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10 events to enjoy Memorial Day weekend in San Diego

Catch a concert, comedy show, pups at Petco Park, zoo at night and military tributes.

Things to Do

It&#x27;s Memorial Day weekend, and if you don&#x27;t want to spend every day at the beach, here&#x27;s what&#x27;s happening around San Diego.🐅 Explore the zoo at night, when it has live music, acrobats, dancers, and other entertainment with nocturnal wildlife.<ul><li>This is the final summer for this nighttime experience, which runs Friday through Aug. 9.</li></ul>

San Diego mosque shooting victims praised for "heroic" actions

The 3 community members are being remembered for protecting children and others.

Politics & Policy

The three victims in <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Monday&#x27;s shooting" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/05/18/shooting-san-diego-islamic-center" data-vars-content-id="83203d6a-8309-4dcd-9b8e-91bb216300bc" data-vars-headline="San Diego mosque shooting victims praised for &quot;heroic&quot; actions" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/05/18/shooting-san-diego-islamic-center" target="_self">Monday&#x27;s shooting</a> at the Islamic Center of San Diego were all beloved members of the Muslim community and acted heroically to save other lives, according to community leaders and San Diego police.Security guard Amin Abdullah, as well as community members Mansour Kaziha and Nader Awad, were shot outside <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the center&#x27;s" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/05/18/san-diego-islamic-center-shooting-mosque-threats" data-vars-content-id="83203d6a-8309-4dcd-9b8e-91bb216300bc" data-vars-headline="San Diego mosque shooting victims praised for &quot;heroic&quot; actions" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/05/18/san-diego-islamic-center-shooting-mosque-threats" target="_self">the center&#x27;s</a> entrance and are being lauded for preventing violence from reaching children attending school inside.

Why e-bikes are becoming a pediatric trauma crisis

The ER is seeing more kids with spine and skull fractures and brain bleeds from e-bike crashes.

News

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="E-bikes" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/05/06/san-diego-ebike-crashes-rise-kids-injuries-speed-safety-rules" data-vars-content-id="57925dd1-dbda-47d9-a28d-01c01cd6622e" data-vars-headline="Why e-bikes are becoming a pediatric trauma crisis" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/05/06/san-diego-ebike-crashes-rise-kids-injuries-speed-safety-rules" target="_self">E-bikes</a> are on track to become the most common cause of child trauma cases at Rady Children&#x27;s Hospital this year, trauma medical director Romeo Ignacio told Axios.Why it matters: As e-bikes have become a popular ride for San Diego kids in recent years, crashes, injuries and ER visits have also spiked.

From prison to USD master's graduate

Shawn Khalifa was released in 2020 after a law change. Now he's earning a USD degree.

Education

When Shawn Khalifa steps onto the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="graduation stage" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/02/20/college-grad-population-grows-san-diego" data-vars-content-id="850a1ee7-905a-46d5-9c4f-afb1db0e201b" data-vars-headline="From prison to USD master&#x27;s graduate" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/02/20/college-grad-population-grows-san-diego" target="_self">graduation stage</a> at the University of San Diego this weekend, he&#x27;ll be continuing a path he never thought possible a few years ago.The big picture: Khalifa went to prison at <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="age 15" data-vars-click-url="https://www.kpbs.org/news/midday-edition/2019/08/09/mother-rides-rollercoaster-hope-while-her-son-sits" data-vars-content-id="850a1ee7-905a-46d5-9c4f-afb1db0e201b" data-vars-headline="From prison to USD master&#x27;s graduate" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.kpbs.org/news/midday-edition/2019/08/09/mother-rides-rollercoaster-hope-while-her-son-sits" target="_blank">age 15</a> after being convicted under a since-changed California felony murder law, and he was <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="released in 2020" data-vars-click-url="https://www.kpbs.org/news/evening-edition/2020/02/26/after-16-years-prison-californias-felony-murder-la" data-vars-content-id="850a1ee7-905a-46d5-9c4f-afb1db0e201b" data-vars-headline="From prison to USD master&#x27;s graduate" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.kpbs.org/news/evening-edition/2020/02/26/after-16-years-prison-californias-felony-murder-la" target="_blank">released in 2020</a> at age 31.

1 in 4 San Diego County homes don't have AC

Air-conditioning can feel like a much-needed luxury here with heat waves and high electricity costs.

