Population 2,287 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Pala
Household size in Pala
| Period | Pala | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.37 | 2.87 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.26 | 2.98 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.76 | 2.99 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.16 | 2.86 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.22 | −0.02 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Pala are large by national standards, averaging 3.16 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 3.37, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Pala
| Period | Pala | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.3 | 36.1 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.0 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.4 | 37.8 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.8 | +2.8 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Pala are younger than 39.0 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1.
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 Pala
| Period | Pala | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.5% | 11.8% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.7% | 11.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.5% | 10.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.2% | 10.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in six households in Pala (16.2%), well above the national share of 11.6%.
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 Pala
Renters in Pala
| Period | Pala | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.2% | 44.1% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.2% | 46.6% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.8% | 46.7% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 14.5% | 45.4% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −18.6 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Pala is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 14.5% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 31.5% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%.
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 Pala
| Period | Pala | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.0% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 7.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.5% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 7.1% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.2 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Pala: 6.8% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. That is in line with the rest of the San Diego area.
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 Pala
| Period | Pala | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1982 | 1977 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1989 | 1978 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1993 | 1979 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1990 | 1981 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Pala has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1990, versus 1980 nationally.
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 Pala
| Period | Pala | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $890 | $1,408 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,007 | $1,481 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,374 | $1,868 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,611 | $2,468 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$720 | +$1,061 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Pala pays $1,611 a month for rent and utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in the wider San Diego area ($2,468). The typical renter here spends 29.3% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Pala
Bachelor's degrees in Pala
| Period | Pala | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.4% | 33.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.6% | 34.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.5% | 38.2% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.1% | 42.8% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.7 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over a quarter of adults 25 and older in Pala (26.1%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%.
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 Pala
| Period | Pala | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.5% | 84.9% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 79.5% | 85.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.5% | 87.3% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 83.9% | 89.0% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.4 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Pala never finished high school, well above the national share: only 83.9% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% 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 Pala
| Period | Pala | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 9.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.5% | 6.1% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 6.1% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Pala than nationally: unemployment was 4.1%, against 5.4%. 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).
Pala 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pala | 3.16 | 39.0 | 16.2% | 14.5% | 6.8% | 1990 | $1,611 | 26.1% | 83.9% | 4.1% |
| Rainbow | 3.10 | 34.8 | 14.9% | 15.9% | 4.4% | 2008 | $2,387 | 47.1% | 90.5% | 4.7% |
| Pauma Valley | 2.86 | 46.5 | 8.5% | 15.1% | 14.2% | 1989 | $1,582 | 39.8% | 90.1% | 5.7% |
| Valley Center | 3.24 | 43.6 | 8.8% | 11.6% | 9.3% | 1988 | $2,172 | 32.9% | 88.1% | 4.0% |
| Bonsall | 2.64 | 48.4 | 10.5% | 25.6% | 5.4% | 1992 | $2,392 | 45.9% | 90.3% | 5.0% |
| Fallbrook | 3.10 | 40.2 | 11.2% | 30.5% | 7.5% | 1985 | $2,355 | 32.2% | 85.7% | 5.6% |
| Temecula | 3.12 | 38.8 | 9.6% | 29.6% | 5.6% | 1998 | $2,630 | 40.2% | 93.8% | 5.7% |
| Radec | 2.67 | 57.4 | 8.9% | 13.1% | 14.3% | 1993 | $1,329 | 29.1% | 94.8% | 4.3% |
| Palomar Mountain | 2.56 | 60.6 | 8.2% | 14.5% | 19.9% | 1980 | $1,238 | 21.2% | 83.8% | 2.5% |
| Camp Pendleton North | 3.12 | 21.7 | 1.5% | 99.0% | 7.4% | 2000 | $3,018 | 29.0% | 99.5% | 10.9% |
| Aguanga | 2.87 | 46.5 | 8.1% | 8.4% | 22.0% | 1994 | $1,039 | 24.9% | 90.0% | 8.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Canaan, NH · Estancia, NM · East Uniontown, PA · Eagle, MI · Crown City, OH · Crothersville, IN · Clearfield, KY · Stagecoach, NV · Campbell, MO · Burr Oak, MI
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 Pala. 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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