The Town FilesLa Mesa, California
City in San Diego County · population 61,121 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $812,000
- Household income
- $95,028
- Jan low / Jul high
- 43° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 37.4
La Mesa is a city of 61,121 people in San Diego County, California. The median home is worth $812,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more vibrant than 95% of California towns, better for young professionals than 90% of California towns, hipper than 90% of California towns.
How La Mesa 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 La Mesa is worth $812,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.5 times the median household income of $95,028, which is more affordable than 21% of California towns. Median rent is $2,049 a month. 47.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | La Mesa | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $812,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,049 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $95,028 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.5× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 47.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in La Mesa
| People | La Mesa | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.4 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.6% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.5% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 9.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 13.1% | — |
| Work from home | 17.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.5% | 93.3% |
Weather in La Mesa
July highs average 86.1°F and January lows 42.5°F. About 11.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 57 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 3 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of La Mesa since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on March 19, 1991 about 4.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 19, 1991.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on February 25, 1958.
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 La Mesa itself the ACS puts it at 6.2%.
Public schools in La Mesa
16 public schools with 12,068 students, about 28.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helix High (charter) | 9-12 | 2,544 | 24.2 |
| Grossmont High | 9-12 | 2,079 | 346.5 |
| La Mesa Arts Academy | 4-8 | 1,057 | 22.5 |
| Parkway Sports and Health Science Academy | 6-8 | 690 | 19.2 |
| Murdock Elementary | K-6 | 617 | 23.7 |
| Avocado Elementary | K-5 | 600 | 27.3 |
| Murray Manor Elementary | K-6 | 568 | 25.8 |
| Vista La Mesa Academy | K-8 | 531 | 24.1 |
| La Mesa Dale Elementary | K-6 | 520 | 27.4 |
| Lemon Avenue Elementary | K-6 | 513 | 27.0 |
| Maryland Avenue Elementary | K-6 | 485 | 23.1 |
| Rolando Elementary | K-6 | 449 | 28.1 |
Towns near La Mesa
- Lemon Grove, CA2.6 mi · 27,627 people · home $705,400
- Casa de Oro-Mount Helix, CA3.1 mi · 19,576 people · home $952,400
- Spring Valley, CA3.8 mi · 30,998 people · home $714,700
- La Presa, CA4.1 mi · 35,033 people · home $629,700
- El Cajon, CA4.2 mi · 106,215 people · home $681,700
- Bostonia, CA5.8 mi · 16,882 people · home $487,600
- Rancho San Diego, CA6.0 mi · 21,858 people · home $905,300
- Santee, CA6.3 mi · 60,037 people · home $727,200
La Mesa questions
Is La Mesa, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, La Mesa scores better for retirees than 37% of California towns and quieter than 9%. 15.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.4).
How much does a house cost in La Mesa?
The median owner-occupied home in La Mesa is valued at $812,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $95,028, so homes cost about 8.5 times income. Median rent is $2,049 a month.
What is the weather like in La Mesa?
July highs average 86.1°F and January lows 42.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does La Mesa get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of La Mesa since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on March 19, 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)