How long is the commute from El Cajon, CA?

Name: Commute and cars in El Cajon, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Workers who live in El Cajon, CA take an average of 24.8 minutes to get to work (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

72.6% of workers drive alone to work.

2.3% take public transportation.

2.3% of workers walk to work.

11.4% work from home.

8.1% of households have no vehicle.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Average commute: 24.8 minutes (±0.9)
Public transportation: 2.3%
Work from home: 11.4%
Households without a car: 8.1%

How people in El Cajon get to work

Workers 16 and over by means of transportation to work, 2020–2024
Means of transportation	El Cajon	San Diego County	California	United States
Drove alone	72.6% (±1.9 points)	65.9%	65.7%	68.8%
Carpooled	9.4% (±1.2 points)	8.1%	9.5%	8.5%
Public transportation	2.3% (±0.7 points)	1.9%	2.9%	3.2%
Walked	2.3% (±0.7 points)	3.2%	2.4%	2.4%
Other means (bicycle, taxi, motorcycle)	2.0% (±0.6 points)	2.2%	2.4%	2.0%
Worked from home	11.4% (±1.4 points)	18.7%	17.2%	15.1%

In El Cajon, the average commute is not measurably different from San Diego County (25.5 minutes).

It is also lower than in California (28.7 minutes).

It is lower than the national figure (26.4 minutes).

In El Cajon, the share commuting by public transportation is not measurably different from San Diego County (1.9%).

It is not measurably different from California (2.9%).

It is lower than the national figure (3.2%).

In San Diego County, El Cajon ranks 39 of 50 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest average commute.

Statewide, it ranks 725 of 1,076.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

Cars per household in El Cajon

Occupied housing units by vehicles available, 2020–2024
Vehicles available	El Cajon	San Diego County	California	United States
No vehicle	8.1% (±1.3 points)	5.5%	7.1%	8.4%
1 vehicle	38.4% (±2.1 points)	30.6%	30.7%	33.1%
2 vehicles	33.0% (±2.2 points)	39.4%	36.3%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	20.6% (±1.9 points)	24.5%	25.8%	21.9%

In El Cajon, the share of households without a vehicle is higher than in San Diego County (5.5%).

It is not measurably different from California (7.1%).

It is not measurably different from the national figure (8.4%).

Working from home and internet access in El Cajon

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	El Cajon	San Diego County	California	United States
Workers working from home	11.4% (±1.4 points)	18.7% (±0.3 points)	17.2% (±0.1 points)	15.1%
Households with a computer	96.5% (±0.7 points)	97.6% (±0.1 points)	96.9% (±0.1 points)	95.5%
Households with broadband internet	93.6% (±1.0 points)	94.9% (±0.2 points)	93.5% (±0.1 points)	91.0%

In El Cajon, the share of households with a broadband subscription is lower than in San Diego County (94.9%).

It is not measurably different from California (93.5%).

It is higher than the national figure (91.0%).

Average commute in places near El Cajon

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with El Cajon
Place	Distance	Average commute	Compared with this place
El Cajon	—	24.8 minutes (±0.9)	—
Bostonia	1.6 mi	24.9 minutes (±2.0)	Not measurably different
Casa de Oro-Mount Helix	2.7 mi	26.0 minutes (±1.4)	Not measurably different
Winter Gardens	3.2 mi	25.9 minutes (±1.9)	Not measurably different
Granite Hills	3.2 mi	29.9 minutes (±5.0)	Higher
Rancho San Diego	3.6 mi	28.2 minutes (±2.8)	Higher
Santee	4.0 mi	26.7 minutes (±1.3)	Higher
La Mesa	4.2 mi	23.8 minutes (±0.9)	Not measurably different
Lakeside	5.0 mi	25.6 minutes (±1.8)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Granite Hills, CA (29.9 minutes), Rancho San Diego, CA (28.2 minutes), Santee, CA (26.7 minutes).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Average commute across San Diego County, place by place

Rank	Place	Average commute
33	Casa de Oro-Mount Helix	26.0 minutes (±1.4)
34	Winter Gardens	25.9 minutes (±1.9)
35	Lakeside	25.6 minutes (±1.8)
36	National City	25.4 minutes (±1.4)
37	Poway	25.3 minutes (±1.0)
38	Bostonia	24.9 minutes (±2.0)
39	El Cajon	24.8 minutes (±0.9)
40	Encinitas	24.7 minutes (±1.0)
41	Bonita	23.9 minutes (±2.4)
42	La Mesa	23.8 minutes (±0.9)
43 (tie)	San Diego	23.5 minutes (±0.2)
43 (tie)	Lake San Marcos	23.5 minutes (±3.2)
45	Eucalyptus Hills	23.0 minutes (±5.6)

Showing 13 of 50 places in San Diego County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about El Cajon

How long is the average commute in El Cajon?

Workers who live in El Cajon, CA take an average of 24.8 minutes each way (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Can you live in El Cajon without a car?

8.1% of households in El Cajon have no vehicle, and 2.3% of workers commute by public transportation.

How many people work from home in El Cajon?

11.4% (±1.4 points) of workers who live in El Cajon worked from home, and 93.6% of households have a broadband subscription.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for El Cajon city, California (place:21712, in state:06).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP03_0018E, DP03_0018M, DP03_0025E, DP03_0025M, DP03_0019PE, DP03_0019PM, DP03_0020PE, DP03_0020PM, DP03_0021PE, DP03_0021PM, DP03_0022PE, DP03_0022PM, DP03_0023PE, DP03_0023PM, DP03_0024PE, DP03_0024PM, DP04_0058PE, DP04_0058PM, DP04_0059PE, DP04_0059PM, DP04_0060PE, DP04_0060PM, DP04_0061PE, DP04_0061PM, DP02_0153PE, DP02_0153PM, DP02_0154PE, DP02_0154PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.