San Diego County (/ˌsæn diˈeɪɡoʊ/ ), officially the County of San Diego, is a county in the southwest corner of the U.S. state of California, north to its border with Mexico. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,298,634; it is the second-most populous county in California and the fifth-most populous in the United States. Its county seat is San Diego, the second-most populous city in California and the eighth-most populous in the United States. It is the southwesternmost county in the 48 contiguous United States, and is a border county. It is home to 18 Indian reservations, the most of any county in the United States. There are 16 military installations of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard in the county.
San Diego County | |
|---|---|
| County of San Diego | |
      From top down and left to right: F/A-18 Hornet flying over San Diego, Mission San Diego de Alcalá, San Diego State University's Hepner Hall, Hotel del Coronado, Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, Jacumba Mountains | |
 Flag  Seal  Logo | |
 Interactive map of San Diego County | |
 Location in California | |
| Coordinates: 33°01′N 116°46′W / 33.02°N 116.77°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| Formed | February 18, 1850 |
| Named for | Saint Didacus of Alcalá |
| County seat | San Diego |
| Largest city | San Diego |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–CEO |
| • Body | Board of Supervisors |
| • Chair | Vacant |
| • Vice Chair | Terra Lawson-Remer (D) |
| • Chair Pro Tem | Joel Anderson (R) |
| • Board of Supervisors | |
| • Chief Administrative Officer | Ebony N. Shelton |
| Area | |
• Total | 4,260.9 sq mi (11,036 km2) |
| • Land | 3,942 sq mi (10,210 km2) |
| • Water | 319 sq mi (830 km2) |
| Highest elevation | 6,533 ft (1,991 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 3,298,634 |
• Estimate (2023) | 3,269,973  |
| • Density | 770/sq mi (300/km2) |
| GDP | |
| • Total | $257.341 billion (2022) |
| Time zone | UTC–8 (Pacific Time Zone) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC–7 (Pacific Daylight Time) |
| Area codes | 760/442 and 619/858 |
| FIPS code | 06-073 |
| Congressional districts | 48th, 49th, 50th, 51st, 52nd |
| Website | www |
San Diego County comprises the San Diego–Chula Vista–Carlsbad, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is the 17th most populous metropolitan statistical area and the 18th most populous primary statistical area in the United States. San Diego County is also part of the San Diego–Tijuana region, the largest metropolitan area shared between the United States and Mexico. From north to south, San Diego County extends from the southern borders of Orange and Riverside counties to the Mexico–U.S. border and the municipalities of Tijuana and Tecate in Baja California. From west to east, San Diego County stretches from the Pacific Ocean to its boundary with Imperial County, which separated from it in 1907.
San Diego County has more than 70 miles (113 km) of coastline. This forms the most densely populated region of the county, which has a mild Mediterranean to semiarid climate and extensive chaparral vegetation, similar to the rest of the western portion of Southern California. Precipitation and temperature extremes increase to the east, with mountains that receive frost and snow in the winter. These lushly forested mountains receive more rainfall than the average in Southern California, while the desert region of the county lies in a rain shadow to the east, which extends into the Desert Southwest region of North America.
History
The area which is now San Diego County has been inhabited for more than 12,000 years by the Kumeyaay (also known as 'Iipai-Tiipai or by the historical Spanish name Diegueño), Luiseño, Cupeño, Cahuilla, and the Acjachemen people and their local predecessors.
In 1542, the explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, who may have been born in Portugal but sailed under the flag of Castile, claimed San Diego Bay for the Spanish Empire, and he named the site San Miguel. In November 1602, Sebastián Vizcaíno surveyed the harbor and what are now Mission Bay and Point Loma and named the area for Saint Didacus, a Spaniard more commonly known as San Diego. European settlement in what is now San Diego County began with the founding of the San Diego Presidio and Mission San Diego de Alcalá by Spanish soldiers and clerics in 1769. This county was part of Alta California under the Viceroyalty of New Spain until the Mexican declaration of independence. From 1821 through 1848, this area was part of Mexico.
San Diego County became part of the United States as a result of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, ending the Mexican–American War. This treaty designated the border to pass through a point one marine league south of the southernmost point of the port of San Diego, ensuring that the United States received all of the natural harbor of San Diego Bay.
San Diego County was one of the original counties of California, created at the time of California statehood in 1850.: 221
At the time of its establishment in 1850, San Diego County was relatively large, and included all of southernmost California south and east of Los Angeles County. It included areas of what are now Inyo and San Bernardino Counties, as well as all of what are now Riverside and Imperial Counties.: 221
During the later part of the 19th century, there were numerous changes in the boundaries of San Diego County, when various areas were separated to make up the counties mentioned above. The most recent changes were the establishments of Riverside County in 1893: 207 and Imperial County in 1907.: 113 Imperial County was also the last county to be established in California, and after this division, San Diego no longer extended from the Pacific Ocean to the Colorado River, and it no longer covered the entire border between California and Mexico.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 4,526 square miles (11,720 km2), of which 4,207 square miles (10,900 km2) is land and 319 square miles (830 km2) (7.0%) is water. The county is larger in area than the combined states of Rhode Island and Delaware.
San Diego County has a varied topography. On its western side is more than 70 miles (113 km) of coastline. Most of San Diego between the coast and the Laguna Mountains consists of hills, mesas, and small canyons. Snow-capped (in winter) mountains rise to the east, with the Sonoran Desert farther to the east. The Cleveland National Forest is spread across the central portion of the county, while Anza-Borrego Desert State Park occupies most of the northeast.
Although the county's western third is primarily urban, the mountains and deserts in the eastern two-thirds are primarily undeveloped backcountry. Most of these backcountry areas are home to a native plant community known as chaparral. San Diego County contains more than 1,000,000 acres (4,000 km2) of chaparral, twice as much as any other California county.
Periodically the area has been subject to wildfires that force thousands to evacuate. The most recent are the December 2017 Lilac Fire, the May 2014 San Diego County wildfires, the Witch Creek Fire in 2007, and the Cedar Fire in 2003. California defines a fire season in which fires are most likely to occur, usually between late July and late October (which are the driest months of the area). Signs posted in numerous spots of the county provide information on the level of threats from fires based on weather conditions.[citation needed]
Regions
Northern San Diego County is known as North County; the eastern suburbs are collectively known as East County; the rural areas located further east and extending to the Imperial County line are known as the Mountain Empire; and the southern suburbs, extending to the Mexican border, are collectively known as the South Bay or South County, including South San Diego, an exclave of the city of San Diego which has no land connection to the rest of the city.
Location
San Diego County is bordered on the northwest by Orange County, on the north by Riverside County; on the east by Imperial County; on the south by Mexico; and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.
Climate
Under the Köppen climate classification system, the urban and suburban San Diego area straddles areas of Mediterranean climate (Csa) to the north and hot semi-arid climate (BSh) to the south and east. As a result, it is often described as "arid Mediterranean" and "semi-arid steppe." Farther east, arid desert conditions prevail. Western San Diego's climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and mild winters with most of the annual precipitation falling between November and March. The city has mild, mostly dry weather, with an average of 201 days above 70 °F (21 °C) and low rainfall (9–13 inches (23–33 cm) annually). Summer temperatures are generally warm, with average highs of 70–78 °F (21–26 °C) and lows of 55–66 °F (13–19 °C). Temperatures exceed 90 °F (32 °C) only four days a year. Most rainfall occurs from November to April. Winter temperatures are mild, with average high temperatures of 66–70 °F (19–21 °C) and lows of 50–56 °F (10–13 °C).
The climate in the San Diego area, like much of California, often varies significantly over short geographical distances resulting in microclimates. In San Diego's case this is mainly due to the city's topography (the Bay, and the numerous hills, mountains, and canyons). Frequently, particularly during the "May gray/June gloom" period, a thick marine layer will keep the air cool and damp within a few miles of the coast, but will yield to bright cloudless sunshine approximately 5–10 miles (8.0–16.1 km) inland. This happens every year in May and June. Even in the absence of June gloom, inland areas tend to experience much more significant temperature variations than coastal areas, where the ocean serves as a moderating influence. Thus, for example, downtown San Diego averages January lows of 48 °F (9 °C) and August highs of 77 °F (25 °C). The city of El Cajon, just 10 miles (16 km) northeast of downtown San Diego, averages January lows of 42 °F (6 °C) and August highs of 89 °F (32 °C). Julian, in the mountains, has an average January low of 29 °F (−2 °C) and August high of 85 °F (29 °C). Borrego Springs, in the Colorado Desert, has an average January low of 43 °F (6 °C) and August high of 106 °F (41 °C).
Rainfall along the coast averages about 10 inches (25 cm) of precipitation annually, which occurs mainly during the cooler months of December through April. Though there are few wet days per month during the rainy period, rainfall can be heavy when it does occur. However, the rainfall is greater in the higher elevations of San Diego. Some of the higher areas of San Diego, such as Palomar Mountain and the Laguna Mountains, receive 20–40 inches (51–102 cm) of rain per year, supporting lush forests similar to the Sierra Nevada and California Coast Range. The Colorado Desert portion of the county lies to the east of the mountains, which receives the least amount of precipitation; Borrego Springs, the largest population center in the desert, averages only 5 inches (13 cm), with a high evaporation rate.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record high °F (°C) | 88 (31) | 91 (33) | 99 (37) | 98 (37) | 98 (37) | 101 (38) | 100 (38) | 98 (37) | 111 (44) | 107 (42) | 100 (38) | 88 (31) | 111 (44) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 78.8 (26.0) | 78.6 (25.9) | 80.2 (26.8) | 82.1 (27.8) | 79.3 (26.3) | 79.6 (26.4) | 82.9 (28.3) | 85.2 (29.6) | 90.6 (32.6) | 87.8 (31.0) | 85.4 (29.7) | 77.0 (25.0) | 94.0 (34.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 66.4 (19.1) | 66.2 (19.0) | 67.0 (19.4) | 68.8 (20.4) | 69.5 (20.8) | 71.7 (22.1) | 75.3 (24.1) | 77.3 (25.2) | 77.2 (25.1) | 74.6 (23.7) | 70.7 (21.5) | 66.0 (18.9) | 70.9 (21.6) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 58.4 (14.7) | 59.0 (15.0) | 60.7 (15.9) | 62.9 (17.2) | 64.8 (18.2) | 67.2 (19.6) | 70.7 (21.5) | 72.4 (22.4) | 71.7 (22.1) | 68.1 (20.1) | 62.7 (17.1) | 57.9 (14.4) | 64.7 (18.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 50.3 (10.2) | 51.8 (11.0) | 54.5 (12.5) | 57.1 (13.9) | 60.0 (15.6) | 62.6 (17.0) | 66.1 (18.9) | 67.5 (19.7) | 66.2 (19.0) | 61.5 (16.4) | 54.8 (12.7) | 49.8 (9.9) | 58.5 (14.7) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 43.7 (6.5) | 46.1 (7.8) | 48.7 (9.3) | 51.9 (11.1) | 55.8 (13.2) | 59.3 (15.2) | 63.0 (17.2) | 63.9 (17.7) | 61.8 (16.6) | 55.5 (13.1) | 48.2 (9.0) | 43.0 (6.1) | 42.6 (5.9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 25 (−4) | 34 (1) | 36 (2) | 39 (4) | 45 (7) | 50 (10) | 54 (12) | 54 (12) | 50 (10) | 43 (6) | 36 (2) | 32 (0) | 25 (−4) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.98 (50) | 2.20 (56) | 1.46 (37) | 0.65 (17) | 0.28 (7.1) | 0.05 (1.3) | 0.08 (2.0) | 0.01 (0.25) | 0.12 (3.0) | 0.50 (13) | 0.79 (20) | 1.67 (42) | 9.79 (249) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 6.5 | 7.1 | 6.2 | 3.8 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 3.7 | 5.8 | 40.3 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 63.1 | 65.7 | 67.3 | 67.0 | 70.6 | 74.0 | 74.6 | 74.1 | 72.7 | 69.4 | 66.3 | 63.7 | 69.0 |
| Average dew point °F (°C) | 42.8 (6.0) | 45.3 (7.4) | 47.3 (8.5) | 49.5 (9.7) | 53.1 (11.7) | 57.0 (13.9) | 61.2 (16.2) | 62.4 (16.9) | 60.6 (15.9) | 55.6 (13.1) | 48.6 (9.2) | 43.2 (6.2) | 52.2 (11.2) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 239.3 | 227.4 | 261.0 | 276.2 | 250.5 | 242.4 | 304.7 | 295.0 | 253.3 | 243.4 | 230.1 | 231.3 | 3,054.6 |
| Percentage possible sunshine | 75 | 74 | 70 | 71 | 58 | 57 | 70 | 71 | 68 | 69 | 73 | 74 | 69 |
| Source: NOAA (sun, relative humidity, and dew point 1961–1990) | |||||||||||||
- Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
- Official precipitation records for San Diego were kept at the Weather Bureau Office in downtown from October 1850 to December 1859 at the Mission San Diego and from November 1871 to June 1939 and a variety of buildings at downtown, and at San Diego Int'l (Lindbergh Field) since July 1939. Temperature records, however, only date from October 1874. For more information on data coverage, see ThreadEx
Adjacent counties and municipalities
National protected areas
- Cabrillo National Monument
- Cleveland National Forest (part)
- San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Complex, which includes
- San Diego National Wildlife Refuge
- San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge
- Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge
- Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge (located in Orange County)
There are seven official wilderness areas in San Diego County that are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS). Four of these are integral parts of Cleveland National Forest, whereas three are managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Some of these extend into neighboring counties (as indicated below):
- Otay Mountain Wilderness (BLM)
- Pine Creek Wilderness (Cleveland National Forest)
- (Cleveland National Forest)
- Carrizo Gorge Wilderness (BLM)
- Sawtooth Mountains Wilderness (BLM)
- Agua Tibia Wilderness (Cleveland National Forest) partly in Riverside County
- (Cleveland National Forest) mostly in Riverside County
State parks and protected areas
- Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (majority)
- Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
- Cuyamaca Rancho State Park
- Palomar Mountain State Park
- San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park
- Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
- Border Field State Park
- Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve
- San Onofre State Beach
- Moonlight State Beach
- Carlsbad State Beach
- South Carlsbad State Beach
- Leucadia State Beach
- San Elijo State Beach
- Cardiff State Beach
- Torrey Pines State Beach
- Silver Strand State Beach
Mountains
- Cuyamaca Mountains
- In-Ko-Pah Mountains
- Jacumba Mountains
- Laguna Mountains
- Palomar Mountain
- Peninsular Ranges
- San Ysidro Mountains
- Santa Ana Mountains
- Volcan Mountains
There are 236 mountain summits and peaks in San Diego County including:
- Black Mountain
- Cuyamaca Peak (second highest point in San Diego County)
- Cowles Mountain (highest point in the city of San Diego)
- Mount Helix
- Hot Springs Mountain (highest point in San Diego County)
- Margarita Peak
- Mount Soledad
- Stonewall Mountain
- El Cajon Mountain
- Woodson Mountain (known for Potato Chip Rock)
Bays and lagoons
- Buena Vista Lagoon
- Agua Hedionda Lagoon
- Batiquitos Lagoon
- San Elijo Lagoon
- Los Peñasquitos Lagoon
- Mission Bay
- San Diego Bay
Lakes
- Lake Cuyamaca
- Lake Hodges
- Santee Lakes
- Sweetwater Reservoir
- Upper Otay Reservoir
- Lower Otay Reservoir
- Lake Wohlford
- El Capitan Reservoir
- Sutherland Reservoir
- Lake Henshaw
- Lake Murray
- San Vicente Reservoir
- Lake Jennings
- Barrett Dam
- Natural Rock Tanks
- Little Laguna Lake
- Big Laguna Lake
- Big Lake
- Twin Lakes
- Jean Lake
- Lost Lake
- Swan Lake
- Lake Miramar
- Lake Poway
- Dixon Lake
- Lindo Lake
Rivers
- San Diego River
- San Luis Rey River
- San Dieguito River
- Sweetwater River
- Otay River
- Tijuana River
- Tijuana River Mouth State Marine Conservation Area
- Santa Margarita River
Environmental risks
More than 1,700 tons of radioactive waste are stored at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, which sits in an area where there is a record of past tsunamis.
