San Diego is a major city on the Pacific coast in southern California, and is best known for its beautiful and vast beaches, year-round mild climate and its extensive Mexican border culture. San Diego is one of the most populated cities in the United States, with a population of almost 1.5 million residents. It is located 120 miles south of Los Angeles and is part of the San Diego-Tijuana metropolitan area, which is the largest trans-border agglomeration next to Detroit-Windsor on the Michigan-Canadian border.
San Diego’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean, the Mexican border and its deep port harbor make it an ideal location to employ the U.S. Naval Base, defense activities, shipping, manufacturing, international trade and tourism. San Diego is also home to the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), with the UCSD Medical Center contributing to the rise of biotechnology and research careers.
Millions of annual visitors to San Diego are drawn to attractions such as the San Diego Zoo, Mission San Diego de Alcala, Old Town San Diego Historic State Park, Balboa Park and Belmont Amusement Park. Numerous commercial cruise lines operate out of San Diego, as do whale-watching cruises and the largest sport fishing fleet in southern California.
San Diego’s canyons and hills make the city landscape seem less populous by creating a natural separation between homes and neighborhoods. This separation also makes each neighborhood distinctly its own. The city contains over 100 identified neighborhoods.
While San Diego has a higher housing value and cost of living rate than most areas of the country, they also have one of the highest median income rates to help balance these costs. Locals pay a premium for the Pacific coast lifestyle, the huge list of available amenities and the assorted opportunities for business and career advancement.
Some of the best places in San Diego are Old Town with its exceptionally low crime rate, Columbia with its higher median income and lower home value than the city average, Balboa Park with plenty of green space in its canyons and mesas to the northeast, Mission Valley on the wide San Diego River to the north, and the coastal seaside neighborhood of La Jolla to the north.
If you are planning to relocate, we can help you choose from the best places to live in San Diego to suit your preferences. By selecitng what's most important to you like cost of living, amenities, activities, residential demographics, crime rate and housing costs, you can easily find the perfect place to live.