Population 15,094 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in North City
Household size in North City
| Period | North City | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.81 | 2.87 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.85 | 2.98 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.71 | 2.99 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.77 | 2.86 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.04 | −0.02 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in North City average 2.77 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Still, the typical household here is smaller than in the San Diego area as a whole, where it has 2.86 people. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.81, in line with the national trend.
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 North City
| Period | North City | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.0 | 36.1 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.8 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.5 | 37.8 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.8 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.7 | +2.8 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
The median resident of North City is 43.8 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 42.0 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the northwest.
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 North City
| Period | North City | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 11.8% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 11.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.6% | 10.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 10.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.8% of households in North City, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 1.9 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 North City
Renters in North City
| Period | North City | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.1% | 44.1% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.6% | 46.6% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.0% | 46.7% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 18.8% | 45.4% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
North City is largely a place of homeowners: only 18.8% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Just over a quarter of owners (26.6%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged down 1.4 points, even as the national share rose.
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 North City
| Period | North City | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.0% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 7.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.5% | 7.1% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in North City is close to the national rate: 10.5% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the wider San Diego area (7.1%). Vacancy has risen 5.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 North City
| Period | North City | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1994 | 1977 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1995 | 1978 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1997 | 1979 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2001 | 1981 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Much of the housing in North City is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 2001, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1994 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the center, while the northwest has the oldest housing. Of San Diego's 81 neighborhoods, only six have 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 North City
| Period | North City | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,558 | $1,408 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,725 | $1,481 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $3,147 | $1,868 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,485 | $2,468 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,927 | +$1,061 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in North City pays $3,485 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,927 a month since 2006–10, up 124%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 41.0% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Only one other San Diego neighborhood has higher rents.
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 North City
Bachelor's degrees in North City
| Period | North City | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 76.5% | 33.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 74.2% | 34.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 80.5% | 38.2% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 84.9% | 42.8% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.4 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in North City: 84.9% 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 8.4 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only one other San Diego neighborhood has a higher share of college graduates.
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 North City
| Period | North City | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.6% | 84.9% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.2% | 85.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 99.4% | 87.3% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.6% | 89.0% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in North City: 97.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is down 1.0 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate rose. North City has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five 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 North City
| Period | North City | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.0% | 9.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 6.1% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.3% | 6.1% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in North City than nationally: unemployment was 7.3%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has risen 2.4 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. 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).
North City 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North City | 2.77 | 43.8 | 6.8% | 18.8% | 10.5% | 2001 | $3,485 | 84.9% | 97.6% | 7.3% |
| Carmel Valley | 2.74 | 39.2 | 6.9% | 43.4% | 7.8% | 2001 | $3,194 | 81.5% | 98.0% | 3.4% |
| Del Mar Heights | 2.40 | 48.6 | 5.4% | 23.8% | 8.8% | 1976 | $3,019 | 79.3% | 97.1% | 5.4% |
| Sorrento Valley | 2.68 | 38.9 | 5.9% | 47.8% | 5.4% | 1994 | $3,272 | 70.9% | 94.2% | 4.5% |
| Rancho Penasquitos | 2.95 | 41.5 | 7.8% | 28.4% | 5.9% | 1993 | $2,933 | 68.2% | 95.9% | 4.3% |
| Mira Mesa | 3.02 | 37.4 | 7.2% | 47.1% | 5.5% | 1985 | $2,718 | 50.5% | 90.8% | 5.2% |
| Black Mountain Ranch | 3.08 | 41.7 | 6.4% | 17.8% | 4.4% | 2002 | $2,812 | 72.6% | 96.3% | 2.9% |
| Torrey Pines | 2.09 | 23.4 | 4.7% | 51.7% | 4.6% | 1977 | $1,808 | 89.5% | 99.9% | 16.8% |
| University City | 2.26 | 33.6 | 5.2% | 64.8% | 7.5% | 1983 | $2,653 | 76.0% | 96.9% | 5.3% |
| La Jolla Village | 1.96 | 33.2 | 7.6% | 56.8% | 7.1% | 1979 | $3,048 | 83.3% | 98.1% | 9.3% |
| Miramar | 3.97 | 21.4 | 9.3% | 100.0% | 9.2% | 1994 | $3,501 | 33.4% | 98.1% | 5.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Pleasure Ridge Park, Louisville, KY · Ellsworth, Elmwood Park, IL · Encanto, San Diego, CA · First Hill, Seattle, WA · Frankford, Baltimore, MD · Franklin Park, Austin, TX · Georgetown, Washington, DC · Grays Ferry, Philadelphia, PA · Greater Inwood, Houston, TX · Greystone, Birmingham, AL
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 North City. 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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