Demographics
In the 1847 census of San Diego County ordered by Richard Barnes Mason, it found that 2,287 people lived in the county, to include Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, and African Americans. Since at least 2014, San Diego County is the fifth most populous county in the United States. In 2000, only about 3% of San Diego County residents left the county for work while 40,000 people commuted into the metropolitan area.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 798 | — | |
| 1860 | 4,324 | 441.9% | |
| 1870 | 4,951 | 14.5% | |
| 1880 | 8,018 | 61.9% | |
| 1890 | 34,987 | 336.4% | |
| 1900 | 35,090 | 0.3% | |
| 1910 | 61,665 | 75.7% | |
| 1920 | 112,248 | 82.0% | |
| 1930 | 209,659 | 86.8% | |
| 1940 | 289,348 | 38.0% | |
| 1950 | 556,808 | 92.4% | |
| 1960 | 1,033,011 | 85.5% | |
| 1970 | 1,357,854 | 31.4% | |
| 1980 | 1,861,846 | 37.1% | |
| 1990 | 2,498,016 | 34.2% | |
| 2000 | 2,813,833 | 12.6% | |
| 2010 | 3,095,313 | 10.0% | |
| 2020 | 3,298,634 | 6.6% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 3,269,973 | −0.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 | |||
2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1990 | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 1,633,281 | 1,548,833 | 1,500,047 | 1,422,205 | 65.38% | 55.04% | 48.46% | 43.11% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 149,898 | 154,487 | 146,600 | 145,014 | 6.00% | 5.49% | 4.74% | 4.40% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 15,050 | 15,253 | 14,098 | 12,841 | 0.60% | 0.54% | 0.46% | 0.39% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 185,144 | 245,297 | 328,058 | 400,589 | 7.41% | 8.72% | 10.60% | 12.14% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | N/A | 12,164 | 13,504 | 12,991 | N/A | 0.43% | 0.44% | 0.39% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 3,862 | 5,822 | 6,715 | 18,125 | 0.15% | 0.21% | 0.22% | 0.55% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | N/A | 81,012 | 94,943 | 167,240 | N/A | 2.88% | 3.07% | 5.07% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 510,781 | 750,965 | 991,348 | 1,119,629 | 20.45% | 26.69% | 32.03% | 33.94% |
| Total | 2,498,016 | 2,813,833 | 3,095,313 | 3,298,634 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
'
Racial and Ethnic Composition since 1960
| Racial and ethnic composition | 2020 | 2010 | 2000[citation needed] | 1990[citation needed] | 1980[citation needed] | 1970[citation needed] | 1960[citation needed] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 43.1% | 48.5% | 55.0% | 65.3% | 73.8% | – | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 33.9% | 32.0% | 26.7% | 20.4% | 14.7% | 12.8% | – |
| Asian (non-Hispanic) | 12.1% | 10.6% | 8.8% | 7.9% | – | – | 1.1% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 4.4% | 4.7% | 5.7% | 6.3% | 5.6% | 4.5% | 3.8% |
| Native American (non-Hispanic) | 0.4% | 0.5% | 0.8% | 0.8% | – | – | 0.3% |
| Pacific Islander (non-Hispanic) | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.5% | – | – | – | – |
| Mixed Race (non-Hispanic) | 5.1% | 3.1% | 4.7% | – | – | – | – |
| Income (2011) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per capita income | $30,955 | ||||
| Median household income | $63,857 | ||||
| Median family income | $74,633 | ||||
Race
The 2010 United States census reported that San Diego County had a population of 3,095,313. The racial makeup of San Diego County was 1,981,442 (64.0%) White, 158,213 (5.1%) African American, 26,340 (0.9%) Native American, 336,091 (10.9%) Asian (4.7% Filipino, 1.6% Vietnamese, 1.4% Chinese, 3.2% Other Asian), 15,337 (0.5%) Pacific Islander, 419,465 (13.6%) from other races, and 158,425 (5.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 991,348 people (32.0%). Including those of mixed race, the total number of residents with Asian ancestry was 407,984.
As of 2009, the racial makeup of the county was 79.4% White American, 5.6% Black or African American, 1% Native American, 10.4% Asian, 0.5% Pacific Islander, 10.3% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. 31.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
67.0% spoke only English at home; 21.9% spoke Spanish, 3.1% Tagalog and 1.2% Vietnamese.
Other demographic data
As of 2018, the Census Bureau estimates there were 3,343,364 people, 1,067,846 households, and 663,449 families residing in the county. The population density was 670 inhabitants per square mile (260/km2). There were 1,142,245 housing units at an average density of 248 per square mile (96/km2).
In 2000, there were 994,677 households, out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 24.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.29.
As of 2000, 25.7% of the population was under the age of 18, 11.30% was from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.7 males.
In 2012, it was estimated that there were 198,000 unauthorized immigrants; the origin of the plurality of them is Mexico.
In 2018, the median household income was $70,824; most people spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs. In August of that year, the median home price was $583,000; this is lower than the median home price in Los Angeles, and Orange counties.
Income
According to the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the county was $47,067, and the median income for a family was $53,438. Males had a median income of $36,952 versus $30,356 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,926. About 8.9% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.5% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.
Much of the county's high-income residents are concentrated in the northern part of the city of San Diego. The San Diego metropolitan area has two places with both a population of over 50,000 and a per capita income of over $40,000: Carlsbad and Encinitas.
The county's largest continuous high-income urban area is a triangle from a first point on the northern edge of Carlsbad, a second point southeast of Escondido, and a third point on the southern edge of La Jolla. It contains all or most of the cities of Carlsbad, Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar, and Poway in addition to a substantial portion of northern San Diego.
Homelessness
According to a point-in-time count taken for the San Diego Regional Task Force on Homelessness, there were 8,576 homeless individuals on January 6, 2018, a 6% decrease from 2017. 3,586 were sheltered, and 4,990 were not. 4,912 (75.3%) were in the city of San Diego. North County Inland had 1,153 (13.4%), North County Coastal with 822 homeless (9.6%), 602 (7%) were found in South County, and 1,087 (12.7%) in East County.
Religion
According to a 2014 Pew Research Center survey, 68% of adults in the county were Christian, of whom 32% were Catholic. 27% were religiously unaffiliated, and 5% adhered to a non-Christian faith. According to the University of Southern California, in 2010, the largest faith in the county was Catholicism, followed by non-denominational Christians, and Mormons.
In 2014, the county had 978 religious organizations, the seventh most out of all US counties.
Immigration data
In 2014 according to Pew Research Center, there are about 170,000 undocumented immigrants living in the region. San Diego has been a destination for trafficked minors from Mexico and the Philippines. In 2018, the United States Border Patrol caught an average of over a hundred individuals crossing the border illegally each day.
Economy
San Diego County and Imperial County are part of the Southern Border Region, one of nine such regions. As a regional economy, the Southern Border Region is the smallest but most economically diverse region in the state. However, the two counties maintain weak relations and have little in common aside from their common border. The region has a high cost of living. This includes the highest cost of water in the United States. As of 2018[update], San Diego County is within the top ten highest cost of rent in the United States; this has led to people moving out of the county.
Agriculture
San Diego County's agriculture industry was worth $1.85 billion in 2013, and is one of the top five egg producing counties in the United States. In 2013, San Diego County also had the most small farms of any county in the United States, and had the 19th largest agricultural economy of any county in the United States. According to the San Diego Farm Bureau, San Diego County is the United States' leading producer of avocados and nursery crops. Until the early 20th century, San Diego County had a thriving wine industry; however the 1916 Charles Hatfield flood was the beginning of the end of the industry which included the destruction of the Daneri winery in . As of October 2016[update], there are roughly one hundred vineyards and wineries in San Diego County.
By the 2019–2020 statistical survey, (cdfa) found that the nursery trade dominated the county's agriculture by dollar value. Second place went to avocado production.
Breweries
The county has been called "the Craft Beer Capital of America". Brewing has been one of the fastest-growing business sectors with local breweries ranking among the 50 largest craft brewers in the United States and breweries that are consistently rated among the top breweries in the world.
Cannabis
Commercial operations to grow, test, or sell cannabis are not allowed in the unincorporated areas of the county. Companies must be licensed by the local agency to operate and each city or county may authorize none or only some of these activities. Local governments may not prohibit adults, who are in compliance with state laws, from growing, using, or transporting marijuana for personal use.
Tourism
Tourism plays a large part in the economics of the San Diego metropolitan area. Tourists are drawn to the region for a well rounded experience, everything from shopping to surfing as well as its mild climate. Its numerous tourist destinations include Westfield UTC, Seaport Village, and Fashion Valley for shopping. SeaWorld San Diego and Legoland California as amusement parks. Golf courses such as Torrey Pines Golf Course and Balboa Park Golf Course. Museums such as the Museum of Us, the San Diego Museum of Art, Fleet Science Center, San Diego Natural History Museum, USS Midway Museum, and the San Diego Air & Space Museum. Historical places such as the Gaslamp Quarter, Balboa Park and Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. Wildlife refuges, zoos, and aquariums such as the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Birch Aquarium, Living Coast Discovery Center, and the San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park. Outdoor destinations include the Peninsular Ranges for hiking, biking, mountainboarding and trail riding. Surfing locations include Swami's, Stone Steps Beach, Torrey Pines State Beach, Cardiff State Beach, San Onofre State Beach and the southern portion of Black's Beach.
The region is host to the second largest cruise ship industry in California which generates an estimated $2 million annually from purchases of food, fuel, supplies, and maintenance services. In 2008, the Port of San Diego hosted 252 ship calls and more than 800,000 passengers.
Culture
The culture of San Diego is influenced heavily by American and Mexican cultures due to its position as a border town, its large Hispanic population, and its history as part of Spanish America and Mexico. The area's longtime association with the U.S. military also contributes to its culture. Present-day culture includes many historical and tourist attractions, a thriving musical and theatrical scene, numerous notable special events, a varied cuisine, and a reputation as one of America's premier centers of craft brewing.
Sites of interest
- Mount Laguna Observatory, owned and primarily operated by San Diego State University
- Palomar Observatory, owned and primarily operated by the California Institute of Technology
- Ramona Valley, a wine-producing region located 28 miles (45 km) northeast of the city of San Diego
- San Diego Zoo Safari Park, formerly known as the San Diego Wild Animal Park, 35 miles (56 km) north of the San Diego Zoo and east of Escondido
- SeaWorld San Diego on Mission Bay.
- Mission Bay Park, including Fiesta Island, a sheltered bay popular for water sports, also known for the annual over-the-line tournament.
- Mission San Diego de Alcalá, the first of California's 21 Spanish missions. It is an operating Roman Catholic parish and also is open for historical interest tours during the week. It is located near the interchange of Interstates 8 and 15.
- Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, founded on June 13, 1798, by Padre Fermín Lasuén. It is the 18th of the Spanish missions established in California. It is an operating Roman Catholic parish and is open every day for historical interest tours. It is located near Route 76 in the Oceanside area.
- Balboa Park, with numerous museums and other cultural locations, just north of Downtown San Diego.
- San Diego Zoo, located in Balboa Park
- Presidio Park, located on a bluff directly above Old Town, a city historic park on the site of the San Diego Presidio, the first European settlement in California.
- San Diego Bay contains the aircraft carrier USS Midway now used as a memorial ship and as a floating museum, and the eight floating museum ships of the Maritime Museum of San Diego. Harbor cruises, sailing, and sport fishing are also available
- San Diego Botanic Garden, a 37-acre botanic oasis in the coastal community of Encinitas. Features 4 miles of meandering trails, 5,300+ plant species and 29 uniquely themed gardens, including the largest public bamboo collection in North America.
- Legoland California, a Lego theme park in Carlsbad
- Sesame Place San Diego, a Sesame Street theme park in Chula Vista
- Alta Vista Botanical Gardens is a botanical garden in Vista dedicated to bringing together 'People, Nature & Art'.
- Mount Ecclesia is a historic district noted for its singular architecture and the preservation of nature grounds and gardens, offering a unique meditative walking experience. It is located about a mile east of Interstate 5 in the Oceanside area.
- San Dieguito County Park
Sports
Sports in San Diego County includes major professional league teams, other highest-level professional league teams, minor league teams, and college athletics. San Diego County hosts two teams of the major professional leagues, the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB) and San Diego FC of Major League Soccer (MLS). The county is home to several universities whose teams compete in various NCAA Division I sports, most notably the San Diego State Aztecs. The Farmers Insurance Open, a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, is played annually at Torrey Pines Golf Course.
San Diego County hosted the National Football League (NFL)'s San Diego Chargers from 1961 to 2017, when the team relocated to the Greater Los Angeles area (now the Los Angeles Chargers). The county also hosted the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s San Diego Rockets from 1967 to 1971 (now the Houston Rockets) and San Diego Clippers from 1978 to 1984 (now the Los Angeles Clippers). San Diego County has never hosted a National Hockey League (NHL) franchise, though it hosted the San Diego Mariners of the now-defunct World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1974 to 1977.
Currently, there is no NFL, NBA, or NHL team in the county. San Diego is the largest American city not to have won a championship in a "Big Four" major professional league. The city does have one major league title to its name: the 1963 American Football League (AFL) Championship won by the San Diego Chargers, when the AFL was an independent entity prior to the AFL–NFL merger in 1970. Due to its lackluster record on winning professional championships, and in some cases retaining professional teams, some San Diego sports fans believe there is a curse on professional sports in the city.
