6.8% | 50.5% | 6.2% | 1989 | $3,068 | 71.0% | 95.9% | 5.9% |
| North City | 2.77 | 43.8 | 6.8% | 18.8% | 10.5% | 2001 | $3,485 | 84.9% | 97.6% | 7.3% |
| University City | 2.26 | 33.6 | 5.2% | 64.8% | 7.5% | 1983 | $2,653 | 76.0% | 96.9% | 5.3% |
| Black Mountain Ranch | 3.08 | 41.7 | 6.4% | 17.8% | 4.4% | 2002 | $2,812 | 72.6% | 96.3% | 2.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY · Fresno-High, Fresno, CA · Galleria-Uptown, Houston, TX · Germantown, Philadelphia, PA · Gramercy, Manhattan, NY · Greater Heights, Houston, TX · Greater Hilltop, Columbus, OH · Westchase, Houston, TX · Millcreek, Salt Lake City, UT · Mott Haven, Bronx, NY
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 Mira 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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