San Diego

About San Diego

San Diego ( SAN dee-AY-goh; Spanish: [san ˈdjeɣo]) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, next to the Mexican border. It is the eighth-most populous city in the U.S. and second-most populous city in California with a population of over 1.4 million, while the San Diego area with over 3.3 million residents is the 18th-largest metropolitan area in the country. San Diego is the county seat of San Diego County. It is known for its mild Mediterranean climate, extensive beaches and parks, long association with the United States Navy, and recent emergence as a wireless, electronics, healthcare, and biotechnology development center.

Historically home to the Kumeyaay people, San Diego has been referred to as the Birthplace of California, as it was the first site visited and settled by Europeans on what is now the West Coast of the United States. In 1542, Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo claimed the area for Spain, forming the basis for the settlement of Alta California, 200 years later. The Presidio and Mission San Diego de Alcalá, founded in 1769, formed the first European settlement in what is now California. In 1821, San Diego became part of the newly declared Mexican Empire. California was ceded to the U.S. in 1848 following the Mexican–American War and was admitted as the 31st state in 1850.

The largest sectors of the economy of San Diego include military and defense-related activities, tourism, international trade, research, and manufacturing. The city is home to several universities, including UC San Diego, San Diego State University, and the University of San Diego. San Diego is the economic center of the San Diego–Tijuana region, the second-most populous transborder metropolitan area in the Western Hemisphere, home to an estimated five million people as of 2022. The primary border crossing between San Diego and Tijuana, the San Ysidro Port of Entry, is the busiest international land border crossing in the world outside of Asia (fourth-busiest overall). San Diego International Airport (SAN) is the busiest single-runway airport in the United States.

Text: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

San Diego weather: 7-day forecast

Source: National Weather Service (NOAA).

Live webcams in San Diego

Webcams: Windy.com · Traffic cameras: Caltrans

Living in San Diego

Median household income

$108,077

Median home value

$906,700

Median rent

$2,313/mo

Median age

36.2

Map of San Diego

Tap any street on the map to see it in Street View below. Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors.

San Diego Street View

Drag the image to look around and tap the arrows on the ground to move. If it says there is no imagery, tap a nearby street on the map above.

San Diego, CA population

San Diego had 1,386,932 residents in the 2020 Census.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Decennial Census.

San Diego at a glance

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Gazetteer, ZCTA), USGS GNIS, Wikidata.

Towns near San Diego

• La Mesa7.3 mi SE
• Santee8.0 mi E
• Lemon Grove8.4 mi SE
• El Cajon9.5 mi E
• Casa de Oro-Mount Helix10.0 mi SE
• Bostonia10.4 mi E
• La Presa10.6 mi SE
• Eucalyptus Hills10.8 mi E
• Spring Valley10.9 mi SE
• Winter Gardens11.3 mi E
• National City11.5 mi S
• Fairbanks Ranch11.8 mi N

Straight-line distance between town centers.

Frequently asked questions about San Diego