Government
The government of San Diego County is defined and authorized under the Constitution of California, California law, and the Charter of the County of San Diego. Much of the government of California is in practice the responsibility of county governments such as the government of San Diego County. The County government provides countywide services such as elections and voter registration, law enforcement, jails, vital records, property records, tax collection, public health, and social services. In addition the County serves as the local government for all unincorporated areas. Some chartered cities such as San Diego and Chula Vista provide municipal services such as police, public safety, libraries, parks and recreation, and zoning. Other cities such as Del Mar and Vista arrange to have the County provide some or all of these services on a contract basis.
The county government is composed of the elected five-member San Diego County Board of Supervisors, several other elected offices and officers
| Office | Official | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Clerk | Jordan Marks | Republican |
| District Attorney | Summer Stephan | Independent |
| Sheriff | Kelly Martinez | Democratic |
| Treasurer | Dan McAllister | Republican |
and numerous county departments and entities under the supervision of the Chief Administrative Officer such as the Probation Department. In addition, several entities of the government of California have jurisdiction conterminous with San Diego County, such as the .
Under its foundational Charter, the five-member elected Board of Supervisors is the county legislature. The board operates in a legislative, executive, and quasi-judicial capacity. As a legislative authority, it can pass ordinances for the unincorporated areas (ordinances that affect the whole county, like posting of restaurant ratings, must be ratified by the individual city). As an executive body, it can tell the county departments what to do, and how to do it. As a quasi-judicial body, the Board is the final venue of appeal in the local planning process.
As of January 2025, the members of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors are:
| District | Supervisor | Party |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacant | |
| 2 | Joel Anderson (Chair Pro Tem) | Republican |
| 3 | Terra Lawson-Remer (Vice Chair) | Democrat |
| 4 | Monica Montgomery-Steppe | Democrat |
| 5 | Jim Desmond | Republican |
For several decades, ending in 2013, all five supervisors were Republican, white, graduates of San Diego State University, and had been in office since 1995 or earlier. The Board was criticized for this homogeneity, which was made possible because supervisors draw their own district lines and, until 2010, were not subject to term limits.) That pattern was broken in 2013 when Slater-Price retired; she was replaced by Democrat Dave Roberts, who won election to the seat in November 2012 and was inaugurated in January 2013.
The San Diego County Code is the codified law of San Diego County in the form of ordinances passed by the Board of Supervisors. The Administrative Code establishes the powers and duties of all officers and the procedures and rules of operation of all departments.
The county motto is "The noblest motive is the public good." County government offices are housed in the historic County Administration Center Building, constructed in 1935–1938 with funding from the Works Progress Administration.
Politics
| San Diego County registered voters (2019) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,338,330 | |
| Registered voters | 1,747,383 | 52.3% |
| Democratic | 623,925 | 35.7% |
| Republican | 475,149 | 27.2% |
| Democratic–Republican spread | +148,776 | +8.5% |
| No party preference | 552,538 | 31.6% |
| American Independent | 55,800 | 3.2% |
| Libertarian | 16,355 | 0.9% |
| Other | 11,474 | 0.7% |
| Green | 6,887 | 0.4% |
| Peace and Freedom | 5,255 | 0.3% |
Voting
With its prominent military presence, San Diego County historically has been a Republican Party stronghold, but in recent years it has come to favor the Democratic Party. The Republican presidential nominee carried the county in every election from 1948 through 2004, except in 1992, when Bill Clinton won a 37% plurality of the vote. In 2008, Barack Obama became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win a majority of votes in San Diego County since World War II. Democratic candidates continued to carry the county in 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024. Joe Biden's 2020 margin of victory in the county, 22.8%, was the largest for a Democratic candidate since 1936, though it was narrower than Biden's statewide margin of 29.2%.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 593,270 | 40.14% | 841,372 | 56.93% | 43,386 | 2.94% |
| 2020 | 600,094 | 37.46% | 964,650 | 60.21% | 37,399 | 2.33% |
| 2016 | 477,766 | 36.43% | 735,476 | 56.07% | 98,376 | 7.50% |
| 2012 | 536,726 | 44.95% | 626,957 | 52.51% | 30,266 | 2.53% |
| 2008 | 541,032 | 43.79% | 666,581 | 53.95% | 27,890 | 2.26% |
| 2004 | 596,033 | 52.45% | 526,437 | 46.33% | 13,881 | 1.22% |
| 2000 | 475,736 | 49.63% | 437,666 | 45.66% | 45,232 | 4.72% |
| 1996 | 402,876 | 45.57% | 389,964 | 44.11% | 91,311 | 10.33% |
| 1992 | 352,125 | 35.69% | 367,397 | 37.24% | 267,124 | 27.07% |
| 1988 | 523,143 | 60.19% | 333,264 | 38.34% | 12,788 | 1.47% |
| 1984 | 502,344 | 65.30% | 257,029 | 33.41% | 9,894 | 1.29% |
| 1980 | 435,910 | 60.81% | 195,410 | 27.26% | 85,546 | 11.93% |
| 1976 | 353,302 | 55.74% | 263,654 | 41.60% | 16,839 | 2.66% |
| 1972 | 371,627 | 61.82% | 206,455 | 34.34% | 23,055 | 3.84% |
| 1968 | 261,540 | 56.26% | 167,669 | 36.07% | 35,654 | 7.67% |
| 1964 | 214,445 | 50.31% | 211,808 | 49.69% | 33 | 0.01% |
| 1960 | 223,056 | 56.41% | 171,259 | 43.31% | 1,106 | 0.28% |
| 1956 | 195,742 | 64.47% | 106,716 | 35.15% | 1,147 | 0.38% |
| 1952 | 186,091 | 63.50% | 105,255 | 35.92% | 1,688 | 0.58% |
| 1948 | 101,552 | 49.43% | 98,217 | 47.80% | 5,690 | 2.77% |
| 1944 | 75,746 | 45.42% | 89,959 | 53.94% | 1,059 | 0.64% |
| 1940 | 55,434 | 43.27% | 71,188 | 55.57% | 1,488 | 1.16% |
| 1936 | 35,686 | 35.04% | 64,628 | 63.45% | 1,540 | 1.51% |
| 1932 | 35,305 | 41.46% | 45,622 | 53.58% | 4,223 | 4.96% |
| 1928 | 47,769 | 67.14% | 22,749 | 31.97% | 633 | 0.89% |
| 1924 | 22,726 | 48.99% | 2,944 | 6.35% | 20,721 | 44.67% |
| 1920 | 19,826 | 63.78% | 8,478 | 27.27% | 2,783 | 8.95% |
| 1916 | 16,978 | 46.47% | 16,815 | 46.02% | 2,744 | 7.51% |
| 1912 | 63 | 0.29% | 9,731 | 44.79% | 11,934 | 54.92% |
| 1908 | 5,412 | 57.56% | 2,393 | 25.45% | 1,598 | 16.99% |
| 1904 | 4,303 | 59.52% | 1,398 | 19.34% | 1,529 | 21.15% |
| 1900 | 3,800 | 54.91% | 2,678 | 38.69% | 443 | 6.40% |
| 1896 | 3,631 | 46.86% | 3,908 | 50.44% | 209 | 2.70% |
| 1892 | 3,525 | 45.71% | 2,334 | 30.26% | 1,853 | 24.03% |
| 1888 | 4,661 | 56.88% | 3,189 | 38.92% | 344 | 4.20% |
| 1884 | 1,120 | 57.00% | 800 | 40.71% | 45 | 2.29% |
| 1880 | 743 | 56.80% | 546 | 41.74% | 19 | 1.45% |
The city of San Diego itself is more Democratic than the county average and has largely voted Democrat in each presidential election since 1992; certain areas and cities within the county are swing areas and have split their votes in post-2000 elections. The county's Republican population gradually increases the further one travels away from downtown; the Republican strongholds include La Jolla, Coronado, the regions of North and East County, the eastern backlands, and remote mountain communities such as Julian. While these areas have traditionally voted Republican, all also contain varied electorates of Democrats, Libertarians, and independents.
A unique feature of the political scene is the use of Golden Hall, a convention facility next to San Diego's City Hall. The County Registrar of Voters rents the hall to distribute election results. Supporters and political observers gather to watch the results come in; supporters of the various candidates parade around the hall, carrying signs and chanting; candidates give their victory and concession speeches and host parties for campaign volunteers and donors at the site; and television stations broadcast live from the floor of the convention center. The atmosphere at Election Central on the evening of election day has been compared to the voting portion of a political party national convention.
On November 4, 2008, San Diego County voted 53.71% for Proposition 8, which amended the California Constitution, effectively placing a ban on same-sex marriages; this proposition would restore Proposition 22, which was overturned by a ruling from the California Supreme Court. However, the City of San Diego, along with the North County coastal cities of Del Mar, Encinitas, and Solana Beach voted against Proposition 8. La Mesa was a virtual tie for Prop. 8 support, while Carlsbad supported the referendum by only a 2% margin.
Federal and state representation
In the U.S. House of Representatives, San Diego County is split between five congressional districts:
- California's 48th congressional district, represented by Republican Darrell Issa
- California's 49th congressional district, represented by Democrat Mike Levin
- California's 50th congressional district, represented by Democrat Scott Peters
- California's 51st congressional district, represented by Democrat Sara Jacobs and
- California's 52nd congressional district, represented by Democrat Juan Vargas.
In the California State Assembly, San Diego County is split between seven legislative districts:
- the 71st Assembly District, represented by Republican Kate Sanchez,
- the 75th Assembly District, represented by Republican Carl DeMaio,
- the 76th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Darshana Patel,
- the 77th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Tasha Boerner,
- the 78th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Chris Ward,
- the 79th Assembly District, represented by Democrat LaShae Sharp-Collins, and
- the 80th Assembly District, represented by Democrat David Alvarez.
In the California State Senate, San Diego County is split between four legislative districts:
- the 36th Senate District, seat currently vacant,
- the 38th Senate District, represented by Democrat Catherine Blakespear,
- the 39th Senate District, represented by Democrat Akilah Weber, and
- the 40th Senate District, represented by Republican Brian Jones.
Crime
The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense.
| Population and crime rates | ||
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,060,849 | |
| Violent crime | 12,775 | 4.17 |
| Homicide | 75 | 0.02 |
| Forcible rape | 746 | 0.24 |
| Robbery | 4,033 | 1.32 |
| Aggravated assault | 7,921 | 2.59 |
| Property crime | 43,525 | 14.22 |
| Burglary | 14,522 | 4.74 |
| Larceny-theft | 41,278 | 13.49 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 13,938 | 4.55 |
| Arson | 394 | 0.13 |
Cities by population and crime rates
| Cities by population and crime rates | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | Population | Violent crimes | Violent crime rate per 1,000 persons | Property crimes | Property crime rate per 1,000 persons | |||
| Carlsbad | 107,879 | 265 | 2.46 | 2,109 | 19.55 | |||
| Chula Vista | 249,830 | 581 | 2.33 | 5,081 | 20.34 | |||
| Coronado | 19,345 | 20 | 1.03 | 504 | 26.05 | |||
| Del Mar | 4,263 | 15 | 3.52 | 211 | 49.50 | |||
| El Cajon | 101,864 | 365 | 3.58 | 2,414 | 23.70 | |||
| Encinitas | 60,960 | 150 | 2.46 | 1,296 | 21.26 | |||
| Escondido | 147,386 | 628 | 4.26 | 3,887 | 26.37 | |||
| Imperial Beach | 26,956 | 147 | 5.45 | 471 | 17.47 | |||
| La Mesa | 58,444 | 224 | 3.83 | 1,732 | 29.64 | |||
| Lemon Grove | 25,932 | 137 | 5.28 | 434 | 16.74 | |||
| National City | 59,920 | 371 | 6.19 | 1,863 | 31.09 | |||
| Oceanside | 171,141 | 728 | 4.25 | 4,289 | 25.06 | |||
| Poway | 48,968 | 94 | 1.92 | 559 | 11.42 | |||
| San Diego | 1,338,477 | 5,529 | 4.13 | 31,700 | 23.68 | |||
| San Marcos | 85,810 | 227 | 2.65 | 1,502 | 17.50 | |||
| Santee | 54,700 | 154 | 2.82 | 1,109 | 20.27 | |||
| Solana Beach | 13,181 | 24 | 1.82 | 313 | 23.75 | |||
| Vista | 96,087 | 465 | 4.84 | 1,885 | 19.62 | |||
Education
San Diego County contains three public state universities: University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego); San Diego State University (SDSU); and California State University, San Marcos (CSUSM). Major private universities in the county include University of San Diego (USD), Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU), Alliant International University (AIU), and National University. It also includes three law schools, the USD School of Law, California Western School of Law, and the Thomas Jefferson School of Law.
Within the county there are 24 public elementary school districts, 6 high school districts, and 12 unified school districts. There are also five community college districts.
Several cities in the county maintain public library systems, including the city of San Diego itself. The San Diego County Library serves all other areas of the county. In 2010 the county library had 33 branches and two bookmobiles; circulated over 10.7 million books, CDs, DVDs, and other material formats; recorded 5.7 million visits to library branches; and hosted 21,132 free programs and events. The San Diego County Library is one of the 25 busiest libraries in the nation as measured by materials circulated.
Community College Districts
- Grossmont–Cuyamaca Community College District
- MiraCosta Community College District
- Palomar Community College District
- San Diego Community College District
- Southwestern Community College District
K-12 schools
- School districts
K-12 unified:
- Bonsall Unified School District
- Carlsbad Unified School District
- Coronado Unified School District
- Oceanside Unified School District
- Poway Unified School District
- Ramona Unified School District
- San Diego Unified School District
- San Marcos Unified School District
- Vista Unified School District
Secondary:
- Escondido Union High School District
- Grossmont Union High School District
- San Dieguito Union High School District
- Sweetwater Union High School District
Elementary:
- Cajon Valley Union Elementary School District
- Cardiff Elementary School District
- Chula Vista Elementary School District
- Dehesa Elementary School District
- Del Mar Union Elementary School District
- Encinitas Union Elementary School District
- Escondido Union Elementary School District
- Fallbrook Union Elementary School District
- Julian Union Elementary School District
- La Mesa-Spring Valley School District
- Lakeside Union Elementary School District
- Lemon Grove Elementary School District
- National Elementary School District
- Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School District
- San Ysidro Elementary School District
- Santee School District
- Solana Beach Elementary School District
Military
San Diego is the headquarters of the U.S. Navy's Eleventh Naval District and is the Navy's principal location for West Coast and Pacific Ocean operations.Naval Base San Diego is principal home to the Pacific Fleet (although the headquarters is located in Pearl Harbor). NAS North Island is located on the north side of Coronado, and is home to Headquarters for Naval Air Forces and Naval Air Force Pacific, the bulk of the Pacific Fleet's helicopter squadrons, and part of the West Coast aircraft carrier fleet.
