La Mesa, California Housing Market Prices
La Mesa Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 4% below the California median$625,413
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Median rent About the same as the California median$2,043
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | La Mesa | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $625,413 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 0.7% | 8.9% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $2,043 | $2,036 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.7% | 5.8% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in La Mesa is about 4% lower than in California. Rent follows a similar pattern, running close to the California average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in La Mesa, up about 0.7% and 5.7% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
Median rent in La Mesa rose about 60.9% between 2015 and 2024, from $1,269 to $2,043. Over the same span, rent in California rose about 62.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 6.6 yearly household incomes in La Mesa.
Buying the median-priced home in La Mesa costs roughly 25.5 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in La Mesa. The price-to-rent ratio in California is about 26.6.
| Metric | La Mesa | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $625,413 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $95,096 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 6.6 | 6.6 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in La Mesa rose about 450.9%, while median household income rose about 62.4% between 2009 and 2025 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | La Mesa | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 45.6% | 51.7% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 49.9% | 40.8% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 4.5% | 7.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 11.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2015 | 2011 | 2011 |
La Mesa has a homeownership rate of 45.6%, lower than the California average of 51.7%. Its housing vacancy rate is 4.5%, compared with 7.5% in California.
Housing Stock
| Metric | La Mesa | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.40 people | 2.84 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1970 | 1975 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 4.6 | 5.0 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in La Mesa was built around 1970. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 4.6 rooms, staying for about 11.0 years on average.
La Mesa, CA Housing Compared With Nearby Cities
How La Mesa, CA compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Mesa, CA | 61,731 | $625,413 #3/3 | $2,043 #1/3 | 47.7% #2/3 |
| La Presa, CA | 34,750 | $657,064 | $1,848 | 67.4% |
| El Cajon, CA | 97,437 | $749,540 | $1,855 | 40.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in La Mesa, California.
What is the median home price in La Mesa, California?
The median home price in La Mesa, California is $625,413, lower than the California average of $650,794.
What is the average home price in La Mesa, California?
The typical home price in La Mesa, California, reported as the median sale price, is $625,413. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in La Mesa, California?
The median gross rent in La Mesa, California is $2,043 per month, about the same as the California average.
What was the median gross rent in La Mesa in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in La Mesa, California was $1,600 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in La Mesa, California?
The price-to-rent ratio in La Mesa, California is about 25.5, meaning it would take roughly 25.5 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in La Mesa.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in La Mesa, California?
Both home prices and rent are rising in La Mesa, up about 0.7% and 5.7% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in La Mesa, California?
45.6% of households in La Mesa, California own their home, lower than the California average of 51.7%.
What is the vacancy rate in La Mesa, California?
The housing vacancy rate in La Mesa, California is 4.5%, lower than the California average of 7.5%.
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