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Camp Pendleton South.

All Camp Pendleton South data Compare Camp Pendleton South

15,766people live here $69,853median household income▼ 13% below US $3,092median rent per month▲ 119% above US

Camp Pendleton South is part of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. These figures cover the people who live on base, mostly young service members and their families, so it isn’t ranked against other cities. Most people stationed here live off base, in Oceanside.

What it's like to live in Camp Pendleton South

Camp Pendleton South is an unincorporated community in California with commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.

The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Camp Pendleton South deals with rent well above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, larger class sizes than the national average, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.

The good

Short commutes

The not so good

Rent well above the national average
Air quality concerns
High student-teacher ratio
High rent burden for renters
Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
Car-dependent — few commuters use transit

How Camp Pendleton South compares

Median household income

Camp Pendleton South$69,853

California avg$99,122

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

Camp Pendleton South$3,092

California avg$2,036

US$1,413

What it takes to move to Camp Pendleton South

Based on Camp Pendleton South's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$6,184

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

Income to keep rent under 30%: $123,680 a year
86% of Camp Pendleton South renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of living▲ 119% above US

$3,092/mo median rent

Rent is expensive here, at $3,092 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move.

86% of renters cost-burdened

Job market

4.6% county unemployment

Unemployment in San Diego County is 4.6%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.

San Diego County (county-wide)

Safety

167 violent crimes per 100k, whole jurisdiction

Camp Pendleton South doesn't have its own police department, so there's no crime rate for it alone. The figures shown are for the San Diego County Sheriff's Office jurisdiction as a whole, which runs below the national average for violent crime and covers many communities. Individual neighborhoods can differ a lot from that overall rate.

Property crime 315/100k · Policed by San Diego County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate) · 2025 data

Getting around▼ 23% below US

20 min average commute

Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.9 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

70%

Carpool

11%

Work from home

9.0%

Walk

7.6%

Other

2.4%

Public transit

0.2%

Climate

Summers are comfortable, with highs around 69°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 47°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Education & workforce▼ 27% below US

26% bachelor's degree or higher

College degree attainment runs below average at 26%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.

Schools

3 public schools inside the boundary

There are 3 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23:1, above the national average of 16:1.

Parks & recreation

The nearest national park or historic site is Cabrillo National Monument (40 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

Camp Pendleton South's strongest point is commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($3,092/mo) equals 53% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and anyone who doesn't drive.

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