The Naval Special Warfare Center is the primary training center for SEALs, and is also located on Coronado. The area contains five major naval bases and the U.S. Marines base Camp Pendleton. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and serves as its prime amphibious training base. It is located on the Southern California coast, bordered by Oceanside to the south, San Clemente to the north, and Fallbrook to the east.
U.S. Navy
- Naval Base San Diego, also known as 32nd Street Naval Station
- Naval Amphibious Base Coronado
- Naval Air Station North Island
- Naval Base Point Loma, which includes the Submarine Base and the Fleet Antisubmarine Warfare Training Center
- Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR)
- Naval Medical Center San Diego, also known as Bob Wilson Naval Hospital and Balboa Naval Hospital
U.S. Marine Corps
- Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
- Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
- Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego
U.S. Coast Guard
- Coast Guard Air Station San Diego
U.S. Air Force
- San Diego Air National Guard Station, which is home to the 147th Combat Communications Squadron.
Media
San Diego County is primarily served by media in San Diego, including TV and radio stations based in the city.
Newspapers
San Diego County is served by many newspapers. The major regional paper is The San Diego Union-Tribune, also known as U-T San Diego or just "The U-T" by locals, is ranked 23rd in the country (by daily circulation) as of March 2013. The Union-Tribune serves both San Diego County and neighboring Imperial County. The former North County Times, based in Escondido and serving portions of Riverside County and North County, was purchased by the Union-Tribune in 2012 and closed down. For about a year after absorbing the North County Times the Union-Tribune published a North County edition, but the regional edition was later abandoned. The Los Angeles Times is also delivered in portions of the county. Many of the area's cities, towns and neighborhoods have their own local newspapers, such as the Coronado Eagle; the Union-Tribune acquired eight local weekly publications in 2013 and has continued to publish them as independent local newspapers, including the La Jolla Light. The San Diego Daily Transcript reports business and legal news. Privately-published papers, like the Military Press Newspaper and the Navy Dispatch, serve the military community both on and off base.
Other media
is a public-access television cable channel, offering a "hometown blend of C-SPAN, the Lifetime, History, Travel, and Discovery channels" for the county, and funded by fees paid by cable companies.
Transportation
Major highways
Interstate 5
Interstate 8
Interstate 15
Interstate 805
U.S. Route 80 (decommissioned)
U.S. Route 101 (decommissioned)
State Route 11
State Route 15
State Route 52
State Route 54
State Route 56
State Route 67
State Route 75
State Route 76
State Route 78
State Route 79
State Route 94
State Route 125
State Route 163
State Route 188
State Route 282
State Route 905
Border crossings to Mexico
- San Ysidro Port of Entry
- Otay Mesa Port of Entry
- Otay Mesa East Port of Entry (projected opening 2028)
- Tecate Port of Entry
Railroads
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- (Amtrak) Pacific Surfliner
- Coaster
- Metrolink
- San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway
- San Diego and Imperial Valley Railroad
Light rail and local transit
- San Diego Trolley
- San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS)
- Sprinter
- North County Transit District (NCTD)
The Port of San Diego
- Embarcadero
Airports
Carlsbad
- McClellan–Palomar Airport (CRQ)
El Cajon
- Gillespie Field (SEE)
Oceanside
- Oceanside Municipal Airport (OKB)
City of San Diego
- San Diego International Airport (SAN)
- Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport (MYF)
- Brown Field Municipal Airport (SDM)
Unincorporated San Diego County
- Agua Caliente Airport (L54)
- Borrego Valley Airport (L08)
- Fallbrook Community Airpark (L18)
- Jacumba Airport (L78)
- Ocotillo Airport (L90)
- Ramona Airport (RNM)
Communities
As of the 2020 census, San Diego County includes 18 incorporated cities, 18 Indian reservations, and 39 census-designated places.
Cities
| City | Date incorporated | Population (2020 Census) |
|---|---|---|
| Carlsbad | July 16, 1952 | 114,746 |
| Chula Vista | November 28, 1911 | 275,487 |
| Coronado | December 11, 1890 | 20,192 |
| Del Mar | July 15, 1959 | 3,954 |
| El Cajon | Nov 12, 1912 | 106,215 |
| Encinitas | October 1, 1986 | 62,007 |
| Escondido | October 8, 1888 | 151,038 |
| Imperial Beach | July 18, 1956 | 26,137 |
| La Mesa | February 16, 1912 | 61,121 |
| Lemon Grove | July 1, 1977 | 27,627 |
| National City | September 17, 1887 | 56,173 |
| Oceanside | July 3, 1888 | 174,068 |
| Poway | December 1, 1980 | 48,841 |
| San Diego (county seat) | March 27, 1850 | 1,386,932 |
| San Marcos | January 28, 1963 | 94,833 |
| Santee | December 1, 1980 | 60,037 |
| Solana Beach | July 1, 1986 | 12,941 |
| Vista | January 28, 1963 | 98,381 |
Census-designated places (CDPs)
- Alpine
- Bonita
- Bonsall
- Borrego Springs
- Bostonia
- Boulevard
- Campo
- Camp Pendleton Mainside
- Camp Pendleton South
- Casa de Oro-Mount Helix
- Crest
- Del Dios
- Descanso
- Elfin Forest
- Eucalyptus Hills
- Fairbanks Ranch
- Fallbrook
- Granite Hills
- Harbison Canyon
- Harmony Grove
- Hidden Meadows
- Jacumba Hot Springs
- Jamul
- Julian
- Lake San Marcos
- Lakeside
- La Presa
- Mount Laguna
- Pala
- Pine Valley
- Potrero
- Rainbow
- Ramona
- Rancho San Diego
- Rancho Santa Fe
- San Diego Country Estates
- Spring Valley
- Valley Center
- Winter Gardens
Unincorporated communities
- 4S Ranch
- Agua Caliente Springs
- Ballena
- Banner
- Casa de Oro
- Cuyamaca
- De Luz
- De Luz Heights
- Dehesa
- Dulzura
- East Otay Mesa
- Flinn Springs
- Foster
- Guatay
- Jesmond Dene
- Jofegan
- Kentwood-In-The-Pines
- Lake Henshaw
- Lincoln Acres
- Manzanita
- Morena Village
- Mount Helix
- Oak Grove
- Ocotillo Wells
- Pala Mesa
- Palomar Mountain
- Pauma Valley
- Pine Hills
- Ranchita
- Rincon
- San Felipe
- Santa Ysabel
- Shelter Valley
- Tecate
- Warner Springs
- Wynola
Indian reservations
San Diego County has 18 federally recognized Indian reservations, more than any other county in the United States. Although they are typical in size to other Indian reservations in California (many of which are termed "Rancherías"), they are relatively small by national standards,[citation needed] and all together total 200.2 sq mi (519 km2) of area.
- Barona Indian Reservation
Campo Indian Reservation
Capitan Grande Reservation
Ewiiaapaayp Indian Reservation
- Inaja and Cosmit Indian Reservation
Jamul Indian Village
- La Jolla Indian Reservation
- La Posta Indian Reservation
Los Coyotes Indian Reservation
Manzanita Indian Reservation
- Mesa Grande Indian Reservation
- Pala Indian Reservation
- Pauma and Yuima Indian Reservation
Rincon Indian Reservation
San Pasqual Indian Reservation
Santa Ysabel Indian Reservation
Sycuan Indian Reservation
Viejas Indian Reservation
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of San Diego County.
† county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2020 Census) | Population (2010 Census) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego † | City | 1,386,932 | 1,307,402 |
| 2 | Chula Vista | City | 275,487 | 243,916 |
| 3 | Oceanside | City | 174,068 | 167,086 |
| 4 | Escondido | City | 151,038 | 143,911 |
| 5 | Carlsbad | City | 114,746 | 105,328 |
| 6 | El Cajon | City | 106,215 | 99,478 |
| 7 | Vista | City | 98,381 | 93,834 |
| 8 | San Marcos | City | 94,833 | 83,781 |
| 9 | Encinitas | City | 62,007 | 59,518 |
| 10 | La Mesa | City | 61,121 | 57,065 |
| 11 | Santee | City | 60,037 | 53,413 |
| 12 | National City | City | 56,173 | 58,582 |
| 13 | Poway | City | 48,841 | 47,811 |
| 14 | La Presa | CDP | 35,033 | 34,169 |
| 15 | Fallbrook | CDP | 32,267 | 30,534 |
| 16 | Spring Valley | CDP | 30,998 | 28,205 |
| 17 | Lemon Grove | City | 27,627 | 25,320 |
| 18 | Imperial Beach | City | 26,137 | 26,324 |
| 19 | Winter Gardens | CDP | 22,380 | 20,631 |
| 20 | Rancho San Diego | CDP | 21,858 | 21,208 |
| 21 | Ramona | CDP | 21,468 | 20,292 |
| 22 | Lakeside | CDP | 21,152 | 20,648 |
| 23 | Coronado | City | 20,192 | 18,912 |
| 24 | Casa de Oro-Mount Helix | CDP | 19,576 | 18,762 |
| 25 | Bostonia | CDP | 16,882 | 15,379 |
| 26 | Alpine | CDP | 14,696 | 14,236 |
| 27 | Solana Beach | City | 12,941 | 12,867 |
| 28 | Bonita | CDP | 12,917 | 12,538 |
| 29 | Camp Pendleton South | CDP | 12,468 | 10,616 |
| 30 | San Diego Country Estates | CDP | 10,395 | 10,109 |
| 31 | Valley Center | CDP | 10,087 | 9,277 |
| 32 | Camp Pendleton Mainside | CDP | 9,683 | 5,200 |
| 33 | Jamul | CDP | 6,179 | 6,163 |
| 34 | Eucalyptus Hills | CDP | 5,517 | 5,313 |
| 35 | Lake San Marcos | CDP | 5,328 | 4,437 |
| 36 | Bonsall | CDP | 4,546 | 3,982 |
| 37 | Hidden Meadows | CDP | 4,484 | 3,485 |
| 38 | Harbison Canyon | CDP | 4,048 | 3,841 |
| 39 | Del Mar | City | 3,954 | 4,161 |
| 40 | Granite Hills | CDP | 3,267 | 3,035 |
| 41 | Rancho Santa Fe | CDP | 3,156 | 3,117 |
| 42 | Borrego Springs | CDP | 3,073 | 3,429 |
| 43 | Fairbanks Ranch | CDP | 3,002 | 3,148 |
| 44 | Campo | CDP | 2,955 | 2,684 |
| 45 | Crest | CDP | 2,828 | 2,593 |
| 46 | Harmony Grove | CDP | 2,079 | N/A |
| 47 | Rainbow | CDP | 1,884 | 1,832 |
| 48 | Julian | CDP | 1,768 | 1,502 |
| 49 | Pine Valley | CDP | 1,645 | 1,510 |
| 50 | Pala Indian Reservation | AIAN | 1,541 | 1,315 |
| 51 | Descanso | CDP | 1,499 | 1,423 |
| 52 | Pala | CDP | 1,490 | N/A |
| 53 | San Pasqual Reservation | AIAN | 1,270 | 1,097 |
| 54 | Rincon Reservation | AIAN | 1,095 | 1,215 |
| 55 | Barona Reservation | AIAN | 756 | 640 |
| 56 | Potrero | CDP | 648 | 656 |
| 57 | Elfin Forest | CDP | 600 | N/A |
| 58 | Jacumba | CDP | 540 | 561 |
| 59 | Viejas Reservation | AIAN | 538 | 520 |
| 60 | Campo Indian Reservation | AIAN | 398 | 362 |
| 61 | Del Dios | CDP | 396 | N/A |
| 62 | Boulevard | CDP | 359 | 315 |
| 63 | Santa Ysabel Reservation | AIAN | 263 | 330 |
| 64 | Sycuan Reservation | AIAN | 218 | 211 |
| 65 | Pauma and Yuima Reservation | AIAN | 179 | 206 |
| 66 | La Jolla Reservation | AIAN | 145 | 476 |
| 67 | Manzanita Reservation | AIAN | 101 | 78 |
| 68 | Mesa Grande Reservation | AIAN | 87 | 98 |
| 69 | Mount Laguna | CDP | 74 | 57 |
| 70 | La Posta Indian Reservation | AIAN | 50 | 55 |
| 71 | Los Coyotes Reservation | AIAN | 15 | 98 |
| 72 | Ewiiaapaayp Reservation | AIAN | 5 | N/A |
| Capitan Grande Reservation | AIAN | 0 | 0 | |
| Inaja and Cosmit Reservation | AIAN | 0 | 0 | |
| Jamul Indian Village | AIAN | 0 | N/A |
Former cities
| City | Year incorporated | Year removed | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| East San Diego | 1912 | 1923 | Merged into San Diego |
| Elsinore (now Lake Elsinore) | 1888 | 1893 | Riverside County formed |
| Imperial | 1904 | 1907 | Imperial County formed |
| Riverside | 1883 | 1893 | Riverside County formed |
| San Jacinto | 1888 | 1893 | Riverside County formed |
Future and past incorporation efforts
The communities of Del Dios, Elfin Forest, Harmony Grove, and Pala were newly-designated as CDPs in the 2020 census.
Some CDPs and unincorporated communities of San Diego County have explored incorporating as cities/towns in the past (California makes no legal distinction between the titles of "city" and "town", allowing communities that incorporate to chose their designation, though there has never been an incorporated town in San Diego County). Alpine, Bonita, Fallbrook, Lakeside, Ramona, Rancho Santa Fe and Spring Valley have each been tied to various incorporation studies, organized efforts and discussions in the past. Some of these past efforts have culminated in ballot initiatives. Voters in Fallbrook previously rejected incorporation in 1981 and 1987. Rancho Santa Fe residents also rejected incorporation in 1987. Among the existing cities of San Diego County, some had multiple failed incorporation efforts before ultimately succeeding in becoming a city. Lemon Grove, for example, saw incorporation measures fail in 1955, 1958 and 1964 before a successful incorporation vote in 1977. Other cities have seen incorporation success thanks to mergers of neighboring unincorporated communities. Encinitas, for example, became an incorporated city through a consolidated effort between the then-unincorporated communities of Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Leucadia, Encinitas and Olivenhain in 1986. Encinitas and Solana Beach in 1986 are the most recent examples of successful campaigns for incorporation within the County of San Diego.
See also
- List of breweries in San Diego County, California
- List of high schools in San Diego County, California
- List of media set in San Diego County, California
- List of museums in San Diego County, California
- List of school districts in San Diego County, California
- List of United States counties and county-equivalents
- National Register of Historic Places listings in San Diego County, California
- San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG)
Notes
- The total for "Third party(ies)" in 1912 comprised 7,922 votes for Progressive Theodore Roosevelt (who was official Republican nominee in California), 2,873 votes for Socialist Eugene V. Debs and 1,139 votes for Prohibition Party nominee Eugene W. Chafin.
