2023 Best Neighborhoods to Live in the San Diego Area

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 3.5 out of 5  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

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 4,798

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 4.31 out of 5  118 reviews

Current Resident: La Jolla is a great part of San Diego. It is beautiful, has great weather, great beaches, and many different "food and entertainment" options. I love spending time in the area. It is quite and expensive part of the city, however, and the streets can be a little confusing at times if you're not used to the area. It isn't too bad but just make sure you're being a little extra careful if you're new there. Once you get it, though, you'll be able to get around a beautiful city! Most of San Diego's nightlife is going to be in the downtown area, but if you want to watch a gorgeous sunset La Jolla is definitely the place to do it. Overall it's a great place with a lot to offer.... Read 118 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 25,742

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 4,884

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 2,101

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 4.05 out of 5  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

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 5,906

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 4.02 out of 5  106 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 106 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 37,460

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 4.09 out of 5  64 reviews

Current Resident: Carmel Valley is honestly like a perfect little bubble in San Diego. The weather is perfect, schools nearby are top-notch, the area is safe, clean--nothing to complain about!... Read 64 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 10,496

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 4.19 out of 5  16 reviews

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

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 5,291

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 4.14 out of 5  93 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived here for over 25 years. It is quiet, scenic, and neighbors are warm and friendly. Many families walk, run, and bike daily. People take good care of their yards and homes. The canyon is an added benefit, great for hiking and outdoor activities. Very, very safe. Just an excellent area to live in! Also accessible to entertainment, shopping, and dining.... Read 93 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 37,296

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  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

• grade A+

• grade A minus

• Population 30,110

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 4.47 out of 5  19 reviews

Current Resident: Carmel Mountain is the perfect place for families, and it has so many things nearby. There is multiple parks, good schools, and shopping centers all within 10 minutes. Highly recommend to look into these safe and friendly neighborhoods.... Read 19 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 11,363

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 4.2 out of 5  75 reviews

Current Resident: I love living here. There are so many things to do outdoors and lots of great food and shopping. I enjoy living within walking distance to so many different places. This is a beautiful community and a friendly neighborhood. From my location I can walk to Crown Point, Kate Sessions or the beach within 10-15 minuets. Summers are fun but there is nothing like this beach town in the fall and spring, less people (tourist) and great weather!... Read 75 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 36,037

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 4.42 out of 5  19 reviews

Current Resident: Sabre Springs is within walking distance of Chicarita Creek and other trails that expose you to nature. Across the street there's an elementary school with supportive teachers--can't say the kids were as nice though. Nearby there's also a park that's fun for the kids. Sabre Springs has two groups of houses: the multimillion dollar homes (and some condos) on Sabre Hill and the townshome complexes at the bottom. I live at the bottom of the hill where rent is cheap as far as California goes, but still pricey. My area is pretty but there's no noise insulation, and we have more than our share of eccentric neighbors. There's a Lab Corp and General Atomics, for those who are interested in STEM, and also a business park and a small strip mall, which we used to visit every now and then to get gas, with a daycare center. Aside from that you'd have to drive everywhere else, including middle and high school and the grocery store.... Read 19 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 1,881

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 3.5 out of 5  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

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 2,748

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 3.24 out of 5  17 reviews

Current Resident: It is definitely in a very good location with quick freeway access to major highways. There is an elementary school, middle school, and high school all within walking distance. People tend to be friendly and there is a local strip mall that's on the small side. Houses are nice but the whole area is on a major road - Camino Del Sur, where many don't observe speed limits and there is a lot of traffic during school times. Other than that it's a pretty nice place to live. There are lots of hiking trails nearby within the canyons and the bike path is right off the freeway.... Read 17 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 7,608

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 4.23 out of 5  57 reviews

Current Resident: Positives: Central location, lots of trees, tight knit community, many restaurants and shopping options, great wifi speed access, and multiple parks/preserves to enjoy the outdoors. Scripps is split into "old Scripps" and "new Scripps". Each have a very different feel so you get to enjoy two neighborhoods in one. Old Scripps has tons of eucalyptus trees (it smells awesome) and has both a lake and a preserve teeming with wildlife. The shopping centers are old wood, lovingly maintained, but definitely have a small town feel. New Scripps is a developed suburb with multiple housing developments, massive shopping centers that have anything you could possibly desire, with lush common area landscaping that is well kept. Drawbacks: The only issue I have is proximity to MCAS Miramar as helicopter and jet noise can be excessive.... Read 57 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 17,505

