How long is the commute from La Mesa, CA?

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

Workers who live in La Mesa, CA take an average of 23.8 minutes to get to work (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

69.9% of workers drive alone to work.

1.3% take public transportation.

2.6% of workers walk to work.

17.8% work from home.

6.1% of households have no vehicle.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Average commute: 23.8 minutes (±0.9)
Public transportation: 1.3%
Work from home: 17.8%
Households without a car: 6.1%

How people in La Mesa get to work

Workers 16 and over by means of transportation to work, 2020–2024
Means of transportation	La Mesa	San Diego County	California	United States
Drove alone	69.9% (±2.5 points)	65.9%	65.7%	68.8%
Carpooled	6.8% (±1.4 points)	8.1%	9.5%	8.5%
Public transportation	1.3% (±0.5 points)	1.9%	2.9%	3.2%
Walked	2.6% (±0.8 points)	3.2%	2.4%	2.4%
Other means (bicycle, taxi, motorcycle)	1.5% (±0.8 points)	2.2%	2.4%	2.0%
Worked from home	17.8% (±1.7 points)	18.7%	17.2%	15.1%

In La Mesa, the average commute is lower than in 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 La Mesa, the share commuting by public transportation is lower than in San Diego County (1.9%).

It is also lower than in California (2.9%).

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

In San Diego County, La Mesa ranks 42 of 50 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest average commute.

Statewide, it ranks 785 of 1,076.

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

Cars per household in La Mesa

Occupied housing units by vehicles available, 2020–2024
Vehicles available	La Mesa	San Diego County	California	United States
No vehicle	6.1% (±1.3 points)	5.5%	7.1%	8.4%
1 vehicle	36.8% (±2.5 points)	30.6%	30.7%	33.1%
2 vehicles	37.7% (±2.6 points)	39.4%	36.3%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	19.3% (±2.0 points)	24.5%	25.8%	21.9%

In La Mesa, the share of households without a vehicle is not measurably different from San Diego County (5.5%).

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

It is lower than the national figure (8.4%).

Working from home and internet access in La Mesa

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	La Mesa	San Diego County	California	United States
Workers working from home	17.8% (±1.7 points)	18.7% (±0.3 points)	17.2% (±0.1 points)	15.1%
Households with a computer	96.9% (±1.1 points)	97.6% (±0.1 points)	96.9% (±0.1 points)	95.5%
Households with broadband internet	93.5% (±1.4 points)	94.9% (±0.2 points)	93.5% (±0.1 points)	91.0%

In La Mesa, the share of households with a broadband subscription is not measurably different from 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 La Mesa

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with La Mesa
Place	Distance	Average commute	Compared with this place
La Mesa	—	23.8 minutes (±0.9)	—
Lemon Grove	2.6 mi	29.2 minutes (±2.7)	Higher
Casa de Oro-Mount Helix	3.1 mi	26.0 minutes (±1.4)	Higher
Spring Valley	3.8 mi	26.2 minutes (±1.2)	Higher
La Presa	4.1 mi	26.9 minutes (±1.3)	Higher
El Cajon	4.2 mi	24.8 minutes (±0.9)	Not measurably different
Bostonia	5.8 mi	24.9 minutes (±2.0)	Not measurably different
Rancho San Diego	6.0 mi	28.2 minutes (±2.8)	Higher
Santee	6.3 mi	26.7 minutes (±1.3)	Higher

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Lemon Grove, CA (29.2 minutes), Casa de Oro-Mount Helix, CA (26.0 minutes), Spring Valley, CA (26.2 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
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)
46	Del Mar	21.9 minutes (±3.6)
47	Solana Beach	21.0 minutes (±2.2)
48	Camp Pendleton South	19.9 minutes (±2.0)

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 La Mesa

How long is the average commute in La Mesa?

Workers who live in La Mesa, CA take an average of 23.8 minutes each way (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Can you live in La Mesa without a car?

6.1% of households in La Mesa have no vehicle, and 1.3% of workers commute by public transportation.

How many people work from home in La Mesa?

17.8% (±1.7 points) of workers who live in La Mesa worked from home, and 93.5% 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 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 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.