About a quarter of San Diego County homes don&#x27;t have air-conditioning, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new census data" data-vars-click-url="https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026/2023-lace.html" data-vars-content-id="8d4746be-371d-4e4f-bfb6-6ea94519af58" data-vars-headline="1 in 4 San Diego County homes don&#x27;t have AC" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026/2023-lace.html" target="_blank">new census data</a> shows. Why it matters: AC can feel like a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="much-needed" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2025/08/06/most-san-diego-students-in-extreme-urban-heat-zones" data-vars-content-id="8d4746be-371d-4e4f-bfb6-6ea94519af58" data-vars-headline="1 in 4 San Diego County homes don&#x27;t have AC" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2025/08/06/most-san-diego-students-in-extreme-urban-heat-zones" target="_self">much-needed</a> luxury here, with <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="rising electricity costs" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/04/23/electric-bills-rise-50-percent-5-years-analysis" data-vars-content-id="8d4746be-371d-4e4f-bfb6-6ea94519af58" data-vars-headline="1 in 4 San Diego County homes don&#x27;t have AC" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/04/23/electric-bills-rise-50-percent-5-years-analysis" target="_self">rising electricity costs</a> and record-setting <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="heat waves" data-vars-click-url="https://www.kpbs.org/news/quality-of-life/2026/03/13/record-setting-heat-wave-grips-sd-county-socal" data-vars-content-id="8d4746be-371d-4e4f-bfb6-6ea94519af58" data-vars-headline="1 in 4 San Diego County homes don&#x27;t have AC" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.kpbs.org/news/quality-of-life/2026/03/13/record-setting-heat-wave-grips-sd-county-socal" target="_blank">heat waves</a> in the winter.The big picture: Nationally, just 6.9% of U.S. households lacked AC in 2023.<ul><li>It was most uncommon in San Francisco, where 65% of homes lacked AC. </li><li>And Los Angeles County had the highest overall number of homes without AC at nearly 702,000.</li></ul>Between the lines: AC is part cultural and part economic.<ul><li>Some places don&#x27;t get hot often enough to warrant AC installations, which could be an argument for San Diego&#x27;s coastal neighborhoods.</li><li>In other places, pumping cool air through the house is too costly because of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="high energy rates" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/04/23/electric-bills-rise-50-percent-5-years-analysis" data-vars-content-id="8d4746be-371d-4e4f-bfb6-6ea94519af58" data-vars-headline="1 in 4 San Diego County homes don&#x27;t have AC" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/04/23/electric-bills-rise-50-percent-5-years-analysis" target="_self">high energy rates</a>. </li></ul>What&#x27;s next: As climate change makes heat waves more common and more intense, more people may install AC to stay cool and healthy.

You need to make $50 an hour to afford rent in San Diego

A new report shows the county's $2,606 average rent is out of reach for many workers.

Real Estate

Local households need to earn about $50 per hour to afford the average monthly asking rent of $2,606 in San Diego County, according to a new housing report.The big picture: San Diego is the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="12th-priciest rental market" data-vars-click-url="https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/05/13/san-diego-no-longer-among-the-most-expensive-rental-markets-its-not-even-in-the-top-10/" data-vars-content-id="096558bd-dc11-4b1d-bb28-8ce1d3c366e5" data-vars-headline="You need to make $50 an hour to afford rent in San Diego" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/05/13/san-diego-no-longer-among-the-most-expensive-rental-markets-its-not-even-in-the-top-10/" target="_blank">12th-priciest rental market</a> in the U.S., and while <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="renting is cheaper than homeownership" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/02/05/renting-cheaper-than-owning-san-diego-home" data-vars-content-id="096558bd-dc11-4b1d-bb28-8ce1d3c366e5" data-vars-headline="You need to make $50 an hour to afford rent in San Diego" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/02/05/renting-cheaper-than-owning-san-diego-home" target="_self">renting is cheaper than homeownership</a>, it&#x27;s unaffordable for many.

What San Diego homeowners do for a living

Even high earners struggle as prices make buying a home challenging.

