San Diego, CA Homes For Rent

Homes for Rent in San Diego, CA: What You Need to Know

San Diego, home to 1.4 million people, is California’s second-most populous city behind Los Angeles. It’s the seat of San Diego County, located along the Pacific Ocean and close to the U.S. border with Mexico.

Things to Do in San Diego

About 35 million people visit San Diego each year. Most of them visit Legoland, a 128-acre theme park with more than 60 interactive attractions, and SeaWorld, a 189-acre park featuring rides, shows, and exhibits of marine life. Military veterans and history buffs are drawn to the USS Midway Museum, Veterans Museum and Memorial Center in Balboa Park, San Diego Air and Space Museum, and the Flying Leatherneck Museum.

The Cost of Living in San Diego

San Diego’s perfect weather and 70 miles of gorgeous beaches don’t come cheap. The city’s cost of living is 38.6% higher than the national average. Housing and transportation costs aren’t any better. They are 25.6% and 11.1% higher than the national average, respectively. San Diego’s median gross rent is $1,611; median rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $2,393. California imposes a progressive income tax rate of 1% to 13.3%, one of the highest in the U.S. Its sales tax rate ranges from 7.25% to 10.50%.

Know Your Neighborhoods

There are 4,000 businesses in downtown San Diego. No wonder 37,000 people live downtown, which has seven neighborhoods. If you want to be close to work without living downtown, check out nearby Normal Heights and University Heights. The suburban communities of Chula Vista and Bonita are a short commute to San Diego, and they have great schools. A big percentage of Chula Vista’s residents are renters.

Shopping in the City

Outdoor shopping is tops in sunny San Diego. Fashion Valley, a shopping center with over 200 stores, and Hazard Center, a specialty shopping center with lots of free parking spaces, are both located in Mission Valley. The historic Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego has unique boutiques, as well as national retailers. Otay Ranch Town Center in Chula Vista combines a shopping mall and a town square on an 85-acre spread with courtyards, fountains, and a dog park. 

Schools and Education

The city is home to nationally recognized institutions of higher education such as the University of California San Diego (37,887 students), University of San Diego (9,073 students), and San Diego State University (35,303 students). In all, there are 18 colleges and universities in San Diego and 31 other universities within a 50-mile radius. The city’s 768 public schools serve 504,039 students. The schools boast of a 43% average math proficiency score, higher than the state’s 37% average, and a reading proficiency score of 55% versus the state’s 48% average.