San Diego–Chula Vista–Carlsbad
30 cities and suburbs across San Diego, each scored out of 100 on the same national scales. The metro's median home is $854,700 and its mean commute 25.5 min. Encinitas scores highest overall at 72. National City leads on cost of living.
30
Places
52
Median score
0
Poll responses
Coverage
30 places
in San Diego
in San Diego
One of 50 metros graded so far, on the same national scales.
10 mi
20 mi
30 mi
Downtown San Diego
Downtown Chula Vista
Encinitas
Solana Beach
Carlsbad
Poway
La Mesa
Santee
Vista
Escondido
Oceanside
La Presa
National City
Imperial Beach
Lemon Grove
Lakeside
El Cajon
Ramona
Rancho San Diego
Fallbrook
San Diego Country Estates
Valley Center
Dot size = overall scoreA B C D Positions plotted from place centroids · rings measured from Downtown San Diego
Every suburb of San Diego, ranked
| # | Place | Score | Hous | Scho | Cost | Comm | Amen | Empl | Resi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Encinitas | 72 B− | B− | B | C | B | A− | B− | — |
| 2 | Solana Beach | 70 B− | B− | B− | C+ | A− | C+ | C+ | — |
| 3 | Carlsbad | 65 C+ | C | B− | C+ | C+ | B | C | — |
| 4 | San Diego | 63 C+ | D− | C | B | B | B+ | C− | — |
| 5 | Coronado | 63 C+ | C+ | B− | B− | A− | F | C | — |
| 6 | San Marcos | 61 C | D | C+ | C+ | C | B+ | C− | — |
| 7 | Poway | 59 C | C− | B− | C+ | C+ | F | C | — |
| 8 | Bonita | 59 C | C− | C− | B | C+ | C− | D+ | — |
| 9 | La Mesa | 58 C | F | D+ | B | B− | B+ | D+ | — |
| 10 | Santee | 58 C | D | C− | B− | C | B− | C− | — |
| 11 | Casa de Oro-Mount Helix | 57 C− | D+ | D | B− | C | C+ | C− | — |
| 12 | Vista | 55 C− | F | D+ | B | C− | B− | D | — |
| 13 | Escondido | 55 C− | F | D | B | C− | A− | D+ | — |
| 14 | Oceanside | 53 C− | D− | D | B− | C− | C+ | D+ | — |
| 15 | Winter Gardens | 53 C− | F | D | B | C− | C+ | D+ | — |
| 16 | La Presa | 52 D+ | F | C− | A− | C− | C | F | — |
| 17 | Chula Vista | 52 D+ | D− | C− | B− | D+ | C+ | D− | — |
| 18 | National City | 52 D+ | F | D | A | C | B+ | F | — |
| 19 | Spring Valley | 51 D+ | D− | D+ | B− | C− | C | F | — |
| 20 | Imperial Beach | 51 D+ | F | D− | A− | C− | C+ | D− | — |
| 21 | Lemon Grove | 51 D+ | F | F | B+ | D+ | B | D | — |
| 22 | Lakeside | 50 D+ | D− | D | B | C | C− | F | — |
| 23 | El Cajon | 50 D+ | F | D− | B+ | C | B+ | F | — |
| 24 | Ramona | 50 D+ | D− | D+ | B+ | F | D+ | C− | — |
| 25 | Bostonia | 50 D+ | F | D− | B | C+ | B | F | — |
| 26 | Rancho San Diego | 49 D+ | D+ | F | C | D | C+ | D | — |
| 27 | Alpine | 49 D+ | D | D | B | D− | D− | C− | — |
| 28 | Fallbrook | 48 D+ | F | D+ | A− | F | D+ | D | — |
| 29 | San Diego Country Estates | 45 D | C− | D+ | C+ | F | F | C+ | — |
| 30 | Valley Center | 40 D− | D | F | B− | F | F | C | — |
— for Residents: fewer than 8 poll responses, so the category is not yet counted. Those places' overall scores are computed on the other six categories, re-normalised to 100%. 30 of 30 are currently below the threshold.
Six San Diego lists
Best San Diego suburbs for familiesMost affordable San Diego suburbsBest San Diego suburbs for schoolsShortest commutes to Downtown San DiegoMost walkable San Diego suburbsBest San Diego suburbs for young professionals8 head-to-heads
San Diego vs La MesaChula Vista vs BonitaOceanside vs VistaEscondido vs San MarcosCarlsbad vs VistaEl Cajon vs BostoniaVista vs San MarcosCarlsbad vs San Marcos5 guides
What "median home value" hides when you compare suburbsWhat a school proficiency percentile actually measuresWhat a two-mile amenity count can and cannot seeReading an effective property tax rateWhat the scores deliberately do not coverAll guides →