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 the workhorse. Vista, Oceanside, Chula Vista, and Escondido combine $2,200 to $2,400 rents with 40 to 45% renter households: deep tenant pools at attainable ownership prices. This is where vacancy days hurt least and screening matters most.
3. Renter-majority cities are management-intensive. El Cajon (56%), National City (65%), and Imperial Beach (69%) are renter cities. High demand, faster turnover, more hands-on management. The fee model matters more here, not less.
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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