Population 8,566 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Sorrento Valley
Household size in Sorrento Valley
| Period | Sorrento Valley | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.04 | 2.87 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.98 | 2.98 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.82 | 2.99 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.68 | 2.86 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.36 | −0.02 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Sorrento Valley average 2.68 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is smaller than in the San Diego area overall, where it has 2.86 people. Household size has dropped from 3.04 in 2006–10, 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 Sorrento Valley
| Period | Sorrento Valley | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.6 | 36.1 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.3 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.3 | 37.8 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.9 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.3 | +2.8 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Sorrento Valley are younger than 38.9 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 34.6 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the west and oldest in the northeast.
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 Sorrento Valley
| Period | Sorrento Valley | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 11.8% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.5% | 11.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 10.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 10.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.9% of households in Sorrento Valley, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 1.7 points since 2006–10, as it has 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 Sorrento Valley
Renters in Sorrento Valley
| Period | Sorrento Valley | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.0% | 44.1% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 41.8% | 46.6% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.3% | 46.7% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 47.8% | 45.4% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Sorrento Valley than nationally: 47.8% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 31.8% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the northwest and least common in the northeast. The renter share has risen 6.8 points since 2006–10, 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 Sorrento Valley
| Period | Sorrento Valley | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.5% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.5% | 7.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 7.1% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.4% of homes in Sorrento Valley are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Compared with other San Diego neighborhoods, Sorrento Valley has a lower vacancy rate than most.
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 Sorrento Valley
| Period | Sorrento Valley | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1991 | 1977 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1993 | 1978 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1992 | 1979 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1994 | 1981 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Sorrento Valley is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1994, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the east. Sorrento Valley has newer homes than at least four in five San Diego neighborhoods.
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 Sorrento Valley
| Period | Sorrento Valley | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,856 | $1,408 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,839 | $1,481 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,420 | $1,868 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,272 | $2,468 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,416 | +$1,061 | +$931 | +$606 |
Rent in Sorrento Valley runs $3,272 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,416 a month from 2006–10, a 76% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 25.7% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Of San Diego's 81 neighborhoods, only two have 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 Sorrento Valley
Bachelor's degrees in Sorrento Valley
| Period | Sorrento Valley | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 65.7% | 33.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 66.2% | 34.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 67.2% | 38.2% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 70.9% | 42.8% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.2 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Sorrento Valley: 70.9% 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 has risen 5.2 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Sorrento Valley
| Period | Sorrento Valley | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.3% | 84.9% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.0% | 85.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.6% | 87.3% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.2% | 89.0% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Sorrento Valley is above the national rate: 94.2% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged down 1.1 points, 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 Sorrento Valley
| Period | Sorrento Valley | San Diego area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.5% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.0% | 9.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 6.1% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 6.1% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Sorrento Valley runs below the national rate: 4.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 1.0 points, mirroring the country. 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).
Sorrento Valley 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sorrento Valley | 2.68 | 38.9 | 5.9% | 47.8% | 5.4% | 1994 | $3,272 | 70.9% | 94.2% | 4.5% |
| Mira Mesa | 3.02 | 37.4 | 7.2% | 47.1% | 5.5% | 1985 | $2,718 | 50.5% | 90.8% | 5.2% |
| Carmel Valley | 2.74 | 39.2 | 6.9% | 43.4% | 7.8% | 2001 | $3,194 | 81.5% | 98.0% | 3.4% |
| Miramar | 3.97 | 21.4 | 9.3% | 100.0% | 9.2% | 1994 | $3,501 | 33.4% | 98.1% | 5.6% |
| 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% |
| North City | 2.77 | 43.8 | 6.8% | 18.8% | 10.5% | 2001 | $3,485 | 84.9% | 97.6% | 7.3% |
| La Jolla Village | 1.96 | 33.2 | 7.6% | 56.8% | 7.1% | 1979 | $3,048 | 83.3% | 98.1% | 9.3% |
| Del Mar Heights | 2.40 | 48.6 | 5.4% | 23.8% | 8.8% | 1976 | $3,019 | 79.3% | 97.1% | 5.4% |
| Rancho Penasquitos | 2.95 | 41.5 | 7.8% | 28.4% | 5.9% | 1993 | $2,933 | 68.2% | 95.9% | 4.3% |
| North Clairemont | 2.58 | 42.1 | 8.8% | 38.4% | 4.7% | 1960 | $2,201 | 46.6% | 90.5% | 8.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Beaverdale, Des Moines, IA · City Hall Monument District, New Britain, CT · Desert Hills, Las Vegas, NV · Donelson, Nashville, TN · Downtown Columbus, Columbus, OH · Song, Irving, TX · Merritt, Oakland, CA · Midtown-Detroit, Detroit, MI · Nora, Indianapolis, IN · North Oakland, Pittsburgh, PA
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 Sorrento Valley. 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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