La Jolla Neighborhood Guide

La Jolla is a seaside neighborhood of San Diego with a population of about 47,000. Many families reside in La Jolla, and the neighborhood is also popular among young professionals in San Diego.

The neighborhood contains a number of educational institutions such as the University of California, Scripps Research Institute, and other upstanding institutions. Younger students in the neighborhood benefit from having access to top-rated elementary, middle, and high schools within the San Diego Unified School District. Additionally, private religious campuses are also available to students.

La Jolla is considered an affluent neighborhood, and home values are commonly among the highest in the nation according to Coldwell Banker surveys. Rent trends also can be expected to rank above national averages.

The neighborhood’s crime and safety ratings are among the best in San Diego, and the neighborhood’s nightlife and arts scenes are also very active. Local beaches, parks, bars, and restaurants are especially prevalent in this part of San Diego.

La Jolla’s population sits around 47,000. 48% of residents are male, and 52% are female.

Roughly 17% of residents have some college education or hold an associate’s degree, and another 34% of residents hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Impressively, 41% of residents have earned a master’s degree or a higher degree.

79% of La Jolla residents are White, and 10% of residents identify as Hispanic. 5% of the population is of Asian descent, and 1% of residents are African American, while 3% are biracial or multiracial.

The median household income is estimated to be $145K. 47% of residents make over $150K annually, while 25% make between $75K-$149K.

As a part of San Diego, La Jolla is conveniently positioned to give students fast access to great public schools, as well as a variety of private campuses and options to pursue a college education.

The San Diego Unified School District, previously titled San Diego City Schools, includes over 200 educational campuses. Specifically, this district includes 113 elementary schools, 24 middle school campuses, 27 high schools, 25 charter schools, and a number of alternative campuses. This district educates around 135,000 students across its many schools.

San Diego USD is a well-rated school system that is one of the most ethnically and socioeconomically diverse districts in California, according to statistics on local campuses. Public schools in this school system are also known for having impressive athletic programming, an emphasis on college preparatory programs, and a wide variety of student clubs and extracurricular activities.

La Jolla itself contains a number of religious and private campuses, and neighboring areas offer additional options.

A reported 72% of housing options in La Jolla are owner-occupied residences, which indicates that 28% of housing options in the neighborhood are rented.

The neighborhood’s vacancy rate is 27%, which tracks above roughly 93% of neighborhoods across the country. This rate is largely due to a large number of La Jolla properties being seasonally occupied, which is understandable considering the neighborhood’s concentration of university housing and vacation homes.

The majority of properties were built between 1940-1969, and residences built between 1970-1999 are the second most common. The bulk of housing options are apartment complexes, with single family detached residences being the second most prevalent property type. Condominiums are also in La Jolla, but aren’t nearly as prevalent as other property types.

To give an idea of size, over half of residences in the neighborhood are properties with 1-2 bedroom layouts. From there, 3-4 bedroom layouts are the second most prevalent, while few properties consist of 5 or more bedrooms.