Business professionals and STEM workers are most likely to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="own homes" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/01/19/affordable-homes-metro-income" data-vars-content-id="eec25da1-7d1f-4d4f-afc2-0ace37039a7e" data-vars-headline="What San Diego homeowners do for a living" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/01/19/affordable-homes-metro-income" target="_self">own homes</a> in San Diego, according to a recent real estate analysis.The big picture: The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="occupations" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/17/ai-job-risk-tool-betting-odds-predictions" data-vars-content-id="eec25da1-7d1f-4d4f-afc2-0ace37039a7e" data-vars-headline="What San Diego homeowners do for a living" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/17/ai-job-risk-tool-betting-odds-predictions" target="_self">occupations</a> with the highest homeownership rates haven&#x27;t changed much in the past decade, but a few saw notable shifts.

HOA fees keep rising in San Diego

Monthly dues climbed to $367 last year, adding to costs that already make renting cheaper here.

More <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="San Diego homes" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/02/02/saving-down-payment-san-diego-home-takes-30-years" data-vars-content-id="e28dff32-84e5-4b75-bd60-b33987b2ac19" data-vars-headline="HOA fees keep rising in San Diego" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/02/02/saving-down-payment-san-diego-home-takes-30-years" target="_self">San Diego homes</a> for sale last year came with <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="homeowners association" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/09/29/condo-hoa-fee-state" data-vars-content-id="e28dff32-84e5-4b75-bd60-b33987b2ac19" data-vars-headline="HOA fees keep rising in San Diego" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/09/29/condo-hoa-fee-state" target="_self">homeowners association</a> fees, and those dues continued to climb, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Realtor.com" data-vars-click-url="https://www.realtor.com/research/homeowners-associations-2025" data-vars-content-id="e28dff32-84e5-4b75-bd60-b33987b2ac19" data-vars-headline="HOA fees keep rising in San Diego" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.realtor.com/research/homeowners-associations-2025" target="_blank">Realtor.com</a> data shows.Why it matters: Rising HOA fees add to the already <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="high cost" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/07/23/hidden-costs-homeowners-california-property-taxes-insurance-2025" data-vars-content-id="e28dff32-84e5-4b75-bd60-b33987b2ac19" data-vars-headline="HOA fees keep rising in San Diego" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/07/23/hidden-costs-homeowners-california-property-taxes-insurance-2025" target="_self">high cost</a> of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="homeownership" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/01/22/median-earners-priced-out-san-diego-real-estate-market-homes" data-vars-content-id="e28dff32-84e5-4b75-bd60-b33987b2ac19" data-vars-headline="HOA fees keep rising in San Diego" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/01/22/median-earners-priced-out-san-diego-real-estate-market-homes" target="_self">homeownership</a> here that makes <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="renting cheaper than owning" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/02/05/renting-cheaper-than-owning-san-diego-home" data-vars-content-id="e28dff32-84e5-4b75-bd60-b33987b2ac19" data-vars-headline="HOA fees keep rising in San Diego" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/02/05/renting-cheaper-than-owning-san-diego-home" target="_self">renting cheaper than owning</a>.

Smart ways to add an office at home

Designers share tips for adding workspaces to living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms.

San Diego&#x27;s smaller homes plus continued <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="hybrid or remote work" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2024/01/17/office-vacancies-increase-sd" data-vars-content-id="c88bf8e7-f80b-437f-95df-2afe0ea834cf" data-vars-headline="Smart ways to add an office at home" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2024/01/17/office-vacancies-increase-sd" target="_self">hybrid or remote work</a> equals figuring out how to fit an office into another room.The big picture: Jen Pinto, design department head at Jackson Design &amp; Remodeling, told Axios many clients ask how to fit an office space into the living room, guest bedroom, or sometimes a corner in the kitchen.

How San Diegans are redesigning smaller homes

Millennial gray fades while marble and warm tones make a comeback.

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Home design trends" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/12/27/trending-home-design-feature-2026" data-vars-content-id="e55db069-f646-4842-afbe-cbafc2aae1af" data-vars-headline="How San Diegans are redesigning smaller homes" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/12/27/trending-home-design-feature-2026" target="_self">Home design trends</a> like open floor plans, color drenching and &quot;millennial gray&quot; are on their way out and are being replaced by separate dining rooms, earthy tones and marble, local designers told Axios.The big picture: The average <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="San Diego home" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/01/22/median-earners-priced-out-san-diego-real-estate-market-homes" data-vars-content-id="e55db069-f646-4842-afbe-cbafc2aae1af" data-vars-headline="How San Diegans are redesigning smaller homes" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/01/22/median-earners-priced-out-san-diego-real-estate-market-homes" target="_self">San Diego home</a> is 1,500 square feet, according to a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="StorageCafe report" data-vars-click-url="https://www.storagecafe.com/blog/lot-size-home-size-in-top-20-biggest-us-cities/" data-vars-content-id="e55db069-f646-4842-afbe-cbafc2aae1af" data-vars-headline="How San Diegans are redesigning smaller homes" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.storagecafe.com/blog/lot-size-home-size-in-top-20-biggest-us-cities/" target="_blank">StorageCafe report</a>, and residents have to get creative to design around sometimes odd layouts and tract houses built in the 1950s.

