About
Life in Spring Valley (San Diego County)
If you're considering Spring Valley, you're looking at a solidly middle-to-upper-class San Diego suburb where most households earn over $100k and homes run around $715k. The cost of living is definitely on the higher end, with rents averaging $2,166 a month, so this isn't the place if you're stretching a tight budget. The community is diverse and growing modestly at around 1.8% annually, so it's stable rather than booming.
Spring Valley (San Diego County) at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.5%
Foreign-Born
19.2%
Broadband Internet
93.9%
of households
Population Growth
+1.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics19.2% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Spring Valley (San Diego County): race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Spring Valley (San Diego County), the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (52.3%), and 30.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.1%
of residents
65 and Older
13.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
35.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
14.3%
of households
Married Couples
58.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.22
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 6% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Spring Valley (San Diego County)
In Spring Valley (San Diego County), rent runs 6% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
58.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
111.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,207
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
64.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1977
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.4%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.9 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Spring Valley (San Diego County) and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in San Diego County, which includes Spring Valley (San Diego County), is 0.9 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
Spring Valley (San Diego County): San Diego County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
San Diego County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Spring Valley (San Diego County) is less than 1% of San Diego County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Spring Valley (San Diego County) 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
Commute26.2 min avg
How Spring Valley (San Diego County) residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Spring Valley (San Diego County), most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 60% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 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 Spring Valley (San Diego County), 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 Spring Valley (San Diego County), 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.
209 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
San Diego County, county-wide
Spring Valley (San Diego County) 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 Spring Valley (San Diego County), 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
Spring Valley (San Diego County) is less than 1% 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
Spring Valley (San Diego County) 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
13.6"
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" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Spring Valley (San Diego County)
Uninsured
7.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Spring Valley (San Diego County)'s limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Grossmont Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.9 mi away · La Mesa
Alvarado Parkway Institute Behavioral Health Syste
Psychiatric · 5 mi away · La Mesa
Paradise Valley Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.9 mi away · National City
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.
Education32.5% college degree rate
Schools and degree attainment in Spring Valley (San Diego County)
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
32.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Spring Valley (San Diego County) (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 35,377 students · in-state tuition $9,180 · 83% graduate · median earnings $73,494 (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)
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, 16 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Spring Valley (San Diego County)
Spring Valley (San Diego County) has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Cabrillo National Monument (16 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Cabrillo National Monument
National Monument
16 mi awayJuan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
80 mi awayCities Near Spring Valley (San Diego County)
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Spring Valley (San Diego County)?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Spring Valley (San Diego County) FAQ
Is Spring Valley (San Diego County), California affordable?⌄
Spring Valley (San Diego County)'s median rent is $2,166/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $109,110/year. Median home value is $714,700.
Is Spring Valley (San Diego County), California safe?⌄
Spring Valley (San Diego County) 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 Spring Valley (San Diego County), California?⌄
San Diego County, which includes Spring Valley (San Diego County), has an unemployment rate of 4.6%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Spring Valley (San Diego County), California?⌄
The cost of living in Spring Valley (San Diego County) is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,166/month and median household income is $109,110/year. The median home value is $714,700. About 59% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Spring Valley (San Diego County), California?⌄
The average commute in Spring Valley (San Diego County) is 26 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