La Mesa, California
Among the top 4% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 3% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 96% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 35% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 95% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 51% of US places
- top 1% for comfortable days
- top 1% for walkability
- bottom 2% for cost of living
La Mesa is a mid-size city in California with about 61,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include comfortable days, walkability, and airport distance. It rates lower on income tax and cost of living.
Official websitecityoflamesa.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Mild winters · Dry
comfortable
warm
comfortable
78%54%clearovercast
Precipitation 2.4 in0.1 in
humid 95%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$84k75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$78kbetter than 2% of US places
Home Value$684k95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 9% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 8% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.68%better than 74% of US places
Income Tax13.30%better than 3% of US places
Sales Tax8.85%better than 19% of US places
Estimated total tax burden21.78%better than 3% of US places
Unemployment6.5%better than 28% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)57°F96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation12.0 in5th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 94% of US places
Sunny Days228 daysbetter than 43% of US places
Summer Humidity61°Fbetter than 70% of US places
Comfortable Days315 daysbetter than 99% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk39.4better than 82% of US places
Air Quality53 AQIbetter than 9% of US places
School Quality87.4better than 80% of US places
Violent Crime1114/100kbetter than 31% of US places
Property Crime2090/100kbetter than 18% of US places
Community
Population60,88898th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age36.328th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5790th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9133rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+2312th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)52.2%19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)7.3%81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)28.0%89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)6.7%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.7%76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time26 minbetter than 52% of US places
Walkability15.6/20better than 99% of US places
Airport Distance11 mibetter than 96% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.9%better than 75% of US places
Amenities Nearby85.07better than 51% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 29% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is La Mesa an affordable place to live?
- La Mesa is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $78k, better than 2% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in La Mesa?
- The median home value in La Mesa is $684k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in La Mesa?
- Median household income in La Mesa is $84k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in La Mesa?
- Median gross rent in La Mesa is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is La Mesa safe?
- La Mesa is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1114/100k (better than 31%). Property crime is 2090/100k.
- What is the weather like in La Mesa?
- La Mesa averages 72°F in July and 57°F in January, with 12.0 in of annual precipitation and about 228 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in La Mesa?
- Public-school quality in La Mesa is above average, scoring better than 80% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in La Mesa?
- The average one-way commute in La Mesa is 26 min.
Other places in San Diego County
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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)