© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Poway.
About
Life in Poway
Living in Poway means committing to a prosperous but pricey suburban lifestyle in North County San Diego. The median home price sits around $1,034,800 and median rent at $2,301 monthly, so affordability is a real consideration—this is not an entry-level market. That said, the community is financially stable with a 4.1% unemployment rate and a median household income well above $143,000, drawing established families and professionals.
Poway at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.6%
Foreign-Born
18.0%
Broadband Internet
95.6%
of households
Population Growth
+0.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics18.0% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Poway: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Poway, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (25.2%), and 10.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.5%
of residents
65 and Older
19.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
35.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
15.8%
of households
Married Couples
65.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.93
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 13% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Poway
In Poway, rent runs 13% above the CA average, and home values are 41% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
111.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,843
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
75.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1978
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $1,205,399 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.4 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Poway and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Poway is 1.4 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 Poway 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
Commute25.3 min avg
How Poway residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Poway, most residents drive alone to work (65%), and 58% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 18 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 73% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Poway runs 73% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
88.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
375
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Poway 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 Poway, 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.
219 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
San Diego County, county-wide
Poway is about 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 Poway, 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
Poway is about 1% of San Diego County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate80°F summers, 45°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Poway has warm summers (avg high 80°F) and warm winters (avg low 45°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
70°/52°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
77°/56°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
67°/45°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
15.2"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
21
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
1
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
50
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67°F | 46°F | 2.79" |
| Feb | 67°F | 46°F | 3.44" |
| Mar | 68°F | 49°F | 2.04" |
| Apr | 70°F | 51°F | 1.09" |
| May | 72°F | 55°F | 0.38" |
| Jun | 76°F | 58°F | 0.08" |
| Jul | 82°F | 63°F | 0.10" |
| Aug | 83°F | 64°F | 0.05" |
| Sep | 81°F | 60°F | 0.17" |
| Oct | 78°F | 57°F | 0.66" |
| Nov | 71°F | 50°F | 1.08" |
| Dec | 66°F | 44°F | 2.28" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Poway
Poway has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
3.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Palomar Medical Center Poway
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Aurora San Diego
Psychiatric · 3.2 mi away · San Diego
Palomar Health Downtown Campus
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.1 mi away · Escondido
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13 mi away · San Marcos
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.
Education27.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Poway
Poway's student/teacher ratio is 27.0:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 54.2% 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
54.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
27.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Poway (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
14.6 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 34,948 students · in-state tuition $17,337 · 89% graduate · median earnings $96,197 (10 yrs after entry)
California State University-San Marcos
12.8 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 14,877 students · in-state tuition $8,454 · 68% graduate · median earnings $67,217 (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)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 10,794 students · in-state tuition $13,284 · 46% graduate · median earnings $73,988 (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, 25 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Poway
Poway has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Cabrillo National Monument (25 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Cabrillo National Monument
National Monument
25 mi awayJuan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
62 mi awayJoshua Tree National Park
National Park
93 mi awayPublic Libraries in Poway
Poway Library
13137 Poway Road, Poway
Cities Near Poway
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Poway?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Poway FAQ
Is Poway, California affordable?⌄
Poway's median rent is $2,301/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $148,359/year. Median home value is $1,034,800.
Is Poway, California safe?⌄
Poway's violent crime rate was 89 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 375 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Poway, California?⌄
Poway has an unemployment rate of 4.1%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Poway, California?⌄
The cost of living in Poway is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,301/month and median household income is $148,359/year. The median home value is $1,034,800. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Poway, California?⌄
The average commute in Poway is 25 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