What is the median household income in San Diego, CA?

Name: Income and affordability in San Diego, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

The median household income in San Diego, CA is $108,077 (±$1,463) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Paying the median gross rent of $2,313 a month would take about $92,500 a year at the common guideline of spending no more than 30% of income on rent.

In San Diego, the median household income went from $79,673 in 2015–2019 to $108,077 in 2020–2024 (+35.7%).

Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Median household income: $108,077 (±$1,463)
Median renter income: $84,349 (±$1,118)
Income to afford median rent: about $92,500

Income in San Diego against San Diego County, its state and the nation

Income, estimate (90% margin of error)
	San Diego	San Diego County	California	United States
Median household income	$108,077 (±$1,463)	$106,268 (±$949)	$99,122 (±$310)	$80,734
Median renter household income	$84,349 (±$1,118)	$78,016 (±$867)	$71,186 (±$298)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$143,319 (±$2,433)	$137,988 (±$1,510)	$127,456 (±$424)	$100,009
Median gross rent	$2,313 (±$18)	$2,246 (±$11)	$2,036 (±$5)	$1,413

In San Diego, median household income is higher than in San Diego County ($106,268).

It is also higher than in California ($99,122).

It is higher than the national figure ($80,734).

In San Diego County, San Diego ranks 28 of 50 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest median household income.

Statewide, it ranks 385 of 1,069.

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

How much you need to earn to rent in San Diego

Many landlords and housing programs use 30% of gross income as the most a household should spend on rent.

At that guideline, the median gross rent of $2,313 a month ($27,756 a year) needs an income of about $92,500 a year.

The median renting household in San Diego earns $84,349 a year, less than that.

This is arithmetic on the published medians, not a rule any landlord must follow; screening criteria vary and some places limit how income may be weighed.

Income against housing costs since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Median household income	$79,673 (±$1,051)	$108,077 (±$1,463)	+35.7%	Up after inflation
Median gross rent	$1,695 (±$10)	$2,313 (±$18)	+36.5%	Up after inflation
Median home value	$602,600 (±$4,036)	$906,700 (±$6,879)	+50.5%	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.

Median household income in places near San Diego

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with San Diego
Place	Distance	Median household income	Compared with this place
San Diego	—	$108,077 (±$1,463)	—
La Mesa	7.3 mi	$95,028 (±$7,968)	Lower
Lemon Grove	8.2 mi	$88,009 (±$6,740)	Lower
Santee	9.1 mi	$113,394 (±$5,920)	Not measurably different
El Cajon	10 mi	$67,511 (±$4,257)	Lower
Casa de Oro-Mount Helix	10 mi	$125,107 (±$7,380)	Higher
La Presa	10 mi	$93,479 (±$8,550)	Lower
National City	11 mi	$66,841 (±$4,798)	Lower
Coronado	11 mi	$134,534 (±$11,789)	Higher

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: La Mesa, CA ($95,028), Lemon Grove, CA ($88,009), El Cajon, CA ($67,511).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Casa de Oro-Mount Helix, CA ($125,107), Coronado, CA ($134,534).

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

Median household income across San Diego County, place by place

Rank	Place	Median household income
22	Santee	$113,394 (±$5,920)
23	Descanso	$110,132 (±$22,789)
24	Crest	$110,000 (±$21,675)
25	San Marcos	$109,377 (±$5,003)
26	Spring Valley	$109,110 (±$7,018)
27	Alpine	$108,660 (±$7,667)
28	San Diego	$108,077 (±$1,463)
29	Chula Vista	$108,032 (±$2,863)
30	Ramona	$107,427 (±$12,469)
31	Rainbow	$104,338 (±$36,879)
32	Winter Gardens	$97,973 (±$9,607)
33	Oceanside	$97,737 (±$4,411)
34	Lakeside	$96,447 (±$12,511)

Showing 13 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.

What you can do on Seayora in San Diego

One account for renting, owning, managing and fixing homes, with these figures beside you.

Own or manage a rental?

List it, sign the lease and collect rent online, with the figures for San Diego beside you.

Create a landlord account · See what landlords get

Looking for a place to rent?

Browse homes for rent near San Diego, save the ones you like and apply online.

Browse rentals · Create a renter account

Do repairs, renovations or maintenance?

Get found by owners and renters near San Diego, and send estimates and invoices from your phone.

Join as a pro · Find a pro

Questions about San Diego

What is the median household income in San Diego?

The median household income in San Diego is $108,077 (±$1,463) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How much do you need to make to afford rent in San Diego?

About $92,500 a year, if rent is to stay at or below 30% of income at the median gross rent of $2,313 a month.

Have incomes in San Diego kept up with inflation?

In San Diego, the median household income went from $79,673 in 2015–2019 to $108,077 in 2020–2024 (+35.7%).

Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.

What do renters earn in San Diego?

The median renting household in San Diego, CA earns $84,349 (±$1,118) a year.

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 San Diego city, California (place:66000, in state:06).

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

The 2015–2019 figures are B19013_001E, B19013_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B25077_001E, B25077_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M

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.