San Diego, California Income Statistics
San Diego Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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B
San Diego Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | San Diego | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $108,142 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $74,994 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.9% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 21.4% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 22.0% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in San Diego is about 9% higher than in California. Income has been growing faster in San Diego (5.9%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 21% of adults in San Diego earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in San Diego, California grew by 74.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $108,142 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.9% per year.
San Diego has stayed well above the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024 and has never fallen below it. The gap has widened from 21% in 2009, the closest it has been, to 34% in 2024.
Income Distribution in San Diego
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 280,149 households (53.4% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 15.6% of households in San Diego had an income under $35,000 and 34.7% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., San Diego has a larger share of households earning $200,000 or more (22.0% vs 13.2%) and a smaller share earning $50,000 to $74,999 (11.8% vs 15.5%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 22,598 | 4.3% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 12,271 | 2.3% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 22,160 | 4.2% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 24,819 | 4.7% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 37,432 | 7.1% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 62,165 | 11.8% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 63,333 | 12.1% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 98,021 | 18.7% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 66,381 | 12.6% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 115,746 | 22.0% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 524,927 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 248,897 residents (21.4% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 24.7% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 13.3% of San Diego residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 24.4% had some income but less than $25,000, and 30.8% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., San Diego has a larger share of residents earning $100,000 or more (21.4% vs 13.9%) and a smaller share earning $15,000 to $24,999 (8.5% vs 10.5%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 155,216 | 13.3% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 119,424 | 10.3% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 66,214 | 5.7% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 98,813 | 8.5% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 91,270 | 7.8% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 122,511 | 10.5% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 151,786 | 13.0% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 109,783 | 9.4% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 248,897 | 21.4% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 1,163,916 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 13.3% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in San Diego
| Metric | San Diego | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.546 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $85,112 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $73,931 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 13.1% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In San Diego, it is 0.546, lower than California's 0.572, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 15% more than women's income in San Diego, California. Over a 35-year career, a 15% wage gap accumulates to roughly $391,335 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in San Diego, California has narrowed from about 15% to 13% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 17% in 2011, and was narrowest at 13% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,393 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | San Diego | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 21.2% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 21 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 44,738 people are unemployed in San Diego, California.
The average commute time in San Diego is 21 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in San Diego, California has fallen from 8.0% to 5.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.1% in 2013 and fell as low as 5.6% in 2023.
San Diego started 0.7 points below the U.S. unemployment rate in 2011 but had risen above it by 2017, and has not been below it since. In 2024 its rate was 0.5 points higher.
San Diego, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
San Diego, CA is the largest of the 6 cities compared here, 1,376,522 residents against a local median of 57,784. There is no headline here. Every measure below sits within 15% of the median across the nearest cities, which makes San Diego, CA an unremarkable member of its own neighbourhood rather than an outlier in it.
The largest of those small differences is median household income, 14% above the local median at $108,142 against $95,096. San Diego, CA has the 2nd highest median household income of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego, CA | 1,376,522 | $108,142 #2/6 | 5.9%/yr #3/6 | 5.7% #2/6 | 0.546 #5/6 |
| La Mesa, CA | 61,731 | $95,096 | 6.4%/yr | 5.9% | 0.516 |
| Lemon Grove, CA | 28,050 | $89,238 | 5.4%/yr | 5.9% | 0.529 |
| Santee, CA | 58,712 | $114,302 | 5.1%/yr | 4.8% | 0.535 |
| National City, CA | 57,784 | $67,172 | 6.1%/yr | 6.0% | 0.545 |
| La Presa, CA | 34,750 | $96,192 | 5.8%/yr | 7.5% | 0.559 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, San Diego, California has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than California, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in San Diego, California.
How Rich Is San Diego, California?
San Diego has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $108,142, about 9% higher than the California average of $99,161.
How fast is household income rising in San Diego, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in San Diego, California rose 74%, from $62,016 to $108,142. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +74% against +64%.
What was the median household income in San Diego in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in San Diego, California was $104,184, up 6% from $98,597 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in San Diego in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in San Diego, California was $84,037. By 2024 it had risen 29% to $108,142.
What is the Gini coefficient in San Diego, California?
The Gini coefficient in San Diego is 0.546. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in San Diego, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in San Diego, California has narrowed from about 15% to 13% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 17% in 2011, and was narrowest at 13% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,393 since 2009.
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