El Cajon is a San Diego County city that sits snug in a valley. The name of the city comes from the Spanish word for box, giving it the nickname "The Big Box." With a land area of more than 14.5 square miles, El Cajon has a lot to offer those who want to live in the suburb outside San Diego. In fact, El Cajon is just 15 miles east of San Diego making it a suburban paradise for many commuters.
According to the 2010 census, El Cajon is home to about 99,478 people. This gives a population density of about 7,000 people per square mile. Nearly 70% of the population is White, 6% is Black, 1% is Native American, 28% is Latino, and 2% is Asian or Pacific Islander. The estimated population as of 2013 is about 102,000, demonstrating significant growth in the last 16 years.
The median age of El Cajon residents is 32.5 years. This is slightly younger than the median for other California cities by more than two years.
Approximately 36% of El Cajon's residents age 15 and over have never been married. About 43% were currently married, 3% are separated, 6% are widowed, and 12% are divorced.
Several neighborhoods offer homes, and likely different cultures, in El Cajon. These include Blossom Valley, Bostonia, Crest, Sky Ranch, Rockhaven, Harbison, and Granite Hills.
Employees working in El Cajon tend to work in a few common industries. These include retail, food/accommodation services, construction, transportation/warehousing, health care, waste management, administrative support, and manufacturing. About 22% of the population both lives and works in El Cajon, while many others commute to the city. The most common occupations themselves include those related to sales, office/administrative support, construction/extraction, transportation, food preparation/serving, management, and maintenance.
Parks make up a great deal of the culture in El Cajon, with outdoor recreation on the weekends increasingly popular. Albert Van Zanten Park is a popular choice, especially with more than 15 acres of fields, perfect for baseball, softball, soccer, and football. Plus, the park boasts a 440-yard track. Hillside Park, located at Buena Terrace, is situated along the hillside with more than 19 acres of land. Families commonly picnic, take walks, and soak in the wildlife on weekends and evenings. If you have a dog, you might appreciate the Wells dog area, which offers 1.4 acres of off leash dog area. Not only is the park accessible for individuals with handicaps, but it is also great at separating dogs by size. In total, 17 parks are available for El Cajon residents.
According to the most recent census, El Cajon had the poverty rate for adults in San Diego County. Approximately 30% of adults and 37% of children lived at or below the poverty rate. The unemployment rate in El Cajon was higher than the average for California at 8.4%, according to data from June of 2014. Among those who do work, the mean commute time is about 24 minutes.
Additionally, the median household income in the city is about $40,000. The median house and condo value is nearly $337,000 according to data from 2013. El Cajon has housing of all types, including detached homes, townhouses, multi-unit structures, mobile homes, and occupied boats. Renters can expect to pay a median of about $1,100 each month.
When it comes to education, El Cajon is diverse. Among those age 25 and older, about 81% had graduate from high school and more than 16% earned a bachelor's degree. Nearly 6% of residents had earned a graduate degree.
El Cajon contains two libraries, six community recreation areas, and a performing arts center. The city also contains more than 80 churches and an airport. It also has 19 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, and 3 high schools. Colleges in this city include Grossmont College, San Diego Christian College, Cuyamaca College, and a seminary organization.
As of 2013, the El Cajon crime rate was significant lower than California's overall rate. Thefts and burglaries are the most common crimes, with violent issues less and less common, in spite of the fact that the city has fewer law enforcement officers per resident than California's average.
El Cajon is not a well known city, but it does have a lot to offer residents and visitors. Perhaps the city is best known for the El Cajon Farmer's Market, held at the Prescott Promenade. Here, you will find fresh produce, cooked meals, and even live musical performances.
People also now El Cajon for its fantastic weather. It rarely, if ever, reaches the freezing point, and average temperatures vary from 40 to 90 throughout the year. You find many extremes here. While the city experiences a great deal of sun throughout the year, it is ironic that the city's gloomiest days are in the summer, thanks to June gloom.
This city is also known for being the birthplace of quite a few famous people. These include athletes like Mark Malone, Andrew Garcia, and Bret Boone. NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson was also born here.
Ultimately, El Cajon is a great place to move if you are looking for diversity and affordability in San Diego County.
