Market note
San Diego County rent snapshot, late 2026: the numbers owners should know
August 25, 2026 · 4 min read
| City | Median rent | Median home value | Households renting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Del Mar | $3,501 | $2,000,000+ | 47% |
| Coronado | $3,257 | $2,000,000+ | 45% |
| Solana Beach | $3,212 | $2,000,000+ | 32% |
| Encinitas | $2,886 | $1,646,800 | 34% |
| Carlsbad | $2,771 | $1,570,500 | 36% |
| San Marcos | $2,616 | $969,000 | 33% |
| Temecula | $2,575 | $737,700 | 37% |
| San Diego (city) | $2,414 | $980,700 | 54% |
| Oceanside | $2,370 | $820,800 | 40% |
| Chula Vista | $2,338 | $839,000 | 43% |
| Vista | $2,305 | $837,800 | 45% |
| Poway | $2,301 | $1,034,800 | 25% |
| Santee | $2,250 | $727,200 | 28% |
| Escondido | $2,230 | $777,600 | 45% |
| La Mesa | $2,049 | $812,000 | 52% |
| El Cajon | $2,013 | $772,200 | 56% |
| Imperial Beach | $2,011 | $857,000 | 69% |
| Lemon Grove | $1,893 | $705,400 | 48% |
| Ramona | $1,830 | $766,400 | 29% |
| Fallbrook | $1,786 | $784,100 | 42% |
| National City | $1,692 | $612,200 | 65% |
Three things an owner should take from this table
1. The coast pays for patience. Del Mar, Coronado, and Solana Beach clear $3,200 a month at the median, but the buy-in sits above the survey’s $2M reporting cap. If you already own there, your rent ceiling is the county’s highest.
2. The middle of the table is where most owners actually operate. Vista, Oceanside, Chula Vista, and Escondido pair $2,200 to $2,400 rents with 40 to 45% of households renting. That is a deep tenant pool at a buy-in far below the coast, so a vacant week costs you less and good screening pays off more.
3. Some of these cities are renter-majority. El Cajon sits at 56%, National City at 65%, Imperial Beach at 69%. Those markets move fast and turn over faster, which means more work for whoever manages the property, and the fee you pay for that management earns its keep.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (2024 1-year where published, 2024 5-year otherwise). "$2,000,000+" is the survey’s top reporting bracket. The same figures live on each city’s page on this site.
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