How long do people stay in their homes in La Mesa, CA?

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

27.4% (±2.2 points) of households in La Mesa, CA moved into their current home in 2020 or later (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

15.1% have lived in it since before 2000.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Moved in 2020 or later: 27.4% (±2.2 points)
Since before 2000: 15.1%

When households in La Mesa moved in

Occupied housing units by year the householder moved in, 2020–2024
Moved in	La Mesa	San Diego County	California	United States
2023 or later	5.9% (±1.2 points)	5.0%	4.3%	4.6%
2020 to 2022	21.5% (±1.8 points)	21.8%	19.1%	20.2%
2010 to 2019	44.8% (±2.5 points)	41.7%	41.2%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	12.5% (±1.7 points)	15.2%	17.0%	16.4%
1990 to 1999	7.6% (±1.2 points)	8.6%	9.7%	9.6%
1989 or earlier	7.5% (±1.2 points)	7.7%	8.8%	9.5%

A high share of recent movers usually means more renting households and more turnover; a high share of long-time residents usually means more owners who have stayed.

In La Mesa, the share of households that moved in since 2020 is not measurably different from San Diego County (26.8%).

It is also higher than in California (23.4%).

It is higher than the national figure (24.8%).

Households that moved in since 2020 in places near La Mesa

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with La Mesa
Place	Distance	Households that moved in since 2020	Compared with this place
La Mesa	—	27.4% (±2.2 points)	—
Lemon Grove	2.6 mi	22.8% (±3.9 points)	Lower
Casa de Oro-Mount Helix	3.1 mi	18.3% (±3.8 points)	Lower
Spring Valley	3.8 mi	19.1% (±3.2 points)	Lower
La Presa	4.1 mi	16.8% (±2.8 points)	Lower
El Cajon	4.2 mi	26.1% (±2.1 points)	Not measurably different
Bostonia	5.8 mi	27.1% (±6.7 points)	Not measurably different
Rancho San Diego	6.0 mi	19.7% (±4.3 points)	Lower
Santee	6.3 mi	23.1% (±2.1 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Lemon Grove, CA (22.8%), Casa de Oro-Mount Helix, CA (18.3%), Spring Valley, CA (19.1%).

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

Households that moved in since 2020 across San Diego County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that moved in since 2020
2	Camp Pendleton Mainside	70.7% (±22.1 points)
3	Bonsall	32.6% (±10.2 points)
4	San Diego	30.7% (±0.6 points)
5	Imperial Beach	30.4% (±3.7 points)
6	Coronado	29.1% (±3.4 points)
7	Valley Center	27.5% (±6.4 points)
8	La Mesa	27.4% (±2.2 points)
9	Rancho Santa Fe	27.3% (±13.8 points)
10	Bostonia	27.1% (±6.7 points)
11	Harmony Grove	26.7% (±14.0 points)
12	Oceanside	26.2% (±1.4 points)
13	El Cajon	26.1% (±2.1 points)
14	Vista	25.9% (±2.2 points)

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 often do people move in La Mesa?

27.4% of households in La Mesa, CA moved into their home in 2020 or later (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many long-time residents does La Mesa have?

15.1% of households in La Mesa have lived in their home since 1999 or earlier.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — La Mesa city, California

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.

DP04_0051PE, DP04_0051PM, DP04_0052PE, DP04_0052PM, DP04_0053PE, DP04_0053PM, DP04_0054PE, DP04_0054PM, DP04_0055PE, DP04_0055PM, DP04_0056PE, DP04_0056PM

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.