Census place 0640004

La Mesa

A Census profile of the people, homes, and daily patterns that shape this place.

Official Census name: La Mesa city

Relocation snapshot

What stands out in La Mesa.

According to the 2025 estimate, La Mesa has a population of 59,914 and 6,590 residents per square mile. Of the six relocation measures evaluated, the three largest relative differences from the median among 376 covered California places are: population density is 6,590/sq mi, above the comparison median of 3,894/sq mi; typical commute is 23.8 minutes, below the comparison median of 28 minutes; and median home value is $812,000, above the comparison median of $717,000. These unweighted medians compare covered Census places and are not statewide estimates.

population density
6,590/sq mi
Above the comparison median of 3,894/sq mi
typical commute
23.8 minutes
Below the comparison median of 28 minutes
median home value
$812,000
Above the comparison median of $717,000

National context

Follow the metrics.

Compare La Mesa's values with other covered Census places. Rankings are descriptive, not recommendations.

At a glance

A city in numbers.

Population
59,914
2025 estimate
Annual change
-0.9%
Population estimate
Density
6,590/sq mi
9.1 sq mi land area
Median age
37.4 years
ACS 5-year estimate

Living here

The everyday equation.

Households, homes, education, and the time it takes to get around.

Median household income
$95,028
Median home value
$812,000
Median gross rent
$2,049
Bachelor’s degree or higher
40.6%
Typical commute
23.8 min
Drive-alone commute
69.9%
Public transit commute
1.3%
Walked to work
2.6%

Housing

Who rents, and what it takes.

Renter share and rent burden help describe the housing choices visible in this place.

Renter-occupied homes
52.3%
Renters paying 30%+ of income
60.8%

Work

How the workday lands.

Employment status and working-from-home share add context to income and commuting patterns.

Employed residents 16+
62.5%
Unemployed residents 16+
4.1%
Working from home
17.8%

Community

The everyday infrastructure.

Access, mobility, housing growth, and household composition add another layer to a place's day-to-day picture.

Households with broadband
93.5%
Homes built 2020+
0.8%
Households without a vehicle
6.1%
Households with children
28%
Residents with a disability
12.3%
Residents without insurance
4.9%

Environmental context

A record of declared events.

FEMA declarations for San Diego County provide historical context, not a forecast or a property-level risk assessment.

Environmental declarations since 2000
33
Fire declarations
24
Flood declarations
5
Severe Storm declarations
2

Climate normals

The long view of weather.

Thirty-year averages, not a forecast. Temperature and precipitation describe the typical conditions recorded from 1991 through 2020.

Representative station: SAN DIEGO MONTGOMERY FLD (8 mi from place center)
Average high
73.5°F
Average low
54.8°F
Annual rainfall
11"
Annual snowfall
0"

Month by month

A year in La Mesa.

Typical high and low °F
40°F60°F80°F100°F
JFMAMJJASOND
Typical precipitation inches

Data vintage

Population is from the 2025 Population Estimates Program. Household, housing, education, and commute data are from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year release. Disaster declarations are from FEMA's OpenFEMA dataset and are refreshed with this edition.

Similar places

More places to consider.

Selected by the closest mix of population, density, median home value, and average annual high.

Davis, CA

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
66,110
Median home
$866,100

Monterey Park, CA

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
57,457
Median home
$863,000

Montebello, CA

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
60,693
Median home
$697,900

Keep exploring

Compare La Mesa with Davis