2019 Best Neighborhoods to Live in the San Diego AreaAbout this List

Del Mar Mesa

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• A+

• A+

• 20,415 Population

Torrey Hills

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 6 reviews

Current Resident: Best for families with young children. Good public and private school nearby. Weather stays on the cooler side if you like that. I found it to be a little gloomy most of the time. Freeways are close and most of the neighborhoods are not gated. I grew up in San Diego and although Torreyhills is central, I find it is becoming a melting pot.
Read 6 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 15,695 Population

Torrey Pines

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 16 reviews

Niche User: It's gorgeous, laid-back, and everyone's friendly.
Read 16 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 13,080 Population

Via de la Valle

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• A+

• A+

• 2,723 Population

Carmel Valley

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 54 reviews

Current Resident: Currently, I am graduated and leaving for college in August. 2 years ago I moved from Jamul to Carmel Valley. Jamul was very rural whereas Carmel Valley is closer to urban and city life. I attended Westview High School and during my time here I would say that it is a prosperous place, however, consequently people don't seem to be as friendly to others. I never got to know any of our neighbors and rarely saw them. This is one thing I think Carmel Valley needs to work on: Living together as a community. Maybe we could start a community garden where we grow plants for all to enjoy. Whatever it is that we do there should be a more welcoming attitude to this community. Overall, my experience in Carmel Valley was great!
Read 54 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 53,449 Population

Pacific Highlands Ranch

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 4 reviews

Niche User: I live in a very wonderful area and I have access to everything I need. It's a fairly wealthy and very clean area. The only aspect of this area that I do not like is how superficial some people are; there are a lot of plastic surgeons who get lots of business around here and it is a little off-putting how fake people's bodies are and sometimes their personality matches that superficiality.
Read 4 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 12,018 Population

Rancho Bernardo

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 87 reviews

Current Resident: Rancho Bernardo is an amazing community! Some of the main highlights include the Carmel Mountain shopping center (it has a Costco, so...), both small-town and big-chain restaurants, and incredibly kind people. The golf courses are beautiful if you get a chance to play on them, and I love walking my dog everyday in the most friendliest neighborhood ever. I am a student at Rancho Bernardo High School and I am definitely enjoying my stay here.
Read 87 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 71,891 Population

Rancho Penasquitos

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 84 reviews

Current Resident: I've lived in Rancho Penasquitos my whole life, and I'd love to settle down here when I finish college. The Poway Unified School District is one of the best in academics and athletics. I went through Sundance Elementary, Mesa Verde Middle, and Westview High School and all the teachers are amazing and really care about their students. I felt well prepared for college after Westview since it's on the quarter system similar to the UC's. There's also tons to do around PQ as it's in the middle of everything. Mira Mesa and Carmel Mtn are equal distance from PQ, and between those two areas there's always something to do. Torrey Pines and Del Mar Beach are only 15 minutes away. Housing can be pretty expensive here though. If I could change something, I would put in more affordable housing options. A large area of affordable housing just got torn down to build new houses that don't seem so affordable and they only provided limited space for the tenants they threw out in the process :(
Read 84 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 60,275 Population

La Jolla

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 93 reviews

Former Resident: La Jolla is a very pleasant neighbourhood, perhaps the most agreeable I have ever lived in. The ocean is very close and almost all around you. It has an almost tropical feeling, somewhat similar to the West Indies or Caribbean Mexico. The people are mostly nice, but you have to know them a bit first before they start being friendly. Great location and weather all year round!
Read 93 Reviews

• A+

• A

• 33,868 Population

San Pasqual Valley

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• A+

• A-

• 29,521 Population

Sabre Springs

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 15 reviews

Former Resident: First neighborhood I lived in after moving from Minnesota! It is an absolutely beautiful area! There are trees lining a majority of the streets, the neighborhoods are safe and filled with beautiful homes and condominiums. It is in a great location and easy to get to Poway, Rancho Penasquitos, Carmel Mountain area, Rancho Bernardo etc.
Read 15 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 14,791 Population

Black Mountain Ranch

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• A+

• A+

• 38,210 Population

Miramar Ranch North

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 22 reviews

Parent: Scripps Ranch community provides easy access to shopping and a safe environment where you will find many residents taking walks and enjoying the wonderful weather and location.
Read 22 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 19,854 Population