Most San Diego homebuyers are getting discounts

Nearly 60% of local homebuyers paid less than the listing price last year, per Redfin.

The average discount for <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="San Diego homes" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/real-estate" data-vars-content-id="c9639baa-4138-4fe7-afde-570f5c0aedcd" data-vars-headline="Most San Diego homebuyers are getting discounts" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/real-estate" target="_self">San Diego homes</a> that sold below their original asking price last year was 6%, according to a Redfin <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="report" data-vars-click-url="https://www.redfin.com/news/homebuyer-discounts-below-list-price-2025/" data-vars-content-id="c9639baa-4138-4fe7-afde-570f5c0aedcd" data-vars-headline="Most San Diego homebuyers are getting discounts" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.redfin.com/news/homebuyer-discounts-below-list-price-2025/" target="_blank">report</a>.<ul><li>That&#x27;s $55,500 on a median-priced home.</li></ul>Why it matters: Still-high <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="mortgage rates" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/01/22/san-diego-housing-market-mortgage-rate-buyer-demand" data-vars-content-id="c9639baa-4138-4fe7-afde-570f5c0aedcd" data-vars-headline="Most San Diego homebuyers are getting discounts" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/01/22/san-diego-housing-market-mortgage-rate-buyer-demand" target="_self">mortgage rates</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="home prices" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/02/02/saving-down-payment-san-diego-home-takes-30-years" data-vars-content-id="c9639baa-4138-4fe7-afde-570f5c0aedcd" data-vars-headline="Most San Diego homebuyers are getting discounts" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/02/02/saving-down-payment-san-diego-home-takes-30-years" target="_self">home prices</a> have sidelined many shoppers. But those who remain in the market are <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="scoring big deals" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2025/05/21/san-diego-home-sellers-concessions-buyers" data-vars-content-id="c9639baa-4138-4fe7-afde-570f5c0aedcd" data-vars-headline="Most San Diego homebuyers are getting discounts" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2025/05/21/san-diego-home-sellers-concessions-buyers" target="_self">scoring big deals</a>.

Renting is 40% cheaper than owning a San Diego home

The monthly costs to rent vs. own are lower in every major U.S. metro.

Renting is cheaper than <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="owning a home" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/01/22/median-earners-priced-out-san-diego-real-estate-market-homes" data-vars-content-id="b48b0fa6-4f8a-47e2-8375-a79fe3ca35fb" data-vars-headline="Renting is 40% cheaper than owning a San Diego home" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/01/22/median-earners-priced-out-san-diego-real-estate-market-homes" target="_self">owning a home</a> in San Diego and the 99 other largest U.S. metro areas, according to a LendingTree <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="analysis" data-vars-click-url="https://www.lendingtree.com/home/mortgage/comparing-rent-vs-owning-a-home-in-nations-largest-metros/" data-vars-content-id="b48b0fa6-4f8a-47e2-8375-a79fe3ca35fb" data-vars-headline="Renting is 40% cheaper than owning a San Diego home" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.lendingtree.com/home/mortgage/comparing-rent-vs-owning-a-home-in-nations-largest-metros/" target="_blank">analysis</a>.Why it matters: Housing costs have soared nationwide, with stubbornly <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="high home prices" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2025/03/03/san-diego-home-prices-climb-national-rise" data-vars-content-id="b48b0fa6-4f8a-47e2-8375-a79fe3ca35fb" data-vars-headline="Renting is 40% cheaper than owning a San Diego home" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2025/03/03/san-diego-home-prices-climb-national-rise" target="_self">high home prices</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="mortgage rates" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/01/22/san-diego-housing-market-mortgage-rate-buyer-demand" data-vars-content-id="b48b0fa6-4f8a-47e2-8375-a79fe3ca35fb" data-vars-headline="Renting is 40% cheaper than owning a San Diego home" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2026/01/22/san-diego-housing-market-mortgage-rate-buyer-demand" target="_self">mortgage rates</a> weighing on <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="would-be buyers" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/01/01/mortgage-rates-home-prices-predictions-2026" data-vars-content-id="b48b0fa6-4f8a-47e2-8375-a79fe3ca35fb" data-vars-headline="Renting is 40% cheaper than owning a San Diego home" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/01/01/mortgage-rates-home-prices-predictions-2026" target="_self">would-be buyers</a>.

