2018 Best Neighborhoods to Live in the San Diego AreaAbout this List

Torrey Hills

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 5

Current Resident: Great place to raise kids. Public Schools elementary through high school are some of the best in the state. Cool ocean breezes, moderate climate. Beautiful Pacific Ocean sunsets. Only downside is that is expensive to live here.
Read 5 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 15,695 Population

Del Mar Mesa

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• A+

• A+

• 20,415 Population

Via de la Valle

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• A+

• A+

• 2,723 Population

Torrey Pines

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 16

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

• A+

• A+

• 13,080 Population

Carmel Valley

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 48

Current Resident: Carmel Valley is a very family oriented community. You constantly see families around the neighborhood and it’s a pretty safe area. You get to know your neighbors well and there are so many restaurants and stores even within walking distance. There are many parks for children and safe Schools within a 10 minute commute. There are many shopping centers around and If you are planning to start a family this would be a good place to start. Everything is family friendly and during holidays there can be many events going on near your shopping center. There are also dance and karate studios around if that is something you or your child may be into!
Read 48 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 53,449 Population

La Jolla

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 75

Current Resident: Can't beat the beach being your backyard, and how contained La Jolla is as a whole. You can find most daily necessities well within the perimeter of the town - yummy dining, tasty coffee, groceries, excellent exercise possibilities - as well as more niche things like tide pools, surfing, dancing, and community centers. You can visit renowned museums as well!
Read 75 Reviews

• A+

• A

• 33,868 Population

Pacific Highlands Ranch

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 3

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 3 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 12,018 Population

Sabre Springs

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 13

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 13 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 14,791 Population

Black Mountain Ranch

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• A+

• A+

• 38,210 Population

Carmel Mountain Ranch

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 12

Current Resident: I have lived in Carmel Mountain Ranch my entire life. The community is very tight-knit, especially during the holidays. For example, Christmas light shows and street festivals are well-known. Also, the CMR plaza has everything regarding shops. There are grocery and clothing easily accessible. These stores also allow for job opportunities for everyone, including teen-friendly jobs. What could be improved, however, is the street lighting and conditions. There are certain roads that are in need of redoing and residential streets that could use more lights for night driving.
Read 12 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 14,690 Population

University City

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 101

Current Resident: I love University city! It is very calm, the people are polite, and it's a good atmosphere. There is a newsletter in our community and events are held to strengthen community bonds. It is a safe neighborhood and people are comfortable with each other.
Read 101 Reviews

• A+

• A

• 61,518 Population

Torrey Highlands

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 13

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 13 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 21,747 Population

Rancho Bernardo

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 81

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 81 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 71,891 Population

Rancho Penasquitos

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 76

Current Resident: Clean, efficient, diverse. Incredible natural beauty set among canyons and hills, centrally location makes it easy to reach the ocean, mountains, wine country or the border. Outstanding schools, huge parks, crime free and perhaps the best weather in San Diego, avoiding both coastal overcast and inland heat.

Neighborhoods within Peñasquitos are uniformly well maintained. Peñasquitos is at the heart of San Diego’s white collar middle class. The politics is fiscally conservative but socially liberal, tolerant, and welcoming.
Read 76 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 60,275 Population

Miramar Ranch North

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 22

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

San Pasqual Valley

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• A+

• A-

• 29,521 Population

Scripps Miramar Ranch

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 38

Niche User: I've been raised in a little suburb about 15 miles from downtown San Diego called Scripps Ranch. I've gone to elementary, middle and high school there. As a result, I've literally grown up with the people I'm so lucky to have in my life and call my friends.

I participated in Girl Scouts through the Silver Award, played several different organized sports; soccer, cheerleading. I've worked locally at the market in our area and one of the community restaurants. Myself and my entire family are members of the swim and tennis club and participate in all the wonderful holiday events put on through them.

I was born and raised in San Diego, lived in Scripps Ranch my entire life until I left for college this past August. I absolutely love it!
Read 38 Reviews

• A+

• A

• 29,110 Population

Old Town

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• A+

• A-

• 2,606 Population

Rancho Encantada

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA

• A+

• A+

• 9,222 Population

Uptown

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 26

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

Pacific Beach

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 59

Current Resident: Pacific Beach is the perfect combination of fun and sun. The beach in Pacific Beach has lots of different activities for locals to be apart of, whether it be playing a game of beach volleyball or attending a yoga session. In addition to the great beach, Pacific Beach has such fun restaurants and boutiques! There are plenty of bars for younger crowds, as well as family restaurants for parents with small children. Although Pacific Beach is primarily inhabited by people in their 20s and 30s, there's something for everyone here!
Read 59 Reviews

• A+

• A-

• 50,174 Population

Mira Mesa

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 145

Former Resident: Mira Mesa is a very convenient place to live; there are grocery stores, a library, a movie theater, many eateries, cafes, high schools, and public parks all within walking distance from most residential areas. There are also many young families that live in this area, so it is very safe and family-friendly. For those who are looking for a delicious craft cocktail, they can drive down to Miramar Road right down the street to visit one of San Diego's famous breweries. Mira Mesa is a great place to live for a person of any age!
Read 145 Reviews

• A

• A

• 86,910 Population

Peninsula

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 50

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

Mission Valley

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 43

Current Resident: True to most shopping districts, Mission Valley is a great place to shop, hang around, and of course purchase property for the ever increasing real estate market in this locatin. There are not many places to venture off for a night out in town but at the same time it is pretty quiet for the most part which is always a good thing. Tons of food and it being essentially the center of San Diego you can travel anywhere in a matter of a couple of minutes. Mission Valley overall is a great place to live.
Read 43 Reviews

• A

• B+

• 31,368 Population

Ocean Beach

• Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
• 36

Current Resident: I moved to San Diego in 2008 and instantly feel in love with Ocean Beach! It has an extremely mild, low-key hippie vibe to it and it always brought a sense of peace. The waves are great for surfing! The dog beach is wonderful to bring your pet and there is plenty of parking during early mornings. They have a great bike trail. They have some of the best diversity in restaurants options! The Wednesday Farmer's Market is the best in San Diego! They have a plethora of food and local artisan/farm vendors. They also have a local organic cooperative grocery store called People's that I frequent often. The neighborhood is warm, friendly and for the most part, safe.
I wish that more folks were respectful of the natural beauty! There are lot of transient folks that hang out under the pier and often bring disturbances with drug use, littering and loitering. Without a sufficient system that provides the necessary recourses for drug users, it will remain an ongoing issue.
Read 36 Reviews

• A

• A-

• 18,601 Population