Carmel Mountain Ranch

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 14 reviews

Current Resident: Living in Carmel Mountain Ranch is truly a blessing. Everything you need is close by, ranging from restaurants, stores for clothing, electronics, and general needs, as well as banks and grocery stores. Carmel Mountain is always busy most of the week and there is a community feel to living here. The neighborhoods around Carmel Mountain Ranch are decent and well-kept, and you'll always find something to do while you're in the neighborhood.
Read 14 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 14,690 Population

Torrey Highlands

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 14 reviews

Current Resident: Just your average 'burb. Good schools, right next to Westview High School, lots of families, but kind of far from the real fun in Downtown or even just La Jolla. But very accessible because the 56 Highway is right there.
Read 14 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 21,747 Population

Old Town

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• A+

• A-

• 2,606 Population

University City

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 105 reviews

Current Resident: University City is a "quiet" town. It is small in relativity to all the other neighborhoods in San Diego, which is nice. You get to bump into people you haven't seen in forever at the store or just driving or walking around. Although the neighborhood is right next to the freeway and airbase, so we do get some noise from there, it is still fairly quiet. Everybody here is nice and friendly, making it a great environment to live in!
Read 105 Reviews

• A+

• A

• 61,518 Population

Uptown

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 26 reviews

Niche User: San Diego is an amazing place to live. San Diego has the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, without the big city vibes. The general atmosphere is a laid back and beachy. Balboa Park and the Zoo are both musts. Balboa Park is a beautiful and fun place to walk around with yummy food and cool museums. Overall, San Diego has a lot to offer for all sorts of people, and I absolutely love it.
Read 26 Reviews

• A+

• A-

• 45,299 Population

Scripps Miramar Ranch

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 44 reviews

Current Resident: A lovely, friendly community that is always welcoming of its residents. Always easy to find a family-friendly, seasonal event hosted at one of the plethoras of elementary schools in the area or a concert at Hoyt Park. Miramar Lake is a great location for exercise and overall family fun. Also conveniently located near the I-15 highway.
Read 44 Reviews

• A+

• A

• 29,110 Population

Pacific Beach

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 63 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived in PB for 9 years. I have resided in 3 different areas of PB including North PB, Crown Point, and now right by the 5. My favorite place to love is crown Point with its easy access to the bay and Garnet Ave. Tap Room is the best restaurant on the strip!
Read 63 Reviews

• A+

• A-

• 50,174 Population

Rancho Encantada

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• A

• A+

• 9,222 Population

Mira Mesa

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 156 reviews

Current Resident: Mira Mesa is a fun community that has various festival and community events that keep up with the holidays. There are plenty of schools nearby. San Diego Miramar College has opened up more technical programs, which helps people get into the workforce with the skills needed. There are new stores being built and I'm glad to see more food options. The food scene is improving, but the quality still needs improvement. Traffic can be really congested and the roads need repair and updates. The housing affordability can be difficult to find, I hope to see more developments. Overall, it is a great place to relax and I'm content where I'm currently staying.
Read 156 Reviews

• A

• A

• 86,910 Population

Mission Valley

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 44 reviews

Current Resident: Mission Valley is in the smack middle of everything.

From Qualcomm Stadium (now SDCCU Stadium) to Fashion Valley and Mission Valley Mall, everything is a quick 10-minute drive away.

Very high rated public and private schools are nearby as well, mainly focused in the Allied Gardens area, a quick 5-minute drive away. The area is of course usually very safe, no major violent incidents.

With the SDCCU stadium and the malls and river so close by, the rent can get pretty pricy. There are also a lot of different ethnic backgrounds here, and you can tell just driving through Mission Valley.

The only downside to this beautiful area is the San Diego River. Many homeless people hang out at night, making it a dangerous area to take a stroll. During the few rainy seasons we get, the river occasionally overflows, causing damage to some apartments and many roadblocks along the usual route home.
Read 44 Reviews

• A

• B+

• 31,368 Population

Peninsula

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 50 reviews

Niche User: I did not hear about many major crimes occurring within my immediate area. I frequently saw police roaming the streets, keeping watch on the community.
Read 50 Reviews

• A

• A-

• 44,405 Population

Ocean Beach

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 41 reviews

Current Resident: Ocean Beach is a wonderful and up coming community. It is affordable, which is a HUGE plus considering living by the beach is typically expensive. Being a student and working I cant afford a beach front property but I am fortunate to live only blocks from the ocean itself. I enjoy being able to walk down the street for groceries or grabbing a quick bite to eat. I am very social and appreciate a neighborhood that is extremely friendly and where you run into friends often. There are plenty of places to study with incredible views. It is the perfect definition of a classic small beach town.
Read 41 Reviews

• A

• A-

• 18,601 Population