Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety61#6,082/15,637
Economy38#9,660/15,631
Housing5#14,260/14,977
Health71#4,549/15,609
Healthcare69#4,832/15,650
Environment3#14,978/15,453
Education13#13,637/15,649
Infrastructure35#10,139/15,650
Community34#10,367/15,651
Leisure & amenities81#3,025/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where National City, California ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “San Diego County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Comfortable days · high46.7%
98/100California 34.8%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationSan Diego County value
Public EV charging ports · high19.6 /10k
96/100California 17.5 /10kUnited States 7.6 /10kOct 2026U.S. Department of EnergySan Diego County value
Gyms and fitness centers · high2.1 /10k
92/100California 1.5 /10kUnited States 1.3 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsSan Diego County value
Mental health providers · high548 /100k
91/100California 487 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteSan Diego County value
Public transit commuters · high4.0%
91/100California 2.9%United States 3.2%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08301
Average weekly wage · high$1,642
91/100California $1,865United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsSan Diego County value

Weaknesses

Home price to income ratio · high9.2×
1/100California 7.4×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077
High school diploma or higher · low77.6%
2/100California 84.7%United States 89.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003
Students per teacher · high22.5×
2/100California 21.7×United States 15.2×2024National Center for Education StatisticsSan Diego County value
Loneliness · high39.4%
3/100California 37.8%United States 33.2%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Median Air Quality Index · high67
4/100California 602025U.S. Environmental Protection AgencySan Diego County value
Rent-burdened households · high60.1%
5/100California 55.3%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

New homes permittedWorsening
1.5 /1k (2021) → 0.0 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
−98%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
76.1% (2015-2019) → 87.8% (2020-2024)
+12 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Median household incomeImproving
$47,119 (2015-2019) → $66,841 (2020-2024)
+42%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Child poverty rateImproving
26.4% (2015-2019) → 18.0% (2020-2024)
−8.3 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Bachelor's degree or higherImproving
14.2% (2015-2019) → 18.1% (2020-2024)
+3.9 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%
Poverty rateImproving
18.3% (2015-2019) → 14.6% (2020-2024)
−3.6 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, National City, California improved on 5 of 15 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 8 moved within the margin of error and 1 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved5

Child poverty−8.3 points26.4% → 18.0%
Household income+42%$47,119 → $66,841
Poverty−3.6 points18.3% → 14.6%
Broadband+12 points76.1% → 87.8%
Bachelor's++3.9 points14.2% → 18.1%

Declined1

Transit use−1.9 points5.9% → 4.0%

All 15 measures

Change of every measure of National City, California between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	27.2 min2015-2019	25.4 min2020-2024	−1.8 min	Within the margin of error	69%
Bachelor's degree or higher	14.2%2015-2019	18.1%2020-2024	+3.9 points	Improved	59%
Broadband subscriptions	76.1%2015-2019	87.8%2020-2024	+12 points	Improved	68%
Child poverty rate	26.4%2015-2019	18.0%2020-2024	−8.3 points	Improved	78%
Effective property tax rate	0.68%2015-2019	0.52%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Little change	49%
High school diploma or higher	74.9%2015-2019	77.6%2020-2024	+2.7 points	Within the margin of error	66%
Home price to income ratio	8.5×2015-2019	9.2×2020-2024	+0.6×	Within the margin of error	40%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4512015-2019	0.4442020-2024	−0.007	Within the margin of error	57%
Median household income	$47,1192015-2019	$66,8412020-2024	+42%	Improved	76%
Poverty rate	18.3%2015-2019	14.6%2020-2024	−3.6 points	Improved	73%
Public transit commuters	5.9%2015-2019	4.0%2020-2024	−1.9 points	Declined	14%
Rent as share of income	35.0%2015-2019	35.3%2020-2024	+0.3 points	Within the margin of error	53%
Rent-burdened households	60.4%2015-2019	60.1%2020-2024	−0.3 points	Within the margin of error	57%
Unemployment rate	6.6%2015-2019	6.6%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	51%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	14.4%2015-2019	14.2%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	50%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like National City, California five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of National City, California in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, National City, California itself moved +4.6 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

58,893 residents (±61)

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69
50–59
40–49
30–39
20–29
10–19
Under 10

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 20–29 men (−2.2 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

58,893 residents (±61)

National City, California
California share

White11%6,229
Black5.1%2,981
Hispanic or Latino63%37,393

Education

40,369 residents (±962)

National City, California
California share

No high school diploma22%9,038
High school or GED27%10,744
Some college23%9,453

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

18,217 households (±632)

National City, California
California share

Under $25k19%3,396
$25k–50k21%3,753
$50k–75k16%3,002
$75k–100k17%3,097
$100k–150k14%2,585
$150k–200k7.3%1,336
$200k or more5.8%1,048

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Under $25k (−7.0 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

18,217 households (±632)

National City, California
California share

Own35%6,330
Rent65%11,887

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

11,665 households (±742)

National City, California
California share

Under $7508.7%1,020
$750–1,0003.9%†460
$1,000–1,50024%2,773

Home values

6,330 homes (±467)

