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Living in
La Mesa.
About
Life in La Mesa
If you're moving to La Mesa, understand you're trading San Diego's coastal coolness for genuine heat and dryness—summers regularly hit the low 90s, and you're about 10 miles from the ocean's moderating effect. The cost of living is solidly upper-middle: median home values around $812,000 and rent averaging $2,049 per month reflect San Diego County's market, though the median household income of $95,028 suggests many residents manage comfortably. Your commute will likely be 25 minutes on average, and you'll rely on your car despite decent trolley access via the Orange and Green Lines—the city's 9.1 square miles mean you're car-dependent for most daily life.
La Mesa at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
11.5%
Foreign-Born
13.1%
Broadband Internet
93.5%
of households
Population Growth
-2.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics13.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in La Mesa: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In La Mesa, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (25.1%), and 14.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.7%
of residents
65 and Older
15.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
31.8%
of households
Married Couples
40.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.39
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 about average for CA
Rent, home values, and income in La Mesa
In La Mesa, home values are 11% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
58.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
26.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
111.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,339
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
47.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1971
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $881,814 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.1 pts below CA average
Unemployment in La Mesa and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in La Mesa is 1.1 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What La Mesa Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA metro area
Commute23.8 min avg
How La Mesa residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In La Mesa, most residents drive alone to work (70%), and 69% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 10 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 21% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in La Mesa runs 21% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
397.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,357.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
La Mesa Police Department
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 La Mesa, 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.
211 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
San Diego County, county-wide
La Mesa is about 2% 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 La Mesa, 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
La Mesa is about 2% of San Diego County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate85°F summers, 43°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
La Mesa has warm summers (avg high 85°F) and mild winters (avg low 43°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
74°/52°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
85°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
81°/55°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
69°/43°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
12.0"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
57
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
3
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
49
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 69°F | 43°F | 2.32" |
| Feb | 69°F | 44°F | 2.61" |
| Mar | 71°F | 48°F | 1.92" |
| Apr | 75°F | 51°F | 0.75" |
| May | 76°F | 56°F | 0.30" |
| Jun | 81°F | 59°F | 0.06" |
| Jul | 86°F | 63°F | 0.16" |
| Aug | 89°F | 65°F | 0.02" |
| Sep | 87°F | 62°F | 0.11" |
| Oct | 81°F | 56°F | 0.54" |
| Nov | 75°F | 47°F | 1.01" |
| Dec | 69°F | 42°F | 1.83" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in La Mesa
La Mesa has 2 hospitals, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
4.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Grossmont Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Alvarado Parkway Institute Behavioral Health Syste
Psychiatric
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.6 mi away · San Diego
Paradise Valley Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.9 mi away · National City
Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego
Childrens · 7.8 mi away · San Diego
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.
Education23.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in La Mesa
La Mesa's student/teacher ratio is 23.5:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 40.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
13
within city limits
Private Schools
8
within city limits
College Degree Rate
40.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
23.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near La Mesa (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 35,377 students · in-state tuition $9,180 · 83% graduate · median earnings $73,494 (10 yrs after entry)
University of California-San Diego
14.5 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 34,948 students · in-state tuition $17,337 · 89% graduate · median earnings $96,197 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 18,614 students · in-state tuition $1,356 · 31% graduate · median earnings $47,535 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 16,098 students · in-state tuition $1,154 · 23% graduate · median earnings $50,947 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 12,163 students · in-state tuition $1,332 · 28% graduate · median earnings $45,404 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 11,271 students · in-state tuition $1,154 · 22% graduate · median earnings $53,737 (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, 15 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for La Mesa
La Mesa has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Cabrillo National Monument (15 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Cabrillo National Monument
National Monument
15 mi awayJuan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
77 mi awayPublic Libraries in La Mesa
La Mesa Library
8074 Allison Ave., La Mesa
Cities Near La Mesa
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to La Mesa?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
La Mesa FAQ
Is La Mesa, California affordable?⌄
La Mesa's median rent is $2,049/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $95,028/year. Median home value is $812,000.
Is La Mesa, California safe?⌄
La Mesa's violent crime rate was 397 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1358 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in La Mesa, California?⌄
La Mesa has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in La Mesa, California?⌄
The cost of living in La Mesa is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,049/month and median household income is $95,028/year. The median home value is $812,000. About 58% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in La Mesa, California?⌄
The average commute in La Mesa is 24 minutes, which is about 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