Signals
Rancho San Diego
El Cajon
Opportunity
61 · Top 40%
vs40 · Bottom 18%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
9 · Bottom 3%
vs9 · Bottom 3%
Housing affordability
43 · Bottom 6%
vs22 · Bottom 1%
Access
57 · Bottom 6%
vs59 · Bottom 6%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 43%
vs47 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | Rancho San Diego | El Cajon | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,272 | 104,449 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $118,682 | $67,511 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $56,548 | $31,254 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,446/sq mi | 7,198/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $905,300 | $681,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,618 | $1,856 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.1% | 41.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.7% | 23.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.1% | 20.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 80°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.0" | 11.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 74 mi | 73 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.1 min | 26.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.2 | 36.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.14 | 22.78 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 72.8% | 70.3% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Rancho San Diego
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
El Cajon
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Rancho San Diego
55
Your Score
—
Area Score
El Cajon
47
Your Score
43
Area Score
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Full profiles: Rancho San Diego, CA · El Cajon, CA · How this is calculated: methodology