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 4.2 out of 5  106 reviews

Current Resident: Very safe, and the people are friendly. The majority of members are older considering that the neighborhood is surrounded by fifty-five and up communities. However, there has been continuous road work for the past three years throughout the neighborhood, which has caused traffic, smells of sulfur, and loud noises.... Read 106 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 17,308

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 3.96 out of 5  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

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 30,543

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 3.96 out of 5  26 reviews

Current Resident: Beautiful houses, quiet neighborhood. South Balboa Park is less than 1/2 mile away. Great neighborhood for walking and getting physically... Read 26 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 9,243

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 2,753

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 4.2 out of 5  61 reviews

Current Resident: I Have lived in Tierrasanta a sufficient amount of time to describes my likes and dislikes about the neighborhood. For starters, anyone looking for a tranquil place to raise a family in... Tierrasanta is an excellent place to go. It provides many local elementary schools, along with 2 middle schools, and 1 High School. It a swell provides many family bonding activities like many parks open to the public , recreational centers for sports ,and/or skill building , and a nearby hiking trail. One thing I would add though, is that it typically gets very hot during the summer yet compared to many other neighborhoods, not as hot.... Read 61 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 30,873

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 4.11 out of 5  47 reviews

Current Resident: Everyone in the neighborhood is extremely nice! The weather is always pleasant, and there is so much to do. From hikes on the cliffs, to local yoga classes, to eats and treats, you will always have something to do. Grab a board and surf some of the waves at the Ocean Beach Pier!... Read 47 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 7,277

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 4.05 out of 5  104 reviews

Current Resident: North Park is a large and covers one of the oldest areas of San Diego. It is adjacent to the northeast side of Balboa Park and affords many residents quick access to this beloved park. Many houses in North Park were built in the early 1900's so some of the streets are lined with lovely bungalows and Spanish style cottages. In some areas, zoning laws have allowed for multiple apartment dwellings on lots where a single family homes once sat. These streets can be congested and difficult to find parking. Recently the mayor and city council carved out bike corridors around San Diego including North Park and at break-neck speed which solved one problem but created new ones with very limited parking on one of the major thoroughfares (30th Street) that has many businesses, pubs and restaurants. These cars are now forced to park in residential areas and this has angered many of my neighbors. It's made it nearly impossible for those with mobility issues to get to places they once enjoyed.... Read 104 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 30,344

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 3.8 out of 5  5 reviews

Current Resident: Living in Mission Beach for over a year has been like waking up in a dream. Every day there is a spectacular sunrise over the bay, and the sunset in the evening is equally dreamy. While rent prices can be steep, it is worth every penny. There is a place to eat for everyone from families to college kids and fresh seafood and tacos for everyone. With miles of bike and running paths it is impossible to be inside on a sunny day. Belmont Park is one highlight of this area, with rollercoaster and carnival rides and the smell of salt water and cotton candy hanging in the air, it is easy to float into a nostalgic summer from childhood's past. Mission Beach is an amazing place to live or visit, but if you visit, it may be tough to leave. As a runner, I have seen the beaches from five in the morning to late at night and I always feel safe and secure, with a consistent police... Read 5 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 2,095

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• •
  Rating 3.88 out of 5  48 reviews

Current Resident: I love the proximity my neighborhood offers. I have 3 groceries to choose from within a mile radius. There's several restaurants to select from and all at different price points. Civita Park is gorgeous and offers such beautiful views of the city. It's centered in San Diego and everything is within a reasonable distance. The beaches are within a 15 minute drive, down town at least 10 minutes away. I would say that although the trolley being across the river is convenient, but just calls in too much homelessness. Unfortunately some of them may be drugged up and doesn't provide much safety around the neighborhood. it feels safe to walk around in the day time, I'd rate that a 9! Come night time, you need to be quite aware, rate that a 6.... Read 48 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 10,419