National City, California
California share

Under $150k8.5%†539
$150k–250k2.1%†133
$250k–400k3.0%†191

Age of homes

19,414 homes (±578)

National City, California
California share

2010 or later7.6%1,481
2000–20094.7%915
1980–199918%3,411

Size of homes

19,414 homes (±578)

National City, California
California share

Studio6.9%1,341
1 bedroom21%4,149
2 bedrooms38%7,455

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

29,510 workers (±1,054)

National City, California
California share

Drive alone68%20,206
Carpool15%4,304
Public transit4.0%1,193
Walk4.3%1,278
Bike0.4%†124
Work from home6.5%1,928
Other1.6%†477

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Work from home (+2.2 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

27,582 workers (±1,098)

National City, California
California share

Under 15 min19%5,312
15–29 min47%12,835
30–44 min24%6,541

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of San Diego County, the county holding most of National City's residents.

San Diego County has 93,407 employer establishments, 285 for every 10,000 residents (1.15× the US rate of 248; 1.08× California's), with 1,391,721 paid employees at an average annual pay of $76,323. The Census Bureau also counts 309,797 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 93,407; 309,797 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 285; US 248 · California 263
Paid employees: 1,391,721
Average annual pay: $76,323; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of San Diego County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	8,760	26.7	1.28×More than typical	93,307	$78,478	14,172
Restaurants and other eating places	6,900	21	1.15×About typical	133,685	$28,826	1,233
Lessors of real estate	6,696	20.4	1.66×More than typical	25,445	$77,999	30,253
Specialty trade contractors	5,209	15.9	1.03×About typical	61,015	$73,467	12,039
Management, scientific and technical consulting	4,588	14	2.08×More than typical	22,342	$104,103	15,799
Limited-service restaurants	3,086	9.4	1.17×About typical	55,315	$24,940	521
Real estate agents and brokers	2,942	9	1.84×More than typical	5,502	$81,009	8,179
Construction of buildings	2,847	8.7	1.15×About typical	23,326	$93,648	7,466
Offices of physicians	2,821	8.6	1.33×More than typical	21,181	$123,005	2,963
Legal services	2,659	8.1	1.51×More than typical	16,019	$125,747	3,989
Full-service restaurants	2,650	8.1	1.05×About typical	63,776	$33,217	412
Offices of other health practitioners	2,532	7.7	1.27×More than typical	12,989	$47,030	6,974

Rank places for an industry Open San Diego County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 3,279,736 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $139.5M of federal contract obligations were for work performed in National City, California: $2,369 per resident (US $2,007).

Obligations: $139.5M; −54% vs FY2025
Per resident: $2,369; US $2,007
Sole-source: 10%; US 30%
Single offer: 13%; US 8.7%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

EPSILON SYSTEMS SOLUTIONS INC$21.3M15%
HII FLEET SUPPORT GROUP LLC$15.4M11%
WHITING-TURNER CONTRACTING COMPANY, THE$12.7M9.1%
NATIONAL STEEL AND SHIPBUILDING COMPANY$10.6M7.6%
PROFESSIONAL CONTRACT SERVICES, INC.$9.3M6.7%

Spending by fiscal year

147.9MFY2017
179.8MFY2018
310.7MFY2019
257.5MFY2020
271.8MFY2021
248.4MFY2022
334MFY2023
303.4M

Top industries (NAICS)

Ship and boat building · 3366$72M52%
Architectural, engineering, and related services · 5413$19.9M14%
Nonresidential building construction · 2362$14.4M10%
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services · 5416$8.1M5.8%
Facilities support services · 5612$5.2M3.7%
Warehousing and storage · 4931

Largest awards whose ZIP code lies mostly in National City, California

DLA DISTRIBUTION SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA (DDDC) STORAGE AND DISTRIBUTION WMS TRANSITION AND SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION.$27.3M
ACCENT CONTROLS, INC.· San Diego County, CA· Facilities & utilities· May 22, 2024 – Oct 27, 2025· SP330024F5029
DLA DISTRIBUTION SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA (DDDC) STORAGE AND DISTRIBUTION WMS TRANSITION AND SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION.$26.2M
ACCENT CONTROLS, INC.· San Diego County, CA· Facilities & utilities· May 30, 2025 – Feb 24, 2026· SP330025F5003
C460D SMALL BOATS - APL-15 FIXED-PRICE NONSEVERABLE$5.5M
EPSILON SYSTEMS SOLUTIONS, INC.· San Diego County, CA· Equipment maintenance· May 29, 2025 – Mar 31, 2026· N5523625F9890

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 9, 2026, loaded Oct 9, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in National City, California, so they do not add up across cities.

National City, California's figures are part of those of San Diego County, CA ($13B in FY2026), never added to them: 1.1% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: National City is mostly in San Diego County.

See federal money in San Diego County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

National City, California is split between congressional districts: each representative is shown with the share of its residents in their district (current boundaries).

House

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

San Diego County69100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA73

Other cities and towns in San Diego County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/0650398

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends