The Town FilesEscondido, California
City in San Diego County · population 151,038 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $714,500
- Household income
- $91,967
- Jan low / Jul high
- 45° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 36.9
Escondido is a city of 151,038 people in San Diego County, California. The median home is worth $714,500, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 82% of California towns, more vibrant than 80% of California towns, more of a college town than 74% of California towns.
How Escondido ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Escondido is worth $714,500, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 7.8 times the median household income of $91,967, which is more affordable than 30% of California towns. Median rent is $2,046 a month. 53.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Escondido | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $714,500 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,046 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $91,967 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.8× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 53.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Escondido
| People | Escondido | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.2% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 29.0% | — |
| Work from home | 13.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 27.5 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.2% | 93.3% |
Weather in Escondido
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 44.8°F. About 14.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 54 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 2 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Escondido since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on March 27, 1991 about 5.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 11, 2006.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on March 11, 2006.
Severe weather in San Diego County since 1996
San Diego County has been included in 51 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 19, 2024 | Flood | DR-4758: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| October 16, 2020 | Fire | DR-4569: Wildfires |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in San Diego County
San Diego County had 1,536,541 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $82,854 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Escondido itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Public schools in Escondido
39 public schools with 28,017 students, about 19.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange Glen High | 9-12 | 1,871 | 19.3 |
| San Pasqual High | 9-12 | 1,853 | 20.6 |
| Escondido High | 9-12 | 1,771 | 18.1 |
| Classical Academy (charter) | K-8 | 1,570 | 29.1 |
| Heritage K-8 Charter (charter) | K-8 | 1,318 | 22.0 |
| Classical Academy High (charter) | 9-12 | 1,298 | 22.0 |
| Bear Valley Middle | 6-8 | 945 | 17.8 |
| Escondido Charter High (charter) | 9-12 | 936 | 17.7 |
| Mission Middle | 6-8 | 925 | 18.1 |
| Rincon Middle | 6-8 | 810 | 16.2 |
| Hidden Valley Middle | 6-8 | 809 | 18.4 |
| Del Dios Academy of Arts and Sciences | 6-8 | 803 | 18.7 |
Towns near Escondido
- San Marcos, CA5.5 mi · 94,833 people · home $868,000
- Hidden Meadows, CA6.8 mi · 4,484 people · home $851,100
- Valley Center, CA7.7 mi · 10,087 people · home $883,700
- Lake San Marcos, CA7.8 mi · 5,328 people · home $917,000
- Vista, CA10.3 mi · 98,381 people · home $762,400
- Rancho Santa Fe, CA10.3 mi · 3,156 people · home $2,000,001
- Poway, CA10.5 mi · 48,841 people · home $1,034,800
- Fairbanks Ranch, CA11.7 mi · 3,002 people · home $2,000,001
Escondido questions
Is Escondido, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Escondido scores better for retirees than 29% of California towns and quieter than 22%. 14.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.9).
How much does a house cost in Escondido?
The median owner-occupied home in Escondido is valued at $714,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $91,967, so homes cost about 7.8 times income. Median rent is $2,046 a month.
What is the weather like in Escondido?
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 44.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 14.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Escondido get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Escondido since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on March 27, 1991. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)