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Living in
Camp Pendleton South.
About
Life in Camp Pendleton South
Life here is fundamentally shaped by military presence—about 90% of residents are Marine and Navy personnel and their families living in base housing—but that doesn't mean it's all barracks and duty rosters. The trade-off is that housing is almost entirely rental-based; you're looking at a median rent of around $3,092 per month, which reflects the reality of living in San Diego County even on a military income. The population skews very young—median age is 22.3 years—which creates a particular community culture: lots of families with children, strong married-couple households, and a transient quality because service members rotate in and out every few years.
Camp Pendleton South at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
23.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.6%
Foreign-Born
8.7%
Broadband Internet
99.0%
of households
Median household income
Demographics8.7% foreign-born, most often from Philippines
Who lives in Camp Pendleton South: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Camp Pendleton South, the largest foreign-born group is from Philippines (48.5%), and 18.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
35.2%
of residents
65 and Older
0.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
57.9%
anyone under 18
Married Couples
92.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.17
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 52% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Camp Pendleton South
In Camp Pendleton South, rent runs 52% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
86.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
49.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
111.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
0.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2003
median year built
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.9 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Camp Pendleton South and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in San Diego County, which includes Camp Pendleton South, is 0.9 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
Camp Pendleton South: San Diego County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
San Diego County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Camp Pendleton South is less than 1% of San Diego County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA metro area
Commute19.9 min avg
How Camp Pendleton South residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Camp Pendleton South, most residents drive alone to work (70%), and 73% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 10 mi
McClellan-Palomar Airport (CLD)
Regional airport · few flights68k passengers boarded in 2025
- 36 mi
San Diego International Airport (SAN)
Major hub12.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 49% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the San Diego County Sheriff's Office, which covers Camp Pendleton South, runs 49% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
166.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
315.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by San Diego County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 25 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
99.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
San Diego County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In San Diego County, which includes Camp Pendleton South, the most common type is high wind, with 25 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | Heavy Rain | $110,000 |
| 2024 | 56 | High Wind | $30.9M |
| 2023 | 67 | High Wind | $13,000 |
| 2022 | 92 | High Wind | $11,000 |
| 2021 | 93 | High Wind | $4.2M |
| 2020 | 56 | High Wind | $4.5M |
| 2019 | 69 | High Wind | $1.0M |
| 2018 | 42 | High Wind | $680,100 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
149 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
San Diego County, county-wide
Camp Pendleton South is less than 1% of San Diego County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality67 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in San Diego County, which includes Camp Pendleton South, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
67
Good Days
64
per year
Moderate Days
268
per year
Unhealthy Days
7
per year
San Diego County, county-wide
Camp Pendleton South is less than 1% of San Diego County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate69°F summers, 47°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Camp Pendleton South has cool summers (avg high 69°F) and warm winters (avg low 47°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
63°/54°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
69°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
69°/58°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
63°/47°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
10.3"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
1
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
34
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63°F | 47°F | 2.22" |
| Feb | 62°F | 48°F | 2.36" |
| Mar | 62°F | 51°F | 1.41" |
| Apr | 63°F | 53°F | 0.80" |
| May | 65°F | 58°F | 0.28" |
| Jun | 66°F | 61°F | 0.08" |
| Jul | 70°F | 65°F | 0.04" |
| Aug | 71°F | 66°F | 0.02" |
| Sep | 71°F | 64°F | 0.16" |
| Oct | 70°F | 58°F | 0.57" |
| Nov | 67°F | 51°F | 0.76" |
| Dec | 63°F | 47°F | 1.57" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Camp Pendleton South
Uninsured
2.0%
of residents
No hospitals inside Camp Pendleton South's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Tri-city Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.9 mi away · Oceanside
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education23.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Camp Pendleton South
Camp Pendleton South's student/teacher ratio is 23.1:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 26.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
3
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
26.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
23.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Camp Pendleton South (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 10,278 students · in-state tuition $1,158 · 29% graduate · median earnings $49,887 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Cabrillo National Monument, 40 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Camp Pendleton South
Camp Pendleton South has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Cabrillo National Monument (40 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Cabrillo National Monument
National Monument
40 mi awayJuan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
45 mi awaySanta Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
99 mi awayCities Near Camp Pendleton South
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Camp Pendleton South?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Camp Pendleton South FAQ
Is Camp Pendleton South, California affordable?⌄
Camp Pendleton South's median rent is $3,092/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $69,853/year.
Is Camp Pendleton South, California safe?⌄
Camp Pendleton South is policed by the San Diego County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 167 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 315 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Camp Pendleton South, California?⌄
San Diego County, which includes Camp Pendleton South, has an unemployment rate of 4.6%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Camp Pendleton South, California?⌄
The cost of living in Camp Pendleton South is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $3,092/month and median household income is $69,853/year. About 86% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Camp Pendleton South, California?⌄
The average commute in Camp Pendleton South is 20 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from