Smart Movers Club

    Moving to San Diego, CA

    Is San Diego a good place to live?

    Watch San Diego

    San Diego ranks #104 of 304 California cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (56/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 0.1% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $848,500
    +8.3% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $2,223
    per month
    Household income
    $104,321
    median
    Unemployment
    5.9%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in San Diego

    The median home value in San Diego is $848,500 and median rent is $2,223 a month, against a median household income of $104,321. Homes cost about 8.1× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    San Diego crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across California the 2025 rate was 435 violent and 1,821 property crimes per 100,000 people — #9 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to San Diego, CA

    San Diego has about 1,385,061 residents, 5.9% unemployment and 29% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare San Diego with

    San Diego vs Los AngelesSan Diego vs San JoseSan Diego vs San FranciscoSan Diego vs FresnoSan Diego vs SacramentoSan Diego vs Long BeachSan Diego vs OaklandSan Diego vs Bakersfield

    More: Where to move in California · Best counties in California

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report