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San Diego County, California Demographics 2026

San Diego County, California has a population of 3,288,774, the 2nd most populous county in California. The median household income is $106,268 and the median home value is $854,700. The poverty rate is 10.3%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

San Diego County Quick Facts

Population 3,288,774
Median Household Income $106,268
Median Home Value $854,700
Poverty Rate 10.3%
Unemployment Rate 6.1%
Median Age 37.3 years
Homeownership Rate 54.6%
Affordability Ratio 8.0x
Bachelor's Degree+ 43.2%
High School Graduation 89.1%
Cities/Places 57
Population 3,288,774 2nd of 58
Median Income $106,268 7% higher than state
Poverty Rate 10.3%
Unemployment 6.1%

How San Diego County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population3,282,7823,288,774+0.2%
Median household income$102,285$106,268+3.9%
Median home value$791,600$854,700+8.0%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 10.7%
$25K-$50K 12.3%
$50K-$100K 24.3%
$100K+ 52.8%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
3.9%
$10K-$15K
2.3%
$15K-$20K
2.0%
$20K-$25K
2.4%
$25K-$30K
2.4%
$30K-$35K
2.5%
$35K-$40K
2.5%
$40K-$45K
2.5%
$45K-$50K
2.5%
$50K-$60K
4.7%
$60K-$75K
7.8%
$75K-$100K
11.8%
$100K-$125K
10.5%
$125K-$150K
8.3%
$150K-$200K
12.8%
$200K+
21.2%

Employment

6.1% Unemployment Rate State: 6.6%|National: 5.2%
66.2% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 54.6%
Renter 45.4%
Affordability Index Very Expensive
8.0x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $2,246/mo 25.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

68out of 100
High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 70 | National average: 61

Education

Cities & Places in San Diego County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
San Diego1,389,526$108,07711.0%$906,700
Chula Vista276,375$108,0328.8%$758,700
Oceanside172,242$97,7378.3%$770,300
Escondido149,668$91,96712.2%$714,500
Carlsbad114,373$142,7486.9%$1,257,000
El Cajon104,449$67,51120.5%$681,700
Vista99,114$94,97510.5%$762,400
San Marcos94,882$109,3779.2%$868,000
Encinitas61,480$162,2297.4%$1,646,800
La Mesa60,797$95,02811.5%$812,000
Santee59,332$113,3947.9%$727,200
National City58,893$66,84114.6%$612,200
Poway48,713$148,3595.6%$1,034,800
La Presa34,962$93,4799.9%$629,700
Fallbrook32,112$96,39411.9%$784,100
Spring Valley (San Diego County)31,969$109,1109.5%$714,700
Lemon Grove27,686$88,0099.2%$705,400
Imperial Beach25,764$86,11114.8%$857,000
Ramona22,634$107,4276.2%$766,400
Lakeside (San Diego County)22,447$96,4479.9%$634,400
Winter Gardens22,131$97,9739.3%$608,600
Rancho San Diego21,272$118,68210.1%$905,300
Casa de Oro-Mount Helix19,765$125,1074.8%$952,400
Coronado19,015$134,5344.7%$2,000,000+
Bostonia16,765$78,87813.6%$487,600
Camp Pendleton South15,766$69,8536.6%N/A
Alpine15,180$108,66013.0%$864,000
Solana Beach12,823$152,1675.5%$2,000,000+
Bonita12,652$118,6747.5%$962,800
Valley Center11,119$132,3616.7%$883,700
San Diego Country Estates10,223$145,4792.6%$810,300
Camp Pendleton Mainside9,501$61,5756.3%N/A
Jamul6,574$152,7483.9%$1,047,300
Eucalyptus Hills5,840$144,1403.3%$857,200
Lake San Marcos4,693$89,8516.0%$917,000
Bonsall4,332$113,53716.9%$958,700
Harbison Canyon4,328$130,3024.7%$688,600
Del Mar3,903$199,1522.7%$2,000,000+
Granite Hills3,795$155,82012.3%$974,500
Hidden Meadows3,524$123,1258.0%$851,100
Crest2,775$110,0006.4%$724,500
Campo2,729$79,32714.9%$347,400
Fairbanks Ranch2,703$250,000+5.5%$2,000,000+
Borrego Springs2,700$86,0783.5%$402,700
Harmony Grove2,585$227,1404.6%$1,231,600
Rancho Santa Fe2,260$175,7924.9%$2,000,000+
Rainbow2,029$104,3387.7%$841,100
Pine Valley1,786$132,7722.9%$627,800
Julian1,751$77,8035.7%$602,700
Descanso1,590$110,1323.7%$662,600
Pala914$106,25012.7%$305,600
Boulevard752$78,2178.8%$388,600
Jacumba740N/A46.6%N/A
Elfin Forest592$170,9382.7%$1,950,000
Potrero417$10,354100.0%N/A
Del Dios379N/A4.2%$968,800
Mount Laguna93$55,06619.4%N/A

Explore California Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

San Diego County is located in California with a total population of 3,288,774. It is the 2nd most populous county out of 58 in California. The county encompasses 57 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in San Diego County is 37.3 years. This is 2% lower than the state median of 37.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in San Diego County is $106,268. This is 7% higher than the state median of $99,122. It is also 32% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.3%. This is 14% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 6.1%. This is 8% lower than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $854,700. Housing costs are 16% higher than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 8.0x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 54.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 2% lower than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

San Diego County is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 34.6%.

Education

43.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 16% higher than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 89.1%. Notably, 17.2% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for San Diego County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against California and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of San Diego County, California?

San Diego County has a population of 3,288,774, making it the 2nd most populous county in California.

What is the median income in San Diego County?

The median household income in San Diego County is $106,268 with a poverty rate of 10.3%.

How many cities are in San Diego County, California?

San Diego County contains 57 Census-designated places.