What percentage of people rent in National City, CA?

Name: Renters and owners in National City, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

65.3% (±2.7 points) of the occupied homes in National City, CA are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 11,887 renting households against 6,330 that own their home.

In National City, the share of households that rent went from 64.6% in 2015–2019 to 65.3% in 2020–2024 (+0.7 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 65.3% (±2.7 points)
Renting households: 11,887 (±727)
Median renter income: $55,538 (±$5,602)

Who rents and who owns in National City

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	National City	San Diego County	California	United States
Renter-occupied share	65.3% (±2.7 points)	45.4% (±0.3 points)	44.1% (±0.2 points)	34.8%
Renting households	11,887 (±727)	532,140 (±3,919)	5,980,523 (±22,985)	45,017,354
Owning households	6,330 (±467)	639,138 (±4,528)	7,567,568 (±37,334)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	2.7 (±0.1)	2.6 (±0.0)	2.7 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	3.5 (±0.2)	2.8 (±0.0)	3.0 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$55,538 (±$5,602)	$78,016 (±$867)	$71,186 (±$298)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$87,654 (±$8,501)	$137,988 (±$1,510)	$127,456 (±$424)	$100,009

In National City, the renter share is higher than in San Diego County (45.4%).

It is also higher than in California (44.1%).

It is higher than the national figure (34.8%).

In San Diego County, National City ranks 4 of 50 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 45 of 1,076.

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

How renting in National City has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	64.6% (±1.9 points)	65.3% (±2.7 points)	+0.7 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Median gross rent	$1,163 (±$24)	$1,692 (±$46)	+45.5%	Up after inflation
Median household income	$47,119 (±$2,903)	$66,841 (±$4,798)	+41.9%	Up after inflation

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.

Households that rent in places near National City

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with National City
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
National City	—	65.3% (±2.7 points)	—
Coronado	3.5 mi	45.4% (±3.6 points)	Lower
Bonita	5.3 mi	24.0% (±6.5 points)	Lower
Chula Vista	5.5 mi	40.2% (±1.2 points)	Lower
Lemon Grove	5.9 mi	47.5% (±4.2 points)	Lower
La Presa	6.3 mi	33.0% (±3.0 points)	Lower
Imperial Beach	6.8 mi	68.7% (±3.6 points)	Not measurably different
Spring Valley	8.3 mi	35.7% (±4.0 points)	Lower
La Mesa	8.4 mi	52.3% (±2.3 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Coronado, CA (45.4%), Bonita, CA (24.0%), Chula Vista, CA (40.2%).

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

Households that rent across San Diego County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
1	Camp Pendleton Mainside	100.0% (±3.8 points)
2	Camp Pendleton South	99.1% (±1.5 points)
3	Imperial Beach	68.7% (±3.6 points)
4	National City	65.3% (±2.7 points)
5	El Cajon	58.5% (±1.9 points)
6	Bostonia	57.7% (±4.9 points)
7	San Diego	52.7% (±0.5 points)
8	La Mesa	52.3% (±2.3 points)
9	Vista	48.3% (±1.9 points)
10	Lemon Grove	47.5% (±4.2 points)

Showing 10 of 50 places in San Diego County, ranked from highest to lowest.

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 National City

How many renters are there in National City?

National City has an estimated 11,887 (±727) renting households, 65.3% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Is renting growing in National City?

In National City, the share of households that rent went from 64.6% in 2015–2019 to 65.3% in 2020–2024 (+0.7 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How big are renting households in National City?

A renting household in National City has 2.7 people on average, against 3.5 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in National City?

The median renting household in National City, CA has an income of $55,538 (±$5,602) a year, against $87,654 for households that own their home.

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) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for National City city, California (place:50398, in state:06).

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

The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M

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.