San Diego County, California
Among the top 2% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 1% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 98% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 14% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 94% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 81% of US counties
- top 1% for comfortable days
- top 2% for broadband access
- bottom 1% for natural disaster risk
San Diego County is a county in California with about 3,290,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include comfortable days, broadband access, and walkability. It rates lower on air quality and natural disaster risk.
Official websitesandiegocounty.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Mild winters · Dry
comfortable
warm
comfortable
81%56%clearovercast
Precipitation 2.5 in0.1 in
humid 80%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$97k96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$78kbetter than 1% of US counties
Home Value$725k99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 1% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 1% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.72%better than 62% of US counties
Income Tax13.30%better than 1% of US counties
Sales Tax8.85%better than 17% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden21.60%better than 1% of US counties
Unemployment6.3%better than 23% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)56°F96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)71°F17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation12.6 in4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.7 inbetter than 80% of US counties
Sunny Days238 daysbetter than 52% of US counties
Summer Humidity60°Fbetter than 75% of US counties
Comfortable Days273 daysbetter than 99% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk99.7better than 1% of US counties
Air Quality67 AQIbetter than 1% of US counties
School Quality77.6better than 81% of US counties
Violent Crime1071/100kbetter than 32% of US counties
Property Crime1674/100kbetter than 21% of US counties
Community
Population3,289,701100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age36.715th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6296th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0370th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+237th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)43.6%12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)4.5%64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)34.5%92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)11.8%99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.6%83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time26 minbetter than 37% of US counties
Walkability11.8/20better than 97% of US counties
Airport Distance29 mibetter than 92% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access93.7%better than 98% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.09better than 24% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 82% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is San Diego County an affordable place to live?
- San Diego County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $78k, better than 1% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in San Diego County?
- The median home value in San Diego County is $725k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in San Diego County?
- Median household income in San Diego County is $97k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in San Diego County?
- Median gross rent in San Diego County is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is San Diego County safe?
- San Diego County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1071/100k (better than 32%). Property crime is 1674/100k.
- What is the weather like in San Diego County?
- San Diego County averages 71°F in July and 56°F in January, with 12.6 in of annual precipitation and about 238 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in San Diego County?
- Public-school quality in San Diego County is above average, scoring better than 81% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in San Diego County?
- The average one-way commute in San Diego County is 26 min.
Other counties in California
Explore California
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)