- Only larceny-theft cases involving property over $400 in value are reported as property crimes.
- MLB, NFL, NBA, and the NHL are commonly referred to as the "Big Four".
References
- "Chronology". California State Association of Counties. Archived from the original on January 29, 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
- "Chief Administrative Officer". County of San Diego. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
- "Board of Supervisors". County of San Diego. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
- "Home". sangis.org.
- "Hot Springs Mountain". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
- "Gross Domestic Product by County and Metropolitan Area, 2022" (PDF). www.bea.gov. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
- "Quick Facts: San Diego County, California". census.gov. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
- "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- "OMB Bulletin No. 13-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas" (PDF). United States Office of Management and Budget. February 28, 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 21, 2017. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
- "Table 1. Annual Estimates of the Population of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". 2012 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. March 2013. Archived from the original (CSV) on April 1, 2013. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
- "Table 2. Annual Estimates of the Population of Combined Statistical Areas: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". 2012 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. March 2013. Archived from the original (CSV) on May 17, 2013. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
- "climate map". Koeppen-geirger.vu.
- "KUMEYAAY RESEARCH DEPARTMENT USA American San Diego County Indian Reservations Tribes of Baja California Mexico Culture". Kumeyaay.info.
- "San Diego Historical Society". Sandiegohistory.org. Archived from the original on May 5, 2009. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
- "Journal of San Diego History, October 1967". Sandiegohistory.org.
- "San Diego de Alcalá – California Missions Resource Center". Missionscalifornia.com. Archived from the original on June 10, 2010. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
- Coy, Owen C.; PhD (1923). California County Boundaries. Berkeley: California Historical Commission. ASIN B000GRBCXG.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
- "wild san diego county". April 17, 2002. Archived from the original on April 17, 2002. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
- Gerber, James ed. Economic Profile of the San Diego-Tijuana Region: Characteristics for Investment and Governance Decisions Archived March 21, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Institute for Regional Studies of the Californias. 1995. p.11
- "The California Chaparral Field Institute". Archived from the original on June 23, 2006.
- M. Kottek; J. Grieser; C. Beck; B. Rudolf; F. Rubel (2006). "World Map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification updated". Meteorol. Z. 15 (3): 259–263. Bibcode:2006MetZe..15..259K. doi:10.1127/0941-2948/2006/0130. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
- "California May Grey / June Gloom". meteora.ucsd.edu. Archived from the original on June 13, 2010. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
- "Monthly Averages for San Diego, CA". The Weather Channel. Archived from the original on May 2, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
- "Monthly Averages for El Cajon, CA". The Weather Channel. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
San Diego County ˌ s ae n d i ˈ eɪ ɡ oʊ officially the County of San Diego is a county in the southwest corner of the U S state of California north to its border with Mexico As of the 2020 census the population was 3 298 634 it is the second most populous county in California and the fifth most populous in the United States Its county seat is San Diego the second most populous city in California and the eighth most populous in the United States It is the southwesternmost county in the 48 contiguous United States and is a border county It is home to 18 Indian reservations the most of any county in the United States There are 16 military installations of the Navy Marine Corps and Coast Guard in the county San Diego CountyCountyCounty of San DiegoFrom top down and left to right F A 18 Hornet flying over San Diego Mission San Diego de Alcala San Diego State University s Hepner Hall Hotel del Coronado Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve Jacumba MountainsFlagSealLogoInteractive map of San Diego CountyLocation in CaliforniaCoordinates 33 01 N 116 46 W 33 02 N 116 77 W 33 02 116 77Country United StatesState CaliforniaFormedFebruary 18 1850Named forSaint Didacus of AlcalaCounty seatSan DiegoLargest citySan DiegoGovernment TypeCouncil CEO BodyBoard of Supervisors ChairVacant Vice ChairTerra Lawson Remer D Chair Pro TemJoel Anderson R Board of SupervisorsSupervisors Vacant District 1Joel Anderson R Terra Lawson Remmer D Monica Montgomery Steppe D Jim Desmond R Chief Administrative OfficerEbony N SheltonArea Total4 260 9 sq mi 11 036 km2 Land3 942 sq mi 10 210 km2 Water319 sq mi 830 km2 Highest elevation6 533 ft 1 991 m Population April 1 2020 Total3 298 634 Estimate 2023 3 269 973 Density770 sq mi 300 km2 GDP Total 257 341 billion 2022 Time zoneUTC 8 Pacific Time Zone Summer DST UTC 7 Pacific Daylight Time Area codes760 442 and 619 858FIPS code06 073Congressional districts48th 49th 50th 51st 52ndWebsitewww wbr sandiegocounty wbr gov San Diego County comprises the San Diego Chula Vista Carlsbad CA Metropolitan Statistical Area which is the 17th most populous metropolitan statistical area and the 18th most populous primary statistical area in the United States San Diego County is also part of the San Diego Tijuana region the largest metropolitan area shared between the United States and Mexico From north to south San Diego County extends from the southern borders of Orange and Riverside counties to the Mexico U S border and the municipalities of Tijuana and Tecate in Baja California From west to east San Diego County stretches from the Pacific Ocean to its boundary with Imperial County which separated from it in 1907 San Diego County has more than 70 miles 113 km of coastline This forms the most densely populated region of the county which has a mild Mediterranean to semiarid climate and extensive chaparral vegetation similar to the rest of the western portion of Southern California Precipitation and temperature extremes increase to the east with mountains that receive frost and snow in the winter These lushly forested mountains receive more rainfall than the average in Southern California while the desert region of the county lies in a rain shadow to the east which extends into the Desert Southwest region of North America HistoryThe area which is now San Diego County has been inhabited for more than 12 000 years by the Kumeyaay also known as Iipai Tiipai or by the historical Spanish name Diegueno Luiseno Cupeno Cahuilla and the Acjachemen people and their local predecessors In 1542 the explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo who may have been born in Portugal but sailed under the flag of Castile claimed San Diego Bay for the Spanish Empire and he named the site San Miguel In November 1602 Sebastian Vizcaino surveyed the harbor and what are now Mission Bay and Point Loma and named the area for Saint Didacus a Spaniard more commonly known as San Diego European settlement in what is now San Diego County began with the founding of the San Diego Presidio and Mission San Diego de Alcala by Spanish soldiers and clerics in 1769 This county was part of Alta California under the Viceroyalty of New Spain until the Mexican declaration of independence From 1821 through 1848 this area was part of Mexico San Diego County became part of the United States as a result of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 ending the Mexican American War This treaty designated the border to pass through a point one marine league south of the southernmost point of the port of San Diego ensuring that the United States received all of the natural harbor of San Diego Bay San Diego County was one of the original counties of California created at the time of California statehood in 1850 221 At the time of its establishment in 1850 San Diego County was relatively large and included all of southernmost California south and east of Los Angeles County It included areas of what are now Inyo and San Bernardino Counties as well as all of what are now Riverside and Imperial Counties 221 During the later part of the 19th century there were numerous changes in the boundaries of San Diego County when various areas were separated to make up the counties mentioned above The most recent changes were the establishments of Riverside County in 1893 207 and Imperial County in 1907 113 Imperial County was also the last county to be established in California and after this division San Diego no longer extended from the Pacific Ocean to the Colorado River and it no longer covered the entire border between California and Mexico GeographyMany of the cities seen from the sky as part of the San Diego Tijuana metropolitan area According to the U S Census Bureau the county has an area of 4 526 square miles 11 720 km2 of which 4 207 square miles 10 900 km2 is land and 319 square miles 830 km2 7 0 is water The county is larger in area than the combined states of Rhode Island and Delaware San Diego County has a varied topography On its western side is more than 70 miles 113 km of coastline Most of San Diego between the coast and the Laguna Mountains consists of hills mesas and small canyons Snow capped in winter mountains rise to the east with the Sonoran Desert farther to the east The Cleveland National Forest is spread across the central portion of the county while Anza Borrego Desert State Park occupies most of the northeast Although the county s western third is primarily urban the mountains and deserts in the eastern two thirds are primarily undeveloped backcountry Most of these backcountry areas are home to a native plant community known as chaparral San Diego County contains more than 1 000 000 acres 4 000 km2 of chaparral twice as much as any other California county Periodically the area has been subject to wildfires that force thousands to evacuate The most recent are the December 2017 Lilac Fire the May 2014 San Diego County wildfires the Witch Creek Fire in 2007 and the Cedar Fire in 2003 California defines a fire season in which fires are most likely to occur usually between late July and late October which are the driest months of the area Signs posted in numerous spots of the county provide information on the level of threats from fires based on weather conditions citation needed Regions Northern San Diego County is known as North County the eastern suburbs are collectively known as East County the rural areas located further east and extending to the Imperial County line are known as the Mountain Empire and the southern suburbs extending to the Mexican border are collectively known as the South Bay or South County including South San Diego an exclave of the city of San Diego which has no land connection to the rest of the city Location San Diego County is bordered on the northwest by Orange County on the north by Riverside County on the east by Imperial County on the south by Mexico and on the west by the Pacific Ocean Climate Cleveland National Forest Under the Koppen climate classification system the urban and suburban San Diego area straddles areas of Mediterranean climate Csa to the north and hot semi arid climate BSh to the south and east As a result it is often described as arid Mediterranean and semi arid steppe Farther east arid desert conditions prevail Western San Diego s climate is characterized by warm dry summers and mild winters with most of the annual precipitation falling between November and March The city has mild mostly dry weather with an average of 201 days above 70 F 21 C and low rainfall 9 13 inches 23 33 cm annually Summer temperatures are generally warm with average highs of 70 78 F 21 26 C and lows of 55 66 F 13 19 C Temperatures exceed 90 F 32 C only four days a year Most rainfall occurs from November to April Winter temperatures are mild with average high temperatures of 66 70 F 19 21 C and lows of 50 56 F 10 13 C The climate in the San Diego area like much of California often varies significantly over short geographical distances resulting in microclimates In San Diego s case this is mainly due to the city s topography the Bay and the numerous hills mountains and canyons Frequently particularly during the May gray June gloom period a thick marine layer will keep the air cool and damp within a few miles of the coast but will yield to bright cloudless sunshine approximately 5 10 miles 8 0 16 1 km inland This happens every year in May and June Even in the absence of June gloom inland areas tend to experience much more significant temperature variations than coastal areas where the ocean serves as a moderating influence Thus for example downtown San Diego averages January lows of 48 F 9 C and August highs of 77 F 25 C The city of El Cajon just 10 miles 16 km northeast of downtown San Diego averages January lows of 42 F 6 C and August highs of 89 F 32 C Julian in the mountains has an average January low of 29 F 2 C and August high of 85 F 29 C Borrego Springs in the Colorado Desert has an average January low of 43 F 6 C and August high of 106 F 41 C Rainfall along the coast averages about 10 inches 25 cm of precipitation annually which occurs mainly during the cooler months of December through April Though there are few wet days per month during the rainy period rainfall can be heavy when it does occur However the rainfall is greater in the higher elevations of San Diego Some of the higher areas of San Diego such as Palomar Mountain and the Laguna Mountains receive 20 40 inches 51 102 cm of rain per year supporting lush forests similar to the Sierra Nevada and California Coast Range The Colorado Desert portion of the county lies to the east of the mountains which receives the least amount of precipitation Borrego Springs the largest population center in the desert averages only 5 inches 13 cm with a high evaporation rate vteClimate data for San Diego Int l Airport 1991 2020 normals extremes 1874 present Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord high F C 88 31 91 33 99 37 98 37 98 37 101 38 100 38 98 37 111 44 107 42 100 38 88 31 111 44 Mean maximum F C 78 8 26 0 78 6 25 9 80 2 26 8 82 1 27 8 79 3 26 3 79 6 26 4 82 9 28 3 85 2 29 6 90 6 32 6 87 8 31 0 85 4 29 7 77 0 25 0 94 0 34 4 Mean daily maximum F C 66 4 19 1 66 2 19 0 67 0 19 4 68 8 20 4 69 5 20 8 71 7 22 1 75 3 24 1 77 3 25 2 77 2 25 1 74 6 23 7 70 7 21 5 66 0 18 9 70 9 21 6 Daily mean F C 58 4 14 7 59 0 15 0 60 7 15 9 62 9 17 2 64 8 18 2 67 2 19 6 70 7 21 5 72 4 22 4 71 7 22 1 68 1 20 1 62 7 17 1 57 9 14 4 64 7 18 2 Mean daily minimum F C 50 3 10 2 51 8 11 0 54 5 12 5 57 1 13 9 60 0 15 6 62 6 17 0 66 1 18 9 67 5 19 7 66 2 19 0 61 5 16 4 54 8 12 7 49 8 9 9 58 5 14 7 Mean minimum F C 43 7 6 5 46 1 7 8 48 7 9 3 51 9 11 1 55 8 13 2 59 3 15 2 63 0 17 2 63 9 17 7 61 8 16 6 55 5 13 1 48 2 9 0 43 0 6 1 42 6 5 9 Record low F C 25 4 34 1 36 2 39 4 45 7 50 10 54 12 54 12 50 10 43 6 36 2 32 0 25 4 Average precipitation inches mm 1 98 50 2 20 56 1 46 37 0 65 17 0 28 7 1 0 05 1 3 0 08 2 0 0 01 0 25 0 12 3 0 0 50 13 0 79 20 1 67 42 9 79 249 Average precipitation days 0 01 in 6 5 7 1 6 2 3 8 2 2 0 7 0 7 0 3 0 9 2 4 3 7 5 8 40 3Average relative humidity 63 1 65 7 67 3 67 0 70 6 74 0 74 6 74 1 72 7 69 4 66 3 63 7 69 0Average dew point F C 42 8 6 0 45 3 7 4 47 3 8 5 49 5 9 7 53 1 11 7 57 0 13 9 61 2 16 2 62 4 16 9 60 6 15 9 55 6 13 1 48 6 9 2 43 2 6 2 52 2 11 2 Mean monthly sunshine hours 239 3 227 4 261 0 276 2 250 5 242 4 304 7 295 0 253 3 243 4 230 1 231 3 3 054 6Percentage possible sunshine 75 74 70 71 58 57 70 71 68 69 73 74 69Source NOAA sun relative humidity and dew point 1961 1990 Mean monthly maxima and minima i e the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020 Official precipitation records for San Diego were kept at the Weather Bureau Office in downtown from October 1850 to December 