CensusEasy
METRO AREA · 2000 CENSUS

San Diego Metro

San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA · 1 counties · 2,813,833 residents · 4,210.46 sq mi
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The short version

San Diego is wealthier than most US places, with a median household income of $47,067. Population has held roughly steady since 1990. Median home value is $212,000.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 33.2
US median: 35.2
More educated
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
More affordable
home values down 14%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
2,813,833
+13%since 1990
from 2,498,016 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Population density
668 / sq mi
+13%since 1990
from 593 / sq mi in 1990
US average: 242
Median age
33.2
+7%since 1990
from 31.0 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
2.4M2.7M2.9M3.2M3.4M1990201020202024San Diego
20243.3M
1990201020202024
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$47,067
+2%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $35,022 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$22,926
+41%since 1990
from $16,220 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
12.4%
+1.1 ptssince 1990
from 11.3% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$212,000
−14%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $186,200 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$761
−5%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $611 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
55.4%
+1.6 ptssince 1990
from 53.8% in 1990
44.6% rent
Afford Score
4.5
−15%since 1990
from 5.3 in 1990
1990 – 2024
RELATED:See current rent listings in San Diego on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic75.1%(1,875,517)
Black6.3%(157,495)
Hispanic / Latino20%(498,578)
Asian8%(198,675)
Diversity Score70.7%(1,765,880)
2000
White, non-Hispanic55%(1,548,833)
Black5.5%(154,487)
Hispanic / Latino26.7%(750,965)
Asian8.7%(245,297)
Diversity Score72.7%(2,046,778)
Diversity Score
73
+3%since 1990
from 71 in 1990
1990 – 2024
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
29.5%
+4.2 ptssince 1990
from 25.3% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
82.6%
+0.7 ptssince 1990
from 81.9% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
10.9%
+2.0 ptssince 1990
from 8.8% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
16.7 min
−29%since 1990
from 23.5 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

In this metro

Principal cities

San DiegoCENTRAL1,406,106Chula VistaCENTRAL275,533CarlsbadCENTRAL112,260EncinitasCENTRAL60,736
What's inside

1 component county

San Diego CountyCENTRAL3,282,248
Drill deeper

Metros similar to San Diego

Denver
Pop 3,092,037
Baltimore
Pop 2,857,781
Minneapolis
Pop 3,790,295
Austin
Pop 2,620,945
Places similar to San Diego
Head to head

Compare San Diego side by side

SAN DIEGO VS
Denver
Income$107,207+128%
Home value$598,608+182%
Population3,092,037−6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAN DIEGO VS
Baltimore
Income$103,525+120%
Home value$390,167+84%
Population2,857,781−13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAN DIEGO VS
Minneapolis
Income$100,194+113%
Home value$375,718+77%
Population3,790,295+15%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAN DIEGO VS
Austin
Income$100,512+114%
Home value$473,482+123%
Population2,620,945−20%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?

San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA has about 2,813,833 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?

The typical household in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA earns about $47,067 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA expensive?

In San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA, the median home is worth about $212,000, and the typical rent is about $761 a month.

How educated are people in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?

About 29.5% of adults age 25 and over in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?

About 12.4% of people in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA live below the federal poverty line.

Has San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA grown since 1990?

Yes, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA has grown since 1990. The population has added about 315,817 residents, a change of about 13 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →