ZIP Code 92120: Population, Income, Housing

State: CA

Total population: 31,915 Household income: $120,661 Rent: $2,457

Overview

Total population

31,915

Rent

$2,457

Year built

1973

Household income

$120,661

Per capita income

$60,176

Poverty rate

8.8%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Household size

2.5 persons

Rent over 30% of income

54.9%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Demographics

State

California

County

San Diego County

City

San Diego

Total population

31,915

Adults over 25

21,708

Total households

12,404

Household size

2.5 persons

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Income & Poverty

Household income

$120,661

Per capita income

$60,176

Poverty rate

8.8%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Rent over 30% of income

54.9%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Housing

Rent

$2,457

Year built

1973

Households that rent

35%

Households that own

65%

Rooms per home (all homes)

5.3

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Race

White

63%

Black

6.8%

Asian

8.2%

Two or more races

14.6%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino

20.9%

Not Hispanic or Latino

79.1%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Commute

Commute rate

12,081 (76.9%)

Commute time to work

25 mins

Work from home

3,628 (23.1%)

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Education

Less than high school

20.3%

High school graduate or GED

11.9%

Some college or associate degree

7.7%

Bachelor’s degree or higher

60.1%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Comparison of ZIP Code 92120 with: San Diego County, CA San Diego, CA San Diego metro area, CA California United States

ZIP 92120

Total population31,915

Rent$2,457

Year built1973

Household income$120,661

Per capita income$60,176

Poverty rate8.8%

Unemployment rateN/A

San Diego County, CA

Total population3,288,774

Rent$2,246

Year built1980

Household income$106,268

Per capita income$51,976

Poverty rate10.3%

Unemployment rate4.2%

San Diego, CA

Total population1,389,526

Rent$2,313

Year built1979

Household income$108,077

Per capita income$57,083

Poverty rate11%

Unemployment rate4.1%

San Diego Metro Area, CA

Total population3,288,774

Rent$2,246

Year built1980

Household income$106,268

Per capita income$51,976

Poverty rate10.3%

Unemployment rate4.3%

California State

Total population39,287,377

Rent$2,036

Year built1976

Household income$99,122

Per capita income$49,513

Poverty rate12%

Unemployment rate5.3%

United States

Total population334,922,499

Rent$1,413

Year built1980

Household income$80,734

Per capita income$44,673

Poverty rate12.5%

Unemployment rate4%

Metric	ZIP92120	CountySan Diego, CA	CitySan Diego, CA	Metro AreaSan Diego metro area, CA	StateCalifornia	CountryUnited States
Total population	31,915	3,288,774	1,389,526	3,288,774	39,287,377	334,922,499
Rent	$2,457	$2,246	$2,313	$2,246	$2,036	$1,413
Year built	1973	1980	1979	1980	1976	1980
Household income	$120,661	$106,268	$108,077	$106,268	$99,122	$80,734
Per capita income	$60,176	$51,976	$57,083	$51,976	$49,513	$44,673
Poverty rate	8.8%	10.3%	11%	10.3%	12%	12.5%
Unemployment rate	N/A	4.2%	4.1%	4.3%	5.3%	4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

Summary for 92120

Rent & Income

In 92120, the typical monthly rent is $2,457 and the typical household income is $120,661. Rent here is higher than in both San Diego and California, and household income is also higher than in both. The estimated poverty rate is 8.8%, which is lower than in both San Diego and California.

Housing & Affordability

This ZIP Code is primarily owner-occupied, with renters accounting for about 35% of households. About 54.9% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is very high, with about 60.1% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

ZIP 92120 — Rent vs Household Income

ZIP 92120 — Poverty

How ZIP 92120 compares in California (613 ZIP Codes)

Metric	This ZIP	Rank	Starts from	State range
Rent	$2,457	466 / 613	from lower rent	$1,054 – $3,501
Household income	$120,661	165 / 613	from higher income	$35,378 – $250,001
Poverty rate	8.8%	210 / 613	from lower poverty	2.2% – 39.6%

Rankings are calculated among ZIP Codes in California with total population > 30,000 (year 2024).