1859 at the Mission San Diego and from November 1871 to June 1939 and a variety of buildings at downtown and at San Diego Int l Lindbergh Field since July 1939 Temperature records however only date from October 1874 For more information on data coverage see ThreadEx Adjacent counties and municipalities San Diego Orange Riverside Imperial Tijuana Baja California Mexico Tecate Baja California Mexico Pacific Ocean Counties adjacent to San Diego County California Beach at Border Field State Park San Diego is on the right while Tijuana is on the left Border fence between Tijuana right and San Diego s border patrol offices left National protected areas Cabrillo National Monument Cleveland National Forest part San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Complex which includes San Diego National Wildlife Refuge San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge located in Orange County There are seven official wilderness areas in San Diego County that are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System NWPS Four of these are integral parts of Cleveland National Forest whereas three are managed by the Bureau of Land Management BLM Some of these extend into neighboring counties as indicated below Otay Mountain Wilderness BLM Pine Creek Wilderness Cleveland National Forest Cleveland National Forest Carrizo Gorge Wilderness BLM Sawtooth Mountains Wilderness BLM Agua Tibia Wilderness Cleveland National Forest partly in Riverside County Cleveland National Forest mostly in Riverside CountyState parks and protected areas Anza Borrego Desert State Park majority Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve Cuyamaca Rancho State Park Palomar Mountain State Park San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park Old Town San Diego State Historic Park Border Field State Park Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve San Onofre State Beach Moonlight State Beach Carlsbad State Beach South Carlsbad State Beach Leucadia State Beach San Elijo State Beach Cardiff State Beach Torrey Pines State Beach Silver Strand State Beach Mountains Cuyamaca Mountains In Ko Pah Mountains Jacumba Mountains Laguna Mountains Palomar Mountain Peninsular Ranges San Ysidro Mountains Santa Ana Mountains Volcan Mountains There are 236 mountain summits and peaks in San Diego County including Black Mountain Cuyamaca Peak second highest point in San Diego County Cowles Mountain highest point in the city of San Diego Mount Helix Hot Springs Mountain highest point in San Diego County Margarita Peak Mount Soledad Stonewall Mountain El Cajon Mountain Woodson Mountain known for Potato Chip Rock Bays and lagoons Buena Vista Lagoon Agua Hedionda Lagoon Batiquitos Lagoon San Elijo Lagoon Los Penasquitos Lagoon Mission Bay San Diego Bay Lakes Lake Cuyamaca Lake Hodges Santee Lakes Sweetwater Reservoir Upper Otay Reservoir Lower Otay Reservoir Lake Wohlford El Capitan Reservoir Sutherland Reservoir Lake Henshaw Lake Murray San Vicente Reservoir Lake Jennings Barrett Dam Natural Rock Tanks Little Laguna Lake Big Laguna Lake Big Lake Twin Lakes Jean Lake Lost Lake Swan Lake Lake Miramar Lake Poway Dixon Lake Lindo Lake Rivers San Diego River San Luis Rey River San Dieguito River Sweetwater River Otay River Tijuana River Tijuana River Mouth State Marine Conservation Area Santa Margarita RiverEnvironmental risks San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station More than 1 700 tons of radioactive waste are stored at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station which sits in an area where there is a record of past tsunamis DemographicsIn the 1847 census of San Diego County ordered by Richard Barnes Mason it found that 2 287 people lived in the county to include Native Americans Pacific Islanders and African Americans Since at least 2014 San Diego County is the fifth most populous county in the United States In 2000 only about 3 of San Diego County residents left the county for work while 40 000 people commuted into the metropolitan area Ethnic origins in San Diego CountyHistorical population CensusPop Note 1850798 18604 324441 9 18704 95114 5 18808 01861 9 189034 987336 4 190035 0900 3 191061 66575 7 1920112 24882 0 1930209 65986 8 1940289 34838 0 1950556 80892 4 19601 033 01185 5 19701 357 85431 4 19801 861 84637 1 19902 498 01634 2 20002 813 83312 6 20103 095 31310 0 20203 298 6346 6 2023 est 3 269 973 0 9 U S Decennial Census 1790 1960 1900 1990 1990 2000 2010 20202020 census San Diego County California Racial and ethnic composition Note the US Census treats Hispanic Latino as an ethnic category This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category Hispanics Latinos may be of any race Race Ethnicity NH Non Hispanic Pop 1990 Pop 2000 Pop 2010 Pop 2020 1990 2000 2010 2020White alone NH 1 633 281 1 548 833 1 500 047 1 422 205 65 38 55 04 48 46 43 11 Black or African American alone NH 149 898 154 487 146 600 145 014 6 00 5 49 4 74 4 40 Native American or Alaska Native alone NH 15 050 15 253 14 098 12 841 0 60 0 54 0 46 0 39 Asian alone NH 185 144 245 297 328 058 400 589 7 41 8 72 10 60 12 14 Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone NH N A 12 164 13 504 12 991 N A 0 43 0 44 0 39 Other race alone NH 3 862 5 822 6 715 18 125 0 15 0 21 0 22 0 55 Mixed race or Multiracial NH N A 81 012 94 943 167 240 N A 2 88 3 07 5 07 Hispanic or Latino any race 510 781 750 965 991 348 1 119 629 20 45 26 69 32 03 33 94 Total 2 498 016 2 813 833 3 095 313 3 298 634 100 00 100 00 100 00 100 00 Racial and Ethnic Composition since 1960 Racial and ethnic composition 2020 2010 2000 citation needed 1990 citation needed 1980 citation needed 1970 citation needed 1960 citation needed White non Hispanic 43 1 48 5 55 0 65 3 73 8 Hispanic or Latino of any race 33 9 32 0 26 7 20 4 14 7 12 8 Asian non Hispanic 12 1 10 6 8 8 7 9 1 1 Black or African American non Hispanic 4 4 4 7 5 7 6 3 5 6 4 5 3 8 Native American non Hispanic 0 4 0 5 0 8 0 8 0 3 Pacific Islander non Hispanic 0 4 0 4 0 5 Mixed Race non Hispanic 5 1 3 1 4 7 Income 2011 Per capita income 30 955Median household income 63 857Median family income 74 633Race The 2010 United States census reported that San Diego County had a population of 3 095 313 The racial makeup of San Diego County was 1 981 442 64 0 White 158 213 5 1 African American 26 340 0 9 Native American 336 091 10 9 Asian 4 7 Filipino 1 6 Vietnamese 1 4 Chinese 3 2 Other Asian 15 337 0 5 Pacific Islander 419 465 13 6 from other races and 158 425 5 0 from two or more races Hispanic or Latino of any race were 991 348 people 32 0 Including those of mixed race the total number of residents with Asian ancestry was 407 984 As of 2009 the racial makeup of the county was 79 4 White American 5 6 Black or African American 1 Native American 10 4 Asian 0 5 Pacific Islander 10 3 from other races and 3 6 from two or more races 31 3 of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race 67 0 spoke only English at home 21 9 spoke Spanish 3 1 Tagalog and 1 2 Vietnamese Other demographic data As of 2018 the Census Bureau estimates there were 3 343 364 people 1 067 846 households and 663 449 families residing in the county The population density was 670 inhabitants per square mile 260 km2 There were 1 142 245 housing units at an average density of 248 per square mile 96 km2 In 2000 there were 994 677 households out of which 33 9 had children under the age of 18 living with them 50 7 were married couples living together 11 6 had a female householder with no husband present and 33 3 were non families 24 2 of all households were made up of individuals and 7 9 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older The average household size was 2 73 and the average family size was 3 29 As of 2000 25 7 of the population was under the age of 18 11 30 was from 18 to 24 32 0 from 25 to 44 19 8 from 45 to 64 and 11 2 was 65 years of age or older The median age was 33 years For every 100 females there were 101 2 males For every 100 females age 18 and over there were 99 7 males In 2012 it was estimated that there were 198 000 unauthorized immigrants the origin of the plurality of them is Mexico In 2018 the median household income was 70 824 most people spend more than 30 of their income on housing costs In August of that year the median home price was 583 000 this is lower than the median home price in Los Angeles and Orange counties Income According to the 2000 census the median income for a household in the county was 47 067 and the median income for a family was 53 438 Males had a median income of 36 952 versus 30 356 for females The per capita income for the county was 22 926 About 8 9 of families and 12 4 of the population were below the poverty line including 16 5 of those under age 18 and 6 8 of those age 65 or over Much of the county s high income residents are concentrated in the northern part of the city of San Diego The San Diego metropolitan area has two places with both a population of over 50 000 and a per capita income of over 40 000 Carlsbad and Encinitas The county s largest continuous high income urban area is a triangle from a first point on the northern edge of Carlsbad a second point southeast of Escondido and a third point on the southern edge of La Jolla It contains all or most of the cities of Carlsbad Encinitas Solana Beach Del Mar and Poway in addition to a substantial portion of northern San Diego Homelessness According to a point in time count taken for the San Diego Regional Task Force on Homelessness there were 8 576 homeless individuals on January 6 2018 a 6 decrease from 2017 3 586 were sheltered and 4 990 were not 4 912 75 3 were in the city of San Diego North County Inland had 1 153 13 4 North County Coastal with 822 homeless 9 6 602 7 were found in South County and 1 087 12 7 in East County Religion According to a 2014 Pew Research Center survey 68 of adults in the county were Christian of whom 32 were Catholic 27 were religiously unaffiliated and 5 adhered to a non Christian faith According to the University of Southern California in 2010 the largest faith in the county was Catholicism followed by non denominational Christians and Mormons In 2014 the county had 978 religious organizations the seventh most out of all US counties Immigration data In 2014 according to Pew Research Center there are about 170 000 undocumented immigrants living in the region San Diego has been a destination for trafficked minors from Mexico and the Philippines In 2018 the United States Border Patrol caught an average of over a hundred individuals crossing the border illegally each day EconomySan Diego County and Imperial County are part of the Southern Border Region one of nine such regions As a regional economy the Southern Border Region is the smallest but most economically diverse region in the state However the two counties maintain weak relations and have little in common aside from their common border The region has a high cost of living This includes the highest cost of water in the United States As of 2018 update San Diego County is within the top ten highest cost of rent in the United States this has led to people moving out of the county Agriculture San Diego County s agriculture industry was worth 1 85 billion in 2013 and is one of the top five egg producing counties in the United States In 2013 San Diego County also had the most small farms of any county in the United States and had the 19th largest agricultural economy of any county in the United States According to the San Diego Farm Bureau San Diego County is the United States leading producer of avocados and nursery crops Until the early 20th century San Diego County had a thriving wine industry however the 1916 Charles Hatfield flood was the beginning of the end of the industry which included the destruction of the Daneri winery in As of October 2016 update there are roughly one hundred vineyards and wineries in San Diego County By the 2019 2020 statistical survey cdfa found that the nursery trade dominated the county s agriculture by dollar value Second place went to avocado production Breweries The county has been called the Craft Beer Capital of America Brewing has been one of the fastest growing business sectors with local breweries ranking among the 50 largest craft brewers in the United States and breweries that are consistently rated among the top breweries in the world Cannabis Commercial operations to grow test or sell cannabis are not allowed in the unincorporated areas of the county Companies must be licensed by the local agency to operate and each city or county may authorize none or only some of these activities Local governments may not prohibit adults who are in compliance with state laws from growing using or transporting marijuana for personal use Tourism Westfield UTC in University City Tourism plays a large part in the economics of the San Diego metropolitan area Tourists are drawn to the region for a well rounded experience everything from shopping to surfing as well as its mild climate Its numerous tourist destinations include Westfield UTC Seaport Village and Fashion Valley for shopping SeaWorld San Diego and Legoland California as amusement parks Golf courses such as Torrey Pines Golf Course and Balboa Park Golf Course Museums such as the Museum of Us the San Diego Museum of Art Fleet Science Center San Diego Natural History Museum USS Midway Museum and the San Diego Air amp Space Museum Historical places such as the Gaslamp Quarter Balboa Park and Old Town San Diego State Historic Park Wildlife refuges zoos and aquariums such as the San Diego Zoo San Diego Zoo Safari Park Birch Aquarium Living Coast Discovery Center and the San Diego La Jolla Underwater Park Outdoor destinations include the Peninsular Ranges for hiking biking mountainboarding and trail riding Surfing locations include Swami s Stone Steps Beach Torrey Pines State Beach Cardiff State Beach San Onofre State Beach and the southern portion of Black s Beach The region is host to the second largest cruise ship industry in California which generates an estimated 2 million annually from purchases of food fuel supplies and maintenance services In 2008 the Port of San Diego hosted 252 ship calls and more than 800 000 passengers CultureThe culture of San Diego is influenced heavily by American and Mexican cultures due to its position as a border town its large Hispanic population and its history as part of Spanish America and Mexico The area s longtime association with the U S military also contributes to its culture Present day culture includes many historical and tourist attractions a thriving musical and theatrical scene numerous notable special events a varied cuisine and a reputation as one of America s premier centers of craft brewing Sites of interest Mount Laguna Observatory owned and primarily operated by San Diego State University Palomar Observatory owned and primarily operated by the California Institute of Technology Ramona Valley a wine producing region located 28 miles 45 km northeast of the city of San Diego San Diego Zoo Safari Park formerly known as the San Diego Wild Animal Park 35 miles 56 km north of the San Diego Zoo and east of Escondido SeaWorld San Diego on Mission Bay Mission Bay Park including Fiesta Island a sheltered bay popular for water sports also known for the annual over the line tournament Mission San Diego de Alcala the first of California s 21 Spanish missions It is an operating Roman Catholic parish and also is open for historical interest tours during the week It is located near the interchange of Interstates 8 and 15 Mission San Luis Rey de Francia founded on June 13 1798 by Padre Fermin Lasuen It is the 18th of the Spanish missions established in California It is an operating Roman Catholic parish and is open every day for historical interest tours It is located near Route 76 in the Oceanside area Balboa Park with numerous museums and other cultural locations just north of Downtown San Diego San Diego Zoo located in Balboa Park Presidio Park located on a bluff directly above Old Town a city historic park on the site of the San Diego Presidio the first European settlement in California San Diego Bay contains the aircraft carrier USS Midway now used as a memorial ship and as a floating museum and the eight floating museum ships of the Maritime Museum of San Diego Harbor cruises sailing and sport fishing are also available San Diego Botanic Garden a 37 acre botanic oasis in the coastal community of Encinitas Features 4 miles of meandering