Pros and Cons of Living in San Diego

The Good and the Bad of San Diego

We’re not going to lie; San Diego is a pretty awesome place to live. But today on Off The 56, we’re talking about the pros and cons of living in San Diego County.

Cons

1.Cost of Living

San Diego is not the cheapest place to live! In fact, it ranks #13 of the most expensive places to live in the Country. The median house price for a single-family home in San Diego is $645,000. Of course, this depends on what part of San Diego you want to live in. The closer to the coast, the higher the home prices get. That being said, you can definitely find a budget-friendly home if you don’t mind living more inland. If you’re thinking of making the move to San Diego, give me a call. I would be happy to help find the right neighborhood and home for you!

2.Sports

If you’re a big sports fan, San Diego might not be the perfect city for you. We only have one major sports team currently, the San Diego Padres. The home of the Padres is located in Downtown San Diego at Petco Park. This beautiful stadium is surrounded by great bars and restaurants and the park is used for many different events year-round.

3.Lack of Seasons

For some this one may be a pro, but for others, the lack of seasons can be a bit boring. Luckily, San Diego is located within driving distance to snow! You can hop in your car and be at  Mammoth Mountain, Big Bear, or Julian to get your season-fix. 

4.History

San Diego is not a very old city, so there is not a ton of history here. The most historical area and museums are located in Balboa Park. Downtown San Diego also has some beautiful historic buildings, but compared to cities on the East Coast, San Diego is a very young and we are still growing!

5.Traffic

Although neighborhoods in San Diego are walkable, the County is fairly spread out. This means that most San Diegans own cars, which means, traffic. San Diego ranks #40 for traffic in the Country, so it is tolerable, but still something to note if you live in a small city now. It is also worth mentioning that our public transportation system is not as built up as other major metropolitan cities. We have a bus system and the Coaster Commuter Rail that goes up and down the coast from Downtown to Oceanside.

Pros

1.Weather

One of the best pros of San Diego is an obvious one, the weather! The weather in San Diego is typically a perfect 75 degrees, just about anywhere in San Diego County. We have about 10 days of rain a year, and it gets chilly in the evenings during the winter, but typically we stay around the low 70s.

2. Schools

San Diego County has some of the best public schools in California! There are 5 San Diego school districts that are ranked in the top 30 in all of California! Click here to learn more about our awesome public schools.

rear view of adorable schoolchildren running to school bus

3. Beaches

This is another obvious one, but we have to mention our beautiful beaches! There is truly a beach for everyone in San Diego and we think that’s pretty cool. One of my favorites is the Torrey Pines State Beach. Whether you like to lay out in the sun or enjoy some water sports we got you covered. San Diego beaches are known to be great for surfing, boogie boarding, skim boarding, kayaking, wind surfing, and more!

4. The Great Outdoors

Because of our awesome weather, San Diegans spend lots of time outside! If you’ve ever visited San Diego you’ll quickly notice how active our community is. There are great hiking and biking trails near the beaches, in the mountains, and even in the surrounding desert areas. The Torrey Pines Hiking Trail is a beautiful trail that is known for its stunning ocean views. There is also the Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve that has 22 sq. miles of trails to explore!

5. Family Friendly City

San Diego is a very family friendly city! There are countless activities to do with your kids all over San Diego County, free and otherwise. Apart from our awesome public parks, we also have SeaWorld San Diego, the world-famous San Diego ZooLegoLand CaliforniaChildren’s Museums in Balboa Park, and so much more.

We hope you liked our Pros and Cons of Living in San Diego. Let us know what you like best about San Diego in the comments below.