CITY · 2000 CENSUS
La Mesa
California · 54,749 residents · 9.092 sq mi
Time machine
VIEWING
COMPARE TO
Part of the San Diego metro area
The short version
La Mesa has roughly average household income, with a median household income of $41,693. Population has held roughly steady since 1990. Median home value is $192,800.
At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 37.3
US median: 35.2
More educated
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
More affordable
home values down 11%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01
Population & growth
Population, 1990 – 2024
202461K
Age distribution, 2000
Under 55.7%(3,109)
5 to 95.6%(3,086)
10 to 145.4%(2,954)
15 to 195.4%(2,936)
20 to 247.7%(4,207)
25 to 3416.5%(9,060)
35 to 4416.4%(8,955)
45 to 5412.8%(7,023)
55 to 647.5%(4,101)
65 to 747.1%(3,862)
75 to 846.8%(3,707)
85 and over3.2%(1,749)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$41,693
+2%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $31,171 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Section 03
Housing
$192,800
−11%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $163,800 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
RELATED:See current rent listings in La Mesa on RentDataNow
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
1990
White, non-Hispanic90.4%(47,832)
Black2.8%(1,479)
Hispanic / Latino10%(5,271)
Asian2.9%(1,559)
2000
White, non-Hispanic73.7%(40,371)
Black4.7%(2,561)
Hispanic / Latino13.5%(7,402)
Asian4%(2,177)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.
Hispanic origin
Mexican21.1%(12,851)
Puerto Rican1.2%(723)
Central American1.1%(672)
Spaniard0.6%(392)
South American0.6%(370)
Cuban0.4%(252)
Guatemalan0.3%(186)
Argentine0.3%(171)
Dominican0.3%(166)
Costa Rican0.2%(143)
Salvadoran0.2%(140)
Colombian0.1%(81)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Panamanian0.1%(39)
Chilean0.1%(31)
Ecuadorian0%(28)
Nicaraguan0%(27)
Peruvian0%(25)
Venezuelan0%(19)
Honduran0%(2)
Asian origin
Filipino2.3%(1,375)
Chinese1.5%(900)
Vietnamese0.5%(315)
Asian Indian0.4%(221)
Japanese0.3%(186)
Korean0.2%(110)
Cambodian0.2%(96)
Hmong0.1%(83)
Mien0.1%(59)
Taiwanese0.1%(54)
Thai0%(29)
Laotian0%(17)
+ 3 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Native Hawaiian0.3%(205)
Chamorro0.3%(179)
Marshallese0.1%(64)
Samoan0.1%(59)
Fijian0.1%(45)
Ancestry
English11.3%(6,884)
Irish10.9%(6,651)
German9.5%(5,765)
Italian4.9%(2,966)
Scottish3%(1,840)
French2.6%(1,605)
Arab2.4%(1,455)
American2.3%(1,390)
Subsaharan African2%(1,197)
Norwegian1.8%(1,074)
Polish1.3%(781)
Swedish1.2%(754)
+ 46 more ancestry groups with data
Scotch-Irish0.9%(535)
Portuguese0.9%(524)
Greek0.8%(489)
Dutch0.8%(467)
British0.7%(433)
French Canadian0.6%(386)
Russian0.6%(381)
Danish0.6%(356)
Iraqi0.6%(349)
Ukrainian0.6%(341)
Swiss0.5%(288)
Welsh0.4%(271)
Nigerian0.4%(264)
Armenian0.4%(244)
Czech0.4%(239)
Ethiopian0.4%(221)
Egyptian0.3%(203)
West Indian0.3%(188)
Hungarian0.3%(175)
Lebanese0.3%(171)
Iranian0.3%(171)
Canadian0.2%(144)
Turkish0.2%(137)
Kenyan0.2%(131)
Lithuanian0.2%(117)
Brazilian0.2%(105)
Romanian0.2%(101)
Finnish0.2%(97)
Croatian0.2%(95)
Somali0.2%(95)
Haitian0.2%(95)
Bulgarian0.1%(83)
Trinidadian & Tobagonian0.1%(75)
Palestinian0.1%(74)
Austrian0.1%(70)
Belgian0.1%(37)
Moroccan0.1%(31)
Jamaican0%(26)
Ghanaian0%(22)
Jordanian0%(21)
Serbian0%(18)
Australian0%(17)
Syrian0%(13)
Slovene0%(13)
Latvian0%(11)
Guyanese0%(2)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
89.6%
+2.9 ptssince 1990
from 86.7% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
No data for the years selected.
Section 08
People & community
No data for the years selected.
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married34.3%(7,253)
Married50.2%(10,629)
Widowed3.4%(728)
Divorced12%(2,547)
Women 15+
Never married24.6%(5,990)
Married45.9%(11,168)
Widowed13.3%(3,230)
Divorced16.2%(3,927)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Drill deeper
Places similar to La Mesa
Head to head
Compare La Mesa to nearby cities
LA MESA VS
Lemon Grove
Income$88,009+111%
Home value$705,400+266%
Population27,936−53%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LA MESA VS
Casa de Oro-Mount Helix
Income$125,107+200%
Home value$952,400+394%
Population19,765−67%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LA MESA VS
Spring Valley CDP (San Diego County)
Income$109,110+162%
Home value$714,700+271%
Population31,969−47%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LA MESA VS
La Presa
Income$93,479+124%
Home value$629,700+227%
Population34,962−42%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in La Mesa, California?
La Mesa, California has about 54,749 residents according to the 2000 Census.
What is the median household income in La Mesa, California?
The typical household in La Mesa, California earns about $41,693 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is La Mesa, California expensive?
In La Mesa, California, the median home is worth about $192,800, and the typical rent is about $759 a month.
How educated are people in La Mesa, California?
About 27.6% of adults age 25 and over in La Mesa, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in La Mesa, California?
About 9.4% of people in La Mesa, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has La Mesa, California grown since 1990?
Yes, La Mesa, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,818 residents, a change of about 3 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here
Up the hierarchy
CaliforniaDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024