Saving for a San Diego home takes 30 years

The timeline for is one of the longest in the country.

It took the typical San Diego household 30 years to save for a median <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="home" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/01/01/mortgage-rates-home-prices-predictions-2026" data-vars-content-id="ac9b83ee-7975-4774-b23b-4138aa4faa54" data-vars-headline="Saving for a San Diego home takes 30 years" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/01/01/mortgage-rates-home-prices-predictions-2026" target="_self">home</a> down payment in 2025, according to a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Realtor.com analysis" data-vars-click-url="https://www.realtor.com/research/downpayment-savings-december-2025/" data-vars-content-id="ac9b83ee-7975-4774-b23b-4138aa4faa54" data-vars-headline="Saving for a San Diego home takes 30 years" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.realtor.com/research/downpayment-savings-december-2025/" target="_blank">Realtor.com analysis</a>.<ul><li>That&#x27;s about four times longer than the national average.</li></ul>Why it matters: Coming up with a down payment is one of the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="biggest barriers" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/04/homebuyers-are-struggling-to-make-bigger-down-payments.html" data-vars-content-id="ac9b83ee-7975-4774-b23b-4138aa4faa54" data-vars-headline="Saving for a San Diego home takes 30 years" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/04/homebuyers-are-struggling-to-make-bigger-down-payments.html" target="_blank">biggest barriers</a> to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="homeownership" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/11/29/stocks-retirement-gen-z" data-vars-content-id="ac9b83ee-7975-4774-b23b-4138aa4faa54" data-vars-headline="Saving for a San Diego home takes 30 years" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/11/29/stocks-retirement-gen-z" target="_self">homeownership</a>, and it&#x27;s gotten harder over the years.

Median earners priced out of San Diego real estate market

Buyers need to make $221,900 to afford a typical home here, one analysis shows.

Only 1.6% of San Diego homes are affordable for the typical household, according to a Bankrate <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="analysis" data-vars-click-url="https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/american-dream-of-homeownership-turning-into-luxury/" data-vars-content-id="60789978-8ae8-4c78-90e5-0b88fc46d0b2" data-vars-headline="Median earners priced out of San Diego real estate market" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/american-dream-of-homeownership-turning-into-luxury/" target="_blank">analysis</a>.Why it matters: Prospective homeowners earning a median income are priced out of the local real estate market, making it one of the hardest major cities to buy a home.

A choropleth map of the United States showing the estimated share of households without any form of air conditioning, by county, in 2023. Overall, 6.9% of households in the U.S. lacked AC. Rates were much higher in Alaska, Hawaii, the west, and Appalachia. The county in the contiguous U.S. with the highest share without AC was San Francisco County in California, at 65.4%. The county with the highest number of households without AC was Los Angeles County, at 702 thousand.

Estimated share of households without any form of air conditioning, 2023

Data: U.S. Census Bureau; Map: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals

A table that shows San Diego County homeownership rates by occupation in 2014 and 2024. Management and business rose from 60% to 61%, the highest in 2024. Transportation and public safety fell the most from 45% to 39%, but service was the lowest in 2024 at 33%.

San Diego County homeownership rate, by occupation

Data: National Association of Realtors analysis of Census Bureau data; Chart: Kate Murphy/Axios

Our first-time homebuyers are old

San Diego's first time homebuyers are among the oldest

A line chart that shows median monthly HOA fees in San Diego County from January 2019 to January 2025. Fees rose from $280 in 2019 to $367 in 2025, the series high.

Real Estate 🏠

1 in 4 San Diego County homes don't have AC

You need to make $50 an hour to afford rent in San Diego

What San Diego homeowners do for a living

San Diego's first time homebuyers are among the oldest

HOA fees keep rising in San Diego