Population 21,557 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Rancho San Diego: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Rancho San Diego
Household size in Rancho San Diego
| Period | Rancho San Diego | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.73 | 2.87 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.79 | 2.98 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.98 | 2.99 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.88 | 2.86 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.15 | −0.02 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Rancho San Diego average 2.88 people, above the national 2.65, so families with children are more common here. Household size has climbed from 2.73 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the southwest.
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 Rancho San Diego
| Period | Rancho San Diego | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.2 | 36.1 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.2 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.0 | 37.8 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.8 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.7 | +2.8 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Rancho San Diego skews older: half of its residents are older than 45.8, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 41.2, mirroring the country.
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 Rancho San Diego
| Period | Rancho San Diego | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.0% | 11.8% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 11.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.1% | 10.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 10.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.7% of households in Rancho San Diego, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 3.3 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 38 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 Rancho San Diego
Renters in Rancho San Diego
| Period | Rancho San Diego | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.4% | 44.1% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.4% | 46.6% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.7% | 46.7% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.2% | 45.4% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a quarter of households in Rancho San Diego rent their homes (25.2%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among owners, 26.3% have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the south; owners are most common in the east. The renter share has edged up 0.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Rancho San Diego
| Period | Rancho San Diego | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.1% | 7.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.8% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 7.1% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Rancho San Diego than nationally: 6.2%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The picture is much the same across the San Diego area. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged up 0.6 points, 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 Rancho San Diego
| Period | Rancho San Diego | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1985 | 1977 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1985 | 1978 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1985 | 1979 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1981 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | −0 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Rancho San Diego is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1984, against 1980 nationally. The San Diego area as a whole looks much the same.
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 Rancho San Diego
| Period | Rancho San Diego | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,532 | $1,408 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,661 | $1,481 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,888 | $1,868 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,573 | $2,468 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,041 | +$1,061 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Rancho San Diego costs $2,573 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,041 a month since 2006–10, up 68%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 38.9% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the west and lowest in the north.
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 Rancho San Diego
Bachelor's degrees in Rancho San Diego
| Period | Rancho San Diego | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.3% | 33.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 40.2% | 34.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 42.6% | 38.2% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 43.9% | 42.8% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than four in ten adults 25 and older in Rancho San Diego (43.9%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 4.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the center.
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 Rancho San Diego
| Period | Rancho San Diego | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.2% | 84.9% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.4% | 85.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.0% | 87.3% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.4% | 89.0% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Rancho San Diego is above the national rate: 93.4% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has edged down 0.8 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 Rancho San Diego
| Period | Rancho San Diego | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 9.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 6.1% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 6.1% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Rancho San Diego: 8.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged up 0.9 points, even as the national rate fell. 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).
Rancho San Diego 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rancho San Diego | 2.88 | 45.8 | 4.7% | 25.2% | 6.2% | 1984 | $2,573 | 43.9% | 93.4% | 8.0% |
| El Cajon | 3.01 | 38.1 | 13.0% | 49.7% | 4.7% | 1975 | $2,021 | 25.0% | 85.2% | 9.3% |
| 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% |
| Bostonia | 2.97 | 36.9 | 15.1% | 55.4% | 6.1% | 1975 | $2,300 | 22.8% | 88.8% | 8.4% |
| Jamul | 3.19 | 45.2 | 5.4% | 9.1% | 6.5% | 1985 | $2,595 | 30.8% | 91.6% | 4.8% |
| La Presa | 3.22 | 37.4 | 11.6% | 33.3% | 4.9% | 1975 | $2,048 | 25.3% | 85.5% | 7.6% |
| La Mesa | 2.47 | 38.3 | 9.8% | 51.1% | 5.8% | 1968 | $2,134 | 40.9% | 94.6% | 6.1% |
| Lakeside | 3.04 | 39.7 | 12.3% | 31.2% | 5.6% | 1979 | $2,066 | 27.0% | 91.6% | 5.6% |
| Lemon Grove | 3.25 | 36.6 | 12.8% | 46.9% | 4.7% | 1966 | $2,290 | 20.1% | 89.0% | 6.1% |
| Santee | 2.81 | 40.5 | 7.8% | 27.7% | 4.2% | 1983 | $2,490 | 35.3% | 92.8% | 4.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Dyer, IN · Travelers Rest, SC · Toccoa, GA · Timberwood Park, TX · Thomaston, GA · The Crossings, FL · Talladega, AL · Sycamore, IL · Susanville, CA · Sunset, FL
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 Rancho San Diego. 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.