BestCityFor

Best city for remote work? San Diego, CA

C
Score
51/100
Rank #94 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

San Diego can work for remote work if you’re optimizing for median household income alongside broadband subscription. Overall, it’s a mid-pack option in this dataset (#94 of 200). The biggest tradeoff is typical rent (2br).

Methodology · Sources · CA rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. That’s why some cities can look very different vs their surrounding region.

Why San Diego ranks here

  • Broadband subscription: 95% (4% higher than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Median household income: $104,321 (38% higher than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Work-from-home share: 19% (56% higher than the national median; better for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Typical rent (2BR): $2,348/mo (63% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Commute 45+ min share: 10% (8% lower than the national median; better for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population
1,385,061
Estimated total population (ACS).
Male vs female
Male 51%Female 49%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)
$2,348/mo
National median: $1,441/mo
Work-from-home share
19%
National median: 12%
Broadband subscription
95%
National median: 91%
Median household income
$104,321
National median: $75,598
Bachelor’s+ rate
50%
National median: 35%
Commute 45+ min share
10%
National median: 11%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City
National median (dataset)
Affordability
Typical 2BR rent and housing pressure.
2/100
Connectivity
Broadband availability as a practical remote-work proxy.
95/100
Workforce
Remote-work adoption and human-capital signals.
48/100
Comfort
Commute friction and climate comfort.
90/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

10%
Less than HS
40%
HS / Some college
29%
Bachelor’s
21%
Advanced

Work style

WFH vs not WFH (ACS).

19%
Work from home
81%
Not WFH

Internet access

Household broadband subscription (ACS).

95%
Broadband
5%
No broadband

Map

Open in OpenStreetMap →

Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City
National median (dataset)
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$2,348/mo
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
95%
Work-from-home share
National median 12%
19%
Median household income
National median $75,598
$104,321
Bachelor’s+ rate
National median 35%
50%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
10%

Similar cities (by score)

#92 Columbus, GA
51/100
#93 Chicago, IL
51/100
#95 Joliet, IL
51/100
#96 Pasadena, CA
51/100

FAQ

›What is San Diego’s remote work score and rank?
San Diego, CA scores C (51/100) and ranks #94 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.
›Is this based on San Diego city proper or the metro area?
City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level rankings can differ a lot from the city itself.
›What is the population of San Diego, CA?
Population is about 1,385,061 (ACS 2023, city proper).
›What is the male vs female split in San Diego, CA?
About 51% male and 49% female (ACS 2023).
›What is a typical monthly rent in San Diego, CA?
Typical rent (2BR) is $2,348/mo (national median: $1,441/mo).
›What share of workers work from home in San Diego, CA?
Work-from-home share is 19% (national median: 12%).
›How common is broadband internet in San Diego, CA?
Broadband subscription is 95% of households (national median: 91%).
›What does the education mix look like in San Diego, CA?
Among adults 25+, the shares are roughly: less than HS 10%, HS/some college 40%, bachelor’s 29%, advanced 21%.
›Where does this data come from for San Diego, CA?
Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (job, neighborhood, commute, safety, schools, healthcare).