La Mesa is a city located in San Diego County California. La Mesa has a 2024 population of 60,350. La Mesa is currently declining at a rate of -0.31% annually and its population has decreased by -1.22% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 61,097 in 2020.
The average household income in La Mesa is $105,161 with a poverty rate of 11.68%. The median age in La Mesa is 36.3 years: 34.5 years for males, and 37.6 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of La Mesa was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 38,311 | 62.92% |
| Two or more races | 9,267 | 15.22% |
| Black or African American | 4,681 | 7.69% |
| Asian | 4,353 | 7.15% |
| Other race | 3,745 | 6.15% |
| Native American | 301 | 0.49% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 230 | 0.38% |
White
Two or more races
Black or African American
Asian
Other race
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 24,824 | 2.41 | 44.8 | 55.2 |
| Non Family | 10,671 | 1.34 | 33.9 | 66.1 |
| Married | 9,888 | 3.13 | 62.1 | 37.9 |
| Female | 3,218 | 3.48 | 34.8 | 65.2 |
| Male | 1,047 | 3.3 | 24.3 | 75.7 |
3.09
Average Family Size
2.41
Average Household Size
44.8%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 1,565 | 3.63% |
| Associates Degree | 4,961 | 11.5% |
| Bachelors Degree | 10,351 | 23.99% |
| Graduate Degree | 5,911 | 13.7% |
| High School Graduate | 7,260 | 16.83% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 1,080 | 2.5% |
| Some College | 12,017 | 27.85% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 25,696 | 24,721 | 11,251 |
| Hispanic | 9,393 | 8,242 | 2,005 |
| 2+ Races | 4,546 | 4,083 | 1,265 |
| Asian | 3,230 | 2,899 | 1,667 |
| Black | 3,095 | 2,958 | 653 |
| Other Race | 2,379 | 2,031 | 453 |
| Islander | 215 | 215 | 98 |
| Native American | 215 | 207 | 46 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 51.61%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $78,790 | $84,739 | $61,357 |
| Graduate Degree | $88,766 | $104,363 | $83,670 |
| High School Graduate | $40,990 | $49,214 | $35,151 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $30,127 | $34,846 | $26,143 |
| Overall | $55,467 | $61,508 | $47,240 |
| Some College | $46,572 | $51,278 | $41,061 |
$55,467
Average Earnings
$61,508
Average Male
$47,240
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
75.76% of La Mesa residents speak only English, while 24.24% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 13.78% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 31,287 | 2,730 | 8.73% |
| Hispanic | 16,874 | 2,588 | 15.34% |
| Multiple | 9,183 | 1,366 | 14.88% |
| Black | 4,647 | 962 | 20.7% |
| Other | 3,602 | 508 | 14.1% |
| Asian | 4,335 | 472 | 10.89% |
| Native | 296 | 93 | 31.42% |
11.68%
Overall Poverty Rate
9.12%
Male Poverty Rate
14.01%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in La Mesa is Native, with 31.42% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in La Mesa is White, with 8.73% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 1.72%. Among those working part-time, it was 15.43%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 22.99%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| High School | 14.81% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 13.42% |
| Some College | 11.81% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 5.87% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 34.41% |
| Male Unemployed | 17.62% |
| Female Employed | 5.75% |
| Male Employed | 5.35% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $104,548 | $122,245 |
| Households | $83,649 | $105,161 |
| Married Families | $119,144 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $55,823 | $76,914 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
42.6%
Overall Marriage Rate
45.4%
Male Marriage Rate
40.1%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
3,923
Number of Veterans
3,325
Male Veterans
598
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Second Gulf War | 1,870 |
| First Gulf War | 1,050 |
| Vietnam | 797 |
| World War II | 232 |
| Korea | 91 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 35 to 54 | 1,270 |
| 18 to 34 | 784 |
| 75+ | 689 |
| 65 to 74 | 645 |
| 55 to 64 | 535 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 2,446 | 7.77% |
| Hispanic | 783 | 7.11% |
| 2+ Races | 580 | 10.9% |
| Black | 439 | 12.48% |
| Asian | 317 | 9.02% |
| Other Race | 67 | 2.53% |
| Native American | 59 | 20.92% |
| Islander | 15 | 6.52% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
8.67%
Veteran Poverty Rate
30.35%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
69.4%
Labor Force Participation
62.9%
Employment Rate
6.5%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
57.53%
Born in La Mesa
85.97%
Native Born
14.03%
Foreign Born
4.49%
Non Citizen
9.54%
Naturalized
85.97% of La Mesa residents were born in the United States, with 57.53% having been born in California. 4.49% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 59,417 | -186 | -0.31% |
| 2028 | 59,603 | -187 | -0.31% |
| 2027 | 59,790 | -187 | -0.31% |
| 2026 | 59,977 | -186 | -0.31% |
| 2025 | 60,163 | -187 | -0.31% |
| 2024 | 60,350 | -187 | -0.31% |
| 2023 | 60,537 | -68 | -0.11% |
| 2022 | 60,605 | -231 | -0.38% |
| 2021 | 60,836 | -261 | -0.43% |
| 2020 | 61,097 | 1,099 | 1.83% |
| 2019 | 59,998 | -317 | -0.53% |
| 2018 | 60,315 | -171 | -0.28% |
| 2017 | 60,486 | 48 | 0.08% |
| 2016 | 60,438 | 424 | 0.71% |
| 2015 | 60,014 | 439 | 0.74% |
| 2014 | 59,575 | 348 | 0.59% |
| 2013 | 59,227 | 474 | 0.81% |
| 2012 | 58,753 | 490 | 0.84% |
| 2011 | 58,263 | 916 | 1.6% |
| 2010 | 57,347 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 54,749 | 1,818 | 3.43% |
| 1990 | 52,931 | 2,623 | 5.21% |
| 1980 | 50,308 | 11,130 | 28.41% |
| 1970 | 39,178 | 8,737 | 28.7% |
| 1960 | 30,441 | 19,495 | 178.1% |
| 1950 | 10,946 | 7,021 | 178.88% |
| 1940 | 3,925 | 1,412 | 56.19% |
| 1930 | 2,513 | 1,509 | 150.3% |
| 1920 | 1,004 | -58,413 | -98.31% |