trails 5 300 plant species and 29 uniquely themed gardens including the largest public bamboo collection in North America Legoland California a Lego theme park in Carlsbad Sesame Place San Diego a Sesame Street theme park in Chula Vista Alta Vista Botanical Gardens is a botanical garden in Vista dedicated to bringing together People Nature amp Art Mount Ecclesia is a historic district noted for its singular architecture and the preservation of nature grounds and gardens offering a unique meditative walking experience It is located about a mile east of Interstate 5 in the Oceanside area San Dieguito County ParkSportsPetco Park home of the San Diego Padres Sports in San Diego County includes major professional league teams other highest level professional league teams minor league teams and college athletics San Diego County hosts two teams of the major professional leagues the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball MLB and San Diego FC of Major League Soccer MLS The county is home to several universities whose teams compete in various NCAA Division I sports most notably the San Diego State Aztecs The Farmers Insurance Open a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour is played annually at Torrey Pines Golf Course San Diego County hosted the National Football League NFL s San Diego Chargers from 1961 to 2017 when the team relocated to the Greater Los Angeles area now the Los Angeles Chargers The county also hosted the National Basketball Association NBA s San Diego Rockets from 1967 to 1971 now the Houston Rockets and San Diego Clippers from 1978 to 1984 now the Los Angeles Clippers San Diego County has never hosted a National Hockey League NHL franchise though it hosted the San Diego Mariners of the now defunct World Hockey Association WHA from 1974 to 1977 Currently there is no NFL NBA or NHL team in the county San Diego is the largest American city not to have won a championship in a Big Four major professional league The city does have one major league title to its name the 1963 American Football League AFL Championship won by the San Diego Chargers when the AFL was an independent entity prior to the AFL NFL merger in 1970 Due to its lackluster record on winning professional championships and in some cases retaining professional teams some San Diego sports fans believe there is a curse on professional sports in the city GovernmentSan Diego County Administration Center The government of San Diego County is defined and authorized under the Constitution of California California law and the Charter of the County of San Diego Much of the government of California is in practice the responsibility of county governments such as the government of San Diego County The County government provides countywide services such as elections and voter registration law enforcement jails vital records property records tax collection public health and social services In addition the County serves as the local government for all unincorporated areas Some chartered cities such as San Diego and Chula Vista provide municipal services such as police public safety libraries parks and recreation and zoning Other cities such as Del Mar and Vista arrange to have the County provide some or all of these services on a contract basis The county government is composed of the elected five member San Diego County Board of Supervisors several other elected offices and officers Office Official PartyClerk Jordan Marks RepublicanDistrict Attorney Summer Stephan IndependentSheriff Kelly Martinez DemocraticTreasurer Dan McAllister Republican and numerous county departments and entities under the supervision of the Chief Administrative Officer such as the Probation Department In addition several entities of the government of California have jurisdiction conterminous with San Diego County such as the Under its foundational Charter the five member elected Board of Supervisors is the county legislature The board operates in a legislative executive and quasi judicial capacity As a legislative authority it can pass ordinances for the unincorporated areas ordinances that affect the whole county like posting of restaurant ratings must be ratified by the individual city As an executive body it can tell the county departments what to do and how to do it As a quasi judicial body the Board is the final venue of appeal in the local planning process As of January 2025 the members of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors are District Supervisor Party1 Vacant2 Joel Anderson Chair Pro Tem Republican3 Terra Lawson Remer Vice Chair Democrat4 Monica Montgomery Steppe Democrat5 Jim Desmond Republican For several decades ending in 2013 all five supervisors were Republican white graduates of San Diego State University and had been in office since 1995 or earlier The Board was criticized for this homogeneity which was made possible because supervisors draw their own district lines and until 2010 were not subject to term limits That pattern was broken in 2013 when Slater Price retired she was replaced by Democrat Dave Roberts who won election to the seat in November 2012 and was inaugurated in January 2013 The San Diego County Code is the codified law of San Diego County in the form of ordinances passed by the Board of Supervisors The Administrative Code establishes the powers and duties of all officers and the procedures and rules of operation of all departments The county motto is The noblest motive is the public good County government offices are housed in the historic County Administration Center Building constructed in 1935 1938 with funding from the Works Progress Administration PoliticsSan Diego County registered voters 2019 Total population 3 338 330 Registered voters 1 747 383 52 3 Democratic 623 925 35 7 Republican 475 149 27 2 Democratic Republican spread 148 776 8 5 No party preference 552 538 31 6 American Independent 55 800 3 2 Libertarian 16 355 0 9 Other 11 474 0 7 Green 6 887 0 4 Peace and Freedom 5 255 0 3 Voting With its prominent military presence San Diego County historically has been a Republican Party stronghold but in recent years it has come to favor the Democratic Party The Republican presidential nominee carried the county in every election from 1948 through 2004 except in 1992 when Bill Clinton won a 37 plurality of the vote In 2008 Barack Obama became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win a majority of votes in San Diego County since World War II Democratic candidates continued to carry the county in 2012 2016 2020 and 2024 Joe Biden s 2020 margin of victory in the county 22 8 was the largest for a Democratic candidate since 1936 though it was narrower than Biden s statewide margin of 29 2 United States presidential election results for San Diego County California Year Republican Democratic Third party ies No No No 2024 593 270 40 14 841 372 56 93 43 386 2 94 2020 600 094 37 46 964 650 60 21 37 399 2 33 2016 477 766 36 43 735 476 56 07 98 376 7 50 2012 536 726 44 95 626 957 52 51 30 266 2 53 2008 541 032 43 79 666 581 53 95 27 890 2 26 2004 596 033 52 45 526 437 46 33 13 881 1 22 2000 475 736 49 63 437 666 45 66 45 232 4 72 1996 402 876 45 57 389 964 44 11 91 311 10 33 1992 352 125 35 69 367 397 37 24 267 124 27 07 1988 523 143 60 19 333 264 38 34 12 788 1 47 1984 502 344 65 30 257 029 33 41 9 894 1 29 1980 435 910 60 81 195 410 27 26 85 546 11 93 1976 353 302 55 74 263 654 41 60 16 839 2 66 1972 371 627 61 82 206 455 34 34 23 055 3 84 1968 261 540 56 26 167 669 36 07 35 654 7 67 1964 214 445 50 31 211 808 49 69 33 0 01 1960 223 056 56 41 171 259 43 31 1 106 0 28 1956 195 742 64 47 106 716 35 15 1 147 0 38 1952 186 091 63 50 105 255 35 92 1 688 0 58 1948 101 552 49 43 98 217 47 80 5 690 2 77 1944 75 746 45 42 89 959 53 94 1 059 0 64 1940 55 434 43 27 71 188 55 57 1 488 1 16 1936 35 686 35 04 64 628 63 45 1 540 1 51 1932 35 305 41 46 45 622 53 58 4 223 4 96 1928 47 769 67 14 22 749 31 97 633 0 89 1924 22 726 48 99 2 944 6 35 20 721 44 67 1920 19 826 63 78 8 478 27 27 2 783 8 95 1916 16 978 46 47 16 815 46 02 2 744 7 51 1912 63 0 29 9 731 44 79 11 934 54 92 1908 5 412 57 56 2 393 25 45 1 598 16 99 1904 4 303 59 52 1 398 19 34 1 529 21 15 1900 3 800 54 91 2 678 38 69 443 6 40 1896 3 631 46 86 3 908 50 44 209 2 70 1892 3 525 45 71 2 334 30 26 1 853 24 03 1888 4 661 56 88 3 189 38 92 344 4 20 1884 1 120 57 00 800 40 71 45 2 29 1880 743 56 80 546 41 74 19 1 45 The city of San Diego itself is more Democratic than the county average and has largely voted Democrat in each presidential election since 1992 certain areas and cities within the county are swing areas and have split their votes in post 2000 elections The county s Republican population gradually increases the further one travels away from downtown the Republican strongholds include La Jolla Coronado the regions of North and East County the eastern backlands and remote mountain communities such as Julian While these areas have traditionally voted Republican all also contain varied electorates of Democrats Libertarians and independents A unique feature of the political scene is the use of Golden Hall a convention facility next to San Diego s City Hall The County Registrar of Voters rents the hall to distribute election results Supporters and political observers gather to watch the results come in supporters of the various candidates parade around the hall carrying signs and chanting candidates give their victory and concession speeches and host parties for campaign volunteers and donors at the site and television stations broadcast live from the floor of the convention center The atmosphere at Election Central on the evening of election day has been compared to the voting portion of a political party national convention On November 4 2008 San Diego County voted 53 71 for Proposition 8 which amended the California Constitution effectively placing a ban on same sex marriages this proposition would restore Proposition 22 which was overturned by a ruling from the California Supreme Court However the City of San Diego along with the North County coastal cities of Del Mar Encinitas and Solana Beach voted against Proposition 8 La Mesa was a virtual tie for Prop 8 support while Carlsbad supported the referendum by only a 2 margin Federal and state representation In the U S House of Representatives San Diego County is split between five congressional districts California s 48th congressional district represented by Republican Darrell Issa California s 49th congressional district represented by Democrat Mike Levin California s 50th congressional district represented by Democrat Scott Peters California s 51st congressional district represented by Democrat Sara Jacobs and California s 52nd congressional district represented by Democrat Juan Vargas In the California State Assembly San Diego County is split between seven legislative districts the 71st Assembly District represented by Republican Kate Sanchez the 75th Assembly District represented by Republican Carl DeMaio the 76th Assembly District represented by Democrat Darshana Patel the 77th Assembly District represented by Democrat Tasha Boerner the 78th Assembly District represented by Democrat Chris Ward the 79th Assembly District represented by Democrat LaShae Sharp Collins and the 80th Assembly District represented by Democrat David Alvarez In the California State Senate San Diego County is split between four legislative districts the 36th Senate District seat currently vacant the 38th Senate District represented by Democrat Catherine Blakespear the 39th Senate District represented by Democrat Akilah Weber and the 40th Senate District represented by Republican Brian Jones CrimeThe following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1 000 persons for each type of offense Population and crime ratesPopulation 3 060 849Violent crime 12 775 4 17 Homicide 75 0 02 Forcible rape 746 0 24 Robbery 4 033 1 32 Aggravated assault 7 921 2 59Property crime 43 525 14 22 Burglary 14 522 4 74 Larceny theft 41 278 13 49 Motor vehicle theft 13 938 4 55Arson 394 0 13Cities by population and crime rates Cities by population and crime ratesCity Population Violent crimes Violent crime rate per 1 000 persons Property crimes Property crime rate per 1 000 personsCarlsbad 107 879 265 2 46 2 109 19 55Chula Vista 249 830 581 2 33 5 081 20 34Coronado 19 345 20 1 03 504 26 05Del Mar 4 263 15 3 52 211 49 50El Cajon 101 864 365 3 58 2 414 23 70Encinitas 60 960 150 2 46 1 296 21 26Escondido 147 386 628 4 26 3 887 26 37Imperial Beach 26 956 147 5 45 471 17 47La Mesa 58 444 224 3 83 1 732 29 64Lemon Grove 25 932 137 5 28 434 16 74National City 59 920 371 6 19 1 863 31 09Oceanside 171 141 728 4 25 4 289 25 06Poway 48 968 94 1 92 559 11 42San Diego 1 338 477 5 529 4 13 31 700 23 68San Marcos 85 810 227 2 65 1 502 17 50Santee 54 700 154 2 82 1 109 20 27Solana Beach 13 181 24 1 82 313 23 75Vista 96 087 465 4 84 1 885 19 62EducationSan Diego County contains three public state universities University of California San Diego UC San Diego San Diego State University SDSU and California State University San Marcos CSUSM Major private universities in the county include University of San Diego USD Point Loma Nazarene University PLNU Alliant International University AIU and National University It also includes three law schools the USD School of Law California Western School of Law and the Thomas Jefferson School of Law Within the county there are 24 public elementary school districts 6 high school districts and 12 unified school districts There are also five community college districts Several cities in the county maintain public library systems including the city of San Diego itself The San Diego County Library serves all other areas of the county In 2010 the county library had 33 branches and two bookmobiles circulated over 10 7 million books CDs DVDs and other material formats recorded 5 7 million visits to library branches and hosted 21 132 free programs and events The San Diego County Library is one of the 25 busiest libraries in the nation as measured by materials circulated Community College Districts Grossmont Cuyamaca Community College District MiraCosta Community College District Palomar Community College District San Diego Community College District Southwestern Community College DistrictK 12 schools School districts K 12 unified Bonsall Unified School District Carlsbad Unified School District Coronado Unified School District Oceanside Unified School District Poway Unified School District Ramona Unified School District San Diego Unified School District San Marcos Unified School District Vista Unified School District Secondary Escondido Union High School District Grossmont Union High School District San Dieguito Union High School District Sweetwater Union High School District Elementary Cajon Valley Union Elementary School District Cardiff Elementary School District Chula Vista Elementary School District Dehesa Elementary School District Del Mar Union Elementary School District Encinitas Union Elementary School District Escondido Union Elementary School District Fallbrook Union Elementary School District Julian Union Elementary School District La Mesa Spring Valley School District Lakeside Union Elementary School District Lemon Grove Elementary School District National Elementary School District Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School District San Ysidro Elementary School District Santee School District Solana Beach Elementary School DistrictMilitaryUSS Decatur DDG 73 San Diego is the headquarters of the U S Navy s Eleventh Naval District and is the Navy s principal location for West Coast and Pacific Ocean operations Naval Base San Diego is principal home to the Pacific Fleet although the headquarters is located in Pearl Harbor NAS North Island is located on the north side of Coronado and is home to Headquarters for Naval Air Forces and Naval Air Force Pacific the bulk of the Pacific Fleet s helicopter squadrons and part of the West Coast aircraft carrier fleet The Naval Special Warfare Center is the primary training center for SEALs and is also located on Coronado The area contains five major naval bases and the U S Marines base Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and serves as its prime amphibious training base It is located on the Southern California coast bordered by Oceanside to the south San Clemente to the north and Fallbrook to the east U S Navy Naval Base San Diego also known as 32nd Street Naval Station Naval