Detailed Ranking Explanation for ZIP Code 92120

Rent

When it comes to rent, ZIP Code 92120 ranks 466th out of 613 ZIP Codes in California. Statewide, values range from $1,054 in ZIP 92243 up to $3,501 in ZIP 90275.

Household income

Income-wise, this area is placed 165th out of 613 ZIP Codes. Across California, figures vary from $35,378 in ZIP 90007 up to $250,001 in ZIP 95070.

Poverty rate

When it comes to poverty, ZIP Code 92120 places 210th out of 613 ZIP Codes. Throughout California, numbers span from 2.2% in ZIP 95120 up to 39.6% in ZIP 90007.

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 92120 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $2,457 ℹ️ What’s Included:
✅ Base rent, electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuels
❌ Not included: internet, cable TV, renter's insurance, parking

💡 What does this rent estimate mean?

Explanation: This estimate shows what renters typically pay each month for housing — including the apartment or home and essential utilities like heat, water, and electricity.

Included in this number: Rent plus electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuel.

Not included: Internet, cable, parking, renter’s insurance, or furniture rental.

Note: This cost does not depend on the number of people living in the home.

👨‍👧‍👦 Household Income in ZIP Code 92120

Annual Household Income: $120,661

💡 What does Household Income mean?

Definition: This represents the middle value of all household incomes in the ZIP code — half of households earn less, and half earn more.

Includes: wages, salaries, self-employment income, Social Security, pensions, investments, unemployment, public assistance, and rental income.

Does NOT include: capital gains, non-cash benefits (like food stamps), or tax refunds.

Household = any group of people (or a single person) living in the same housing unit.

Example: A couple earning $40,000 and $30,000 together have a household income of $70,000. If that's in the middle of all local incomes, it's the value shown here.

📉 Poverty Rate in ZIP Code 92120

Estimated Rate: 8.8%

💡 What does the Poverty Rate represent?

Definition: The percentage of people in this area living below the federal poverty threshold.

How it works: The threshold is a dollar amount set by the U.S. Census Bureau that varies by family size and age. If a household's income is below that level, everyone in it is included in this rate.

Example: In a town of 10,000 people, if 1,500 have incomes below the poverty line, the poverty rate is 15%.

Note: This statistic only includes people living in households; it does not count those in student housing, military barracks, or nursing homes.

🏘️ Renter vs. Owner Households in ZIP Code 92120

In ZIP Code 92120, households that rent: 4,345 (35%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?

Household Type	Count	Share
Renter-Occupied	4,345	35%
Owner-Occupied	8,059	65%

Definition: This is the percentage of households that rent their home rather than own it. It includes only occupied housing units.

Why it matters: Areas with a high share of renter households often have younger populations, higher mobility, and different housing needs compared to mostly owner-occupied areas.

Example: If 65% of homes in an area are renter-occupied, it means 65 out of every 100 households rent their home.

📉 Renters Spending Over 30% of Income on Rent in ZIP Code 92120

In ZIP Code 92120, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 2,386 (54.9%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?

Household Group	Households	Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%)	2,386	54.9%
Other renter households	1,959	45.1%
Total renter households	4,345	100%

Shares are calculated as a percentage of renter households.

This shows how many renters in the ZIP code are considered cost-burdened — meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing (rent and basic utilities).

It’s a sign that housing might be unaffordable in the area or that lower-income residents may be struggling with rent.

Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

📊 Education Levels in ZIP Code 92120

Less than High School: 4,398 people (20.3%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 2,576 people (11.9%)

Includes adults whose highest education is a high school diploma or GED.

Some College or Associate Degree: 1,677 people (7.7%)

Includes adults who attended college without completing a bachelor’s degree (some college or associate degree).

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 13,057 people (60.1%)

Includes adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (bachelor’s, master’s, professional, or doctoral degree).

👥 Total Adults (25+): 21,708

ℹ️ Have questions about how these statistics are calculated? See our data methodology & FAQs

Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates (U.S. Census Bureau) — unemployment rate from BLS. Some values are derived metrics.