Housing data for La Mesa, CA
La Mesa, CA has an estimated 60,797 residents and 26,212 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in San Diego County.
52.3% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $2,049 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+2.1%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 60,797 (±45)
- Housing units
- 26,212 (±684)
- Households that rent
- 52.3%
- Median gross rent
- $2,049
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +2.1%
What stands out in La Mesa
Homes built before 1980: 72.9% (±3.8 points) in La Mesa, higher than in San Diego County (49.4%).
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 36.0% (±3.1 points) in La Mesa, higher than in San Diego County (29.5%).
Households that rent: 52.3% (±2.3 points) in La Mesa, higher than in San Diego County (45.4%).
Median household income: $95,028 (±$7,968) in La Mesa, lower than in San Diego County ($106,268).
- Age of homes in La Mesa
- Types of homes in La Mesa
- Renters and owners in La Mesa
- Income and affordability in La Mesa
Housing in La Mesa at a glance
- Median rent: $2,049 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $2,217 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 60.8% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 52.3% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $95,028 median household income
- Home values: $812,000 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $2,980 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $5,339 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 36.0% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 43.6% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 72.9% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 3.1% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 48.5% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 23.8 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 400 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +2.1% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 27.4% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 5.5% of homes have more than 1 person per room
- Fair Market Rent: $2,840 Small Area FMR, 2 bedrooms (ZIP 91942)
La Mesa against San Diego County, its state and the nation
| La Mesa | San Diego County | California | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 60,797 (±45) | 3,288,774 (exact) | 39,287,377 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 26,212 (±684) | 1,250,641 (±516) | 14,644,735 (±1,665) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 52.3% (±2.3 points) | 45.4% (±0.3 points) | 44.1% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $2,049 (±$64) | $2,246 (±$11) | $2,036 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $95,028 (±$7,968) | $106,268 (±$949) | $99,122 (±$310) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $812,000 (±$16,641) | $854,700 (±$3,996) | $734,700 (±$1,307) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $5,339 (±$273) | $5,774 (±$47) | $5,124 (±$17) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 72.9% (±3.8 points) | 49.4% (±0.5 points) | 56.0% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 23.8 minutes (±0.9) | 25.5 minutes (±0.2) | 28.7 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 93.5% (±1.4 points) | 94.9% (±0.2 points) | 93.5% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 37.4 years (±0.9) | 37.3 years (±0.1) | 37.9 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
La Mesa covers 9.1 square miles of land, about 6,687 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How La Mesa has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 59,556 (±40) | 60,797 (±45) | +2.1% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 24,871 (±657) | 26,212 (±684) | +5.4% | Measurable increase |
| Median gross rent | $1,547 (±$43) | $2,049 (±$64) | +32.4% | Up after inflation |
| Median home value | $530,400 (±$14,637) | $812,000 (±$16,641) | +53.1% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $66,051 (±$4,886) | $95,028 (±$7,968) | +43.9% | Up after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $2,271 (±$74) | $2,980 (±$126) | +31.2% | Up after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $3,569 (±$125) | $5,339 (±$273) | +49.6% | Up after inflation |
| Households that rent | 58.5% (±1.8 points) | 52.3% (±2.3 points) | −6.2 percentage points | Measurable decrease |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.8% (±1.3 points) | 3.1% (±1.7 points) | +0.3 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in La Mesa
In 2025, the La Mesa Police Department reported 400 violent and 1,359 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across San Diego County, the departments that report recorded 316 violent and 1,155 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in La Mesa
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91942 | 100% | 41,424 | $2,032 | $775,700 | $92,896 |
| 91941 | 40% | 33,218 | $2,147 | $928,700 | $115,381 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near La Mesa
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lemon Grove | 2.6 mi | $1,893 | $705,400 | 47.5% |
| Casa de Oro-Mount Helix | 3.1 mi | $1,973 | $952,400 | 21.5% |
| Spring Valley | 3.8 mi | $2,166 | $714,700 | 35.7% |
| La Presa | 4.1 mi | $1,852 | $629,700 | 33.0% |
| El Cajon | 4.2 mi | $1,856 | $681,700 | 58.5% |
| Bostonia | 5.8 mi | $2,087 | $487,600 | 57.7% |
| Rancho San Diego | 6.0 mi | $2,618 | $905,300 | 24.9% |
| Santee | 6.3 mi | $2,250 | $727,200 | 27.6% |
Places in California most like La Mesa
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana | $2,082 | $713,000 | $93,999 | 55.4% |
| Anaheim | $2,175 | $831,200 | $95,227 | 53.8% |
| Burbank | $2,192 | $1,089,100 | $97,082 | 56.7% |
| East Palo Alto | $2,244 | $1,102,600 | $113,493 | 50.9% |
| Lomita | $1,961 | $831,500 | $93,810 | 54.1% |
| Oakland | $1,979 | $929,900 | $101,600 | 57.7% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across California.
HUD Fair Market Rent for La Mesa, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,192 | $2,335 | $2,823 | $3,743 | $4,526 |
HUD also publishes a Small Area Fair Market Rent for each ZIP code in the area; the Fair Market Rent page for this place lists its ZIP codes.
HUD income limits for La Mesa, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $36,750 | $61,250 | $97,950 |
| 2 people | $42,000 | $70,000 | $111,950 |
| 3 people | $47,250 | $78,750 | $125,950 |
| 4 people | $52,450 | $87,450 | $139,900 |
| 5 people | $56,650 | $94,450 | $151,100 |
| 6 people | $60,850 | $101,450 | $162,300 |
| 7 people | $65,050 | $108,450 | $173,500 |
| 8 people | $69,250 | $115,450 | $184,700 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $130,900.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about La Mesa
What is the average rent in La Mesa, CA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in La Mesa is $2,049 (±$64) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in La Mesa?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in La Mesa, CA is $1,788 (±$84) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in La Mesa rent-burdened?
60.8% of renting households in La Mesa pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in La Mesa?
La Mesa has an estimated 13,105 (±705) renting households, 52.3% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in La Mesa?
The median household income in La Mesa is $95,028 (±$7,968) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in La Mesa, CA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $812,000 (±$16,641) for owner-occupied homes in La Mesa (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is La Mesa growing?
In La Mesa, the number of residents went from 59,556 in 2015–2019 to 60,797 in 2020–2024 (+2.1%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in La Mesa?
The ZIP codes that cover La Mesa are 91942, 91941.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 91942?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 91942 is $2,032 (±$78) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — La Mesa city, California
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — La Mesa city, California
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — La Mesa city, California
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — La Mesa city, California
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — La Mesa city, California
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — La Mesa city, California
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — La Mesa city, California
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: La Mesa Police Department (ORI CA0370800)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
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 La Mesa city, California (place:40004, in state:06).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
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.
Figures last updated on .