Amphibious Base Coronado Naval Air Station North Island Naval Base Point Loma which includes the Submarine Base and the Fleet Antisubmarine Warfare Training Center Naval Information Warfare Systems Command NAVWAR Naval Medical Center San Diego also known as Bob Wilson Naval Hospital and Balboa Naval HospitalU S Marine Corps Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Marine Corps Recruit Depot San DiegoU S Coast Guard Coast Guard Air Station San DiegoU S Air Force San Diego Air National Guard Station which is home to the 147th Combat Communications Squadron MediaSan Diego County is primarily served by media in San Diego including TV and radio stations based in the city Newspapers San Diego County is served by many newspapers The major regional paper is The San Diego Union Tribune also known as U T San Diego or just The U T by locals is ranked 23rd in the country by daily circulation as of March 2013 The Union Tribune serves both San Diego County and neighboring Imperial County The former North County Times based in Escondido and serving portions of Riverside County and North County was purchased by the Union Tribune in 2012 and closed down For about a year after absorbing the North County Times the Union Tribune published a North County edition but the regional edition was later abandoned The Los Angeles Times is also delivered in portions of the county Many of the area s cities towns and neighborhoods have their own local newspapers such as the Coronado Eagle the Union Tribune acquired eight local weekly publications in 2013 and has continued to publish them as independent local newspapers including the La Jolla Light The San Diego Daily Transcript reports business and legal news Privately published papers like the Military Press Newspaper and the Navy Dispatch serve the military community both on and off base Other media is a public access television cable channel offering a hometown blend of C SPAN the Lifetime History Travel and Discovery channels for the county and funded by fees paid by cable companies TransportationMajor highways Interstate 5 Interstate 8 Interstate 15 Interstate 805 U S Route 80 decommissioned U S Route 101 decommissioned State Route 11 State Route 15 State Route 52 State Route 54 State Route 56 State Route 67 State Route 75 State Route 76 State Route 78 State Route 79 State Route 94 State Route 125 State Route 163 State Route 188 State Route 282 State Route 905 Border crossings to Mexico San Ysidro Port of Entry Otay Mesa Port of Entry Otay Mesa East Port of Entry projected opening 2028 Tecate Port of EntryRailroads vteSan Diego CountyLegendStation diagramMetrolinkto Los Angeles amp San Bernardino Amtrakto San Luis ObispoOceansideCoast HighwayCrouch StreetCarlsbad Village El Camino RealRancho Del OroCollege BoulevardCarlsbad Poinsettia Melrose DriveVistaCivic Center VistaBuena CreekEncinitas Palomar CollegeSan Marcos Civic CenterCal State San MarcosSolana Beach Nordahl RoadEscondidoSorrento ValleyUC San Diego Central Campus UC San Diego Health La JollaVA Medical Center Executive DriveNobel Drive UTCBalboa AvenueClairemont DriveTecolote Road Morena Linda VistaOld Town Fashion ValleyWashington Street Hazard CenterMiddletownCounty Center Little Italy Mission Valley CenterSanta Fe DepotAmerica Plaza Rio VistaCourthouseCivic CenterFifth Avenue Fenton ParkwayCity CollegePark amp Market StadiumSeaport VillageConvention Center Mission San DiegoGaslamp Quarter Grantville12th amp Imperial SDSUStorage amp Maintenance Yard UC San Diego Health EastBarrio LoganHarborside 25th amp CommercialPacific Fleet 32nd amp Commercial8th Street 47th Street24th Street Euclid AvenueE Street Encanto 62nd StreetH Street Massachusetts AvenuePalomar Street Lemon Grove DepotPalm Avenue Spring StreetIris Avenue La Mesa Blvd Beyer Blvd 70th StreetSan Ysidro GrossmontAmaya DriveEl CajonArnele AvenueGillespie FieldSantee Amtrak Pacific Surfliner Coaster Metrolink San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway San Diego and Imperial Valley RailroadLight rail and local transit San Diego Trolley San Diego Metropolitan Transit System MTS Sprinter North County Transit District NCTD The Port of San Diego EmbarcaderoAirports Carlsbad McClellan Palomar Airport CRQ El Cajon Gillespie Field SEE Oceanside Oceanside Municipal Airport OKB City of San Diego San Diego International Airport SAN Montgomery Gibbs Executive Airport MYF Brown Field Municipal Airport SDM Unincorporated San Diego County Agua Caliente Airport L54 Borrego Valley Airport L08 Fallbrook Community Airpark L18 Jacumba Airport L78 Ocotillo Airport L90 Ramona Airport RNM CommunitiesNorth County communities Coastal cities are in dark blue unincorporated coastal community is in light blue Inland cities are in dark yellow unincorporated inland communities are in light yellow Parts of northern San Diego city are sometimes also considered part of North CountyEast County communities in red In dark red are the cities of El Cajon La Mesa Lemon Grove and Santee which mark the western edge of East County Unincorporated communities are in light red including Alpine Jamul Lakeside and Spring ValleySouth Bay communities The cities of Chula Vista Imperial Beach and National City are in dark orange The unincorporated community of Bonita is in light orange San Ysidro and Otay Mesa neighborhoods of the city of San Diego are in pink As of the 2020 census San Diego County includes 18 incorporated cities 18 Indian reservations and 39 census designated places Cities City Date incorporated Population 2020 Census Carlsbad July 16 1952 114 746Chula Vista November 28 1911 275 487Coronado December 11 1890 20 192Del Mar July 15 1959 3 954El Cajon Nov 12 1912 106 215Encinitas October 1 1986 62 007Escondido October 8 1888 151 038Imperial Beach July 18 1956 26 137La Mesa February 16 1912 61 121Lemon Grove July 1 1977 27 627National City September 17 1887 56 173Oceanside July 3 1888 174 068Poway December 1 1980 48 841San Diego county seat March 27 1850 1 386 932San Marcos January 28 1963 94 833Santee December 1 1980 60 037Solana Beach July 1 1986 12 941Vista January 28 1963 98 381Census designated places CDPs Alpine Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Bostonia Boulevard Campo Camp Pendleton Mainside Camp Pendleton South Casa de Oro Mount Helix Crest Del Dios Descanso Elfin Forest Eucalyptus Hills Fairbanks Ranch Fallbrook Granite Hills Harbison Canyon Harmony Grove Hidden Meadows Jacumba Hot Springs Jamul Julian Lake San Marcos Lakeside La Presa Mount Laguna Pala Pine Valley Potrero Rainbow Ramona Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe San Diego Country Estates Spring Valley Valley Center Winter Gardens Unincorporated communities 4S Ranch Agua Caliente Springs Ballena Banner Casa de Oro Cuyamaca De Luz De Luz Heights Dehesa Dulzura East Otay Mesa Flinn Springs Foster Guatay Jesmond Dene Jofegan Kentwood In The Pines Lake Henshaw Lincoln Acres Manzanita Morena Village Mount Helix Oak Grove Ocotillo Wells Pala Mesa Palomar Mountain Pauma Valley Pine Hills Ranchita Rincon San Felipe Santa Ysabel Shelter Valley Tecate Warner Springs Wynola Indian reservations San Diego County has 18 federally recognized Indian reservations more than any other county in the United States Although they are typical in size to other Indian reservations in California many of which are termed Rancherias they are relatively small by national standards citation needed and all together total 200 2 sq mi 519 km2 of area Barona Indian Reservation Campo Indian Reservation Capitan Grande Reservation Ewiiaapaayp Indian Reservation Inaja and Cosmit Indian Reservation Jamul Indian Village La Jolla Indian Reservation La Posta Indian Reservation Los Coyotes Indian Reservation Manzanita Indian Reservation Mesa Grande Indian Reservation Pala Indian Reservation Pauma and Yuima Indian Reservation Rincon Indian Reservation San Pasqual Indian Reservation Santa Ysabel Indian Reservation Sycuan Indian Reservation Viejas Indian Reservation Population ranking The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of San Diego County county seat Rank City Town etc Municipal type Population 2020 Census Population 2010 Census 1 San Diego City 1 386 932 1 307 4022 Chula Vista City 275 487 243 9163 Oceanside City 174 068 167 0864 Escondido City 151 038 143 9115 Carlsbad City 114 746 105 3286 El Cajon City 106 215 99 4787 Vista City 98 381 93 8348 San Marcos City 94 833 83 7819 Encinitas City 62 007 59 51810 La Mesa City 61 121 57 06511 Santee City 60 037 53 41312 National City City 56 173 58 58213 Poway City 48 841 47 81114 La Presa CDP 35 033 34 16915 Fallbrook CDP 32 267 30 53416 Spring Valley CDP 30 998 28 20517 Lemon Grove City 27 627 25 32018 Imperial Beach City 26 137 26 32419 Winter Gardens CDP 22 380 20 63120 Rancho San Diego CDP 21 858 21 20821 Ramona CDP 21 468 20 29222 Lakeside CDP 21 152 20 64823 Coronado City 20 192 18 91224 Casa de Oro Mount Helix CDP 19 576 18 76225 Bostonia CDP 16 882 15 37926 Alpine CDP 14 696 14 23627 Solana Beach City 12 941 12 86728 Bonita CDP 12 917 12 53829 Camp Pendleton South CDP 12 468 10 61630 San Diego Country Estates CDP 10 395 10 10931 Valley Center CDP 10 087 9 27732 Camp Pendleton Mainside CDP 9 683 5 20033 Jamul CDP 6 179 6 16334 Eucalyptus Hills CDP 5 517 5 31335 Lake San Marcos CDP 5 328 4 43736 Bonsall CDP 4 546 3 98237 Hidden Meadows CDP 4 484 3 48538 Harbison Canyon CDP 4 048 3 84139 Del Mar City 3 954 4 16140 Granite Hills CDP 3 267 3 03541 Rancho Santa Fe CDP 3 156 3 11742 Borrego Springs CDP 3 073 3 42943 Fairbanks Ranch CDP 3 002 3 14844 Campo CDP 2 955 2 68445 Crest CDP 2 828 2 59346 Harmony Grove CDP 2 079 N A47 Rainbow CDP 1 884 1 83248 Julian CDP 1 768 1 50249 Pine Valley CDP 1 645 1 51050 Pala Indian Reservation AIAN 1 541 1 31551 Descanso CDP 1 499 1 42352 Pala CDP 1 490 N A53 San Pasqual Reservation AIAN 1 270 1 09754 Rincon Reservation AIAN 1 095 1 21555 Barona Reservation AIAN 756 64056 Potrero CDP 648 65657 Elfin Forest CDP 600 N A58 Jacumba CDP 540 56159 Viejas Reservation AIAN 538 52060 Campo Indian Reservation AIAN 398 36261 Del Dios CDP 396 N A62 Boulevard CDP 359 31563 Santa Ysabel Reservation AIAN 263 33064 Sycuan Reservation AIAN 218 21165 Pauma and Yuima Reservation AIAN 179 20666 La Jolla Reservation AIAN 145 47667 Manzanita Reservation AIAN 101 7868 Mesa Grande Reservation AIAN 87 9869 Mount Laguna CDP 74 5770 La Posta Indian Reservation AIAN 50 5571 Los Coyotes Reservation AIAN 15 9872 Ewiiaapaayp Reservation AIAN 5 N ACapitan Grande Reservation AIAN 0 0Inaja and Cosmit Reservation AIAN 0 0Jamul Indian Village AIAN 0 N AFormer cities City Year incorporated Year removed FateEast San Diego 1912 1923 Merged into San DiegoElsinore now Lake Elsinore 1888 1893 Riverside County formedImperial 1904 1907 Imperial County formedRiverside 1883 1893 Riverside County formedSan Jacinto 1888 1893 Riverside County formedFuture and past incorporation efforts The communities of Del Dios Elfin Forest Harmony Grove and Pala were newly designated as CDPs in the 2020 census Some CDPs and unincorporated communities of San Diego County have explored incorporating as cities towns in the past California makes no legal distinction between the titles of city and town allowing communities that incorporate to chose their designation though there has never been an incorporated town in San Diego County Alpine Bonita Fallbrook Lakeside Ramona Rancho Santa Fe and Spring Valley have each been tied to various incorporation studies organized efforts and discussions in the past Some of these past efforts have culminated in ballot initiatives Voters in Fallbrook previously rejected incorporation in 1981 and 1987 Rancho Santa Fe residents also rejected incorporation in 1987 Among the existing cities of San Diego County some had multiple failed incorporation efforts before ultimately succeeding in becoming a city Lemon Grove for example saw incorporation measures fail in 1955 1958 and 1964 before a successful incorporation vote in 1977 Other cities have seen incorporation success thanks to mergers of neighboring unincorporated communities Encinitas for example became an incorporated city through a consolidated effort between the then unincorporated communities of Cardiff by the Sea Leucadia Encinitas and Olivenhain in 1986 Encinitas and Solana Beach in 1986 are the most recent examples of successful campaigns for incorporation within the County of San Diego See alsoCalifornia portalList of breweries in San Diego County California List of high schools in San Diego County California List of media set in San Diego County California List of museums in San Diego County California List of school districts in San Diego County California List of United States counties and county equivalents National Register of Historic Places listings in San Diego County California San Diego Association of Governments SANDAG NotesThe total for Third party ies in 1912 comprised 7 922 votes for Progressive Theodore Roosevelt who was official Republican nominee in California 2 873 votes for Socialist Eugene V Debs and 1 139 votes for Prohibition Party nominee Eugene W Chafin Only larceny theft cases involving property over 400 in value are reported as property crimes MLB NFL NBA and the NHL are commonly referred to as the Big Four References Chronology California State Association of Counties Archived from the original on January 29 2016 Retrieved February 6 2015 Chief Administrative Officer County of San Diego Retrieved January 31 2015 Board of Supervisors County of San Diego Retrieved January 12 2015 Home sangis org Hot Springs Mountain Peakbagger com Retrieved January 31 2015 Gross Domestic Product by County and Metropolitan Area 2022 PDF www bea gov Bureau of Economic Analysis Quick Facts San Diego County California census gov Retrieved November 4 2021 Find a County National Association of Counties Retrieved June 7 2011 OMB Bulletin No 13 01 Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas Micropolitan Statistical Areas and Combined Statistical Areas and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas PDF United States Office of Management and Budget February 28 2013 Archived PDF from the original on January 21 2017 Retrieved March 20 2013 Table 1 Annual Estimates of the Population of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas April 1 2010 to July 1 2012 2012 Population Estimates United States Census Bureau Population Division March 2013 Archived from the original CSV on April 1 2013 Retrieved March 20 2013 Table 2 Annual Estimates of the Population of Combined Statistical Areas April 1 2010 to July 1 2012 2012 Population Estimates United States Census Bureau Population Division March 2013 Archived from the original CSV on May 17 2013 Retrieved March 20 2013 climate map Koeppen geirger vu KUMEYAAY RESEARCH DEPARTMENT USA American San Diego County Indian Reservations Tribes of Baja California Mexico Culture Kumeyaay info San Diego Historical Society Sandiegohistory org Archived from the original on May 5 2009 Retrieved April 18 2013 Journal of San Diego History October 1967 Sandiegohistory org San Diego de Alcala California Missions Resource Center Missionscalifornia com Archived from the original on June 10 2010 Retrieved April 18 2013 Coy Owen C PhD 1923 California County Boundaries Berkeley California Historical Commission ASIN B000GRBCXG a href wiki Template Cite book title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link 2010 Census Gazetteer Files United States Census Bureau August 22 2012 Retrieved October 4 2015 wild san diego county April 17 2002 Archived from the original on April 17 2002 Retrieved February 17 2019 Gerber James ed Economic Profile of the San Diego Tijuana Region Characteristics for Investment and Governance Decisions Archived March 21 2012 at the Wayback Machine Institute for Regional Studies of the Californias 1995 p 11 The California Chaparral Field Institute Archived from the original on June 23 2006 M Kottek J Grieser C Beck B Rudolf F Rubel 2006 World Map of the Koppen Geiger climate classification updated Meteorol Z 15 3 259 263 Bibcode 2006MetZe 15 259K doi 10 1127 0941 2948 2006 0130 Retrieved April 22 2009 California May Grey June Gloom meteora ucsd edu Archived from the original on June 13 2010 Retrieved April 18 2013 Monthly Averages for San Diego CA The Weather Channel Archived from the original on May 2 2009 Retrieved April 22 2009 Monthly Averages for El Cajon CA The Weather Channel Archived from the original on June 4 2011 Retrieved December 22 2017
