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Living in
Winter Gardens.
Winter Gardens is an unincorporated community in San Diego County, CA. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Winter Gardens
This unincorporated San Diego County community of about 22,000 people sits in a sweet spot for folks who want suburban stability without the constant tourist crowds or downtown intensity. The median household income of $97,973 puts Winter Gardens solidly middle-to-upper-middle class, and with a median home value around $608,600 and rents averaging $1,913 a month, you're paying San Diego County prices but getting more space and a quieter neighborhood feel than you'd find closer to the coast. The job market is stable with unemployment at 4.6%, and while Winter Gardens itself is compact at 4.4 square miles, it's well-positioned for commutes into San Diego proper (averaging about 26 minutes), making it realistic to work in the broader region while keeping your home base mellow.
Winter Gardens at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.3%
Foreign-Born
13.2%
Broadband Internet
95.5%
of households
Population Growth
-6.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics13.2% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Winter Gardens: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Winter Gardens, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (33.8%), and 16.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.8%
of residents
65 and Older
13.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
35.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
21.9%
of households
Married Couples
46.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.83
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% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Winter Gardens
In Winter Gardens, rent runs 6% below the CA average, and home values are 17% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
53.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
111.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,425
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
63.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1977
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.9%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.9 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Winter Gardens and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in San Diego County, which includes Winter Gardens, is 0.9 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
Winter Gardens: San Diego County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
San Diego County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Winter Gardens is less than 1% of San Diego County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Winter Gardens 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
Commute25.9 min avg
How Winter Gardens residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Winter Gardens, most residents drive alone to work (75%), and 60% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 16 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 Winter Gardens, 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 Winter Gardens, 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.
217 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
San Diego County, county-wide
Winter Gardens 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 Winter Gardens, 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
Winter Gardens 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
Winter Gardens 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
11.5"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
57
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
3
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
36
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 Winter Gardens
Uninsured
3.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Winter Gardens's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Grossmont Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.7 mi away · La Mesa
Alvarado Parkway Institute Behavioral Health Syste
Psychiatric · 7.6 mi away · La Mesa
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.8 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.
Education22.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Winter Gardens
Winter Gardens's student/teacher ratio is 22.6:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 25.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
25.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
22.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Winter Gardens (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, 21 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Winter Gardens
Winter Gardens has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Cabrillo National Monument (21 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Cabrillo National Monument
National Monument
21 mi awayJuan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
74 mi awayJoshua Tree National Park
National Park
98 mi awayCities Near Winter Gardens
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Winter Gardens?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Winter Gardens FAQ
Is Winter Gardens, California affordable?⌄
Winter Gardens's median rent is $1,913/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $97,973/year. Median home value is $608,600.
Is Winter Gardens, California safe?⌄
Winter Gardens 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 Winter Gardens, California?⌄
San Diego County, which includes Winter Gardens, has an unemployment rate of 4.6%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Winter Gardens, California?⌄
The cost of living in Winter Gardens is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,913/month and median household income is $97,973/year. The median home value is $608,600. About 53% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Winter Gardens, California?⌄
The average commute in Winter Gardens 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