Descanso, CA · standard
ZIP Code 91916
San Diego County, California — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,622
- 16/sq mi
- $103,438
- Median income
- $676,800
- Median home value
- 18.9%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Descanso pairs an upper-quartile household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 17%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 7%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 16
- people per sq mi
- 78%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 91916 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 91916 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 103.3 square miles in Descanso, San Diego County, California. The area is home to 1,622 residents, producing a population density of 16 people per square mile, and falls within the Los Angeles time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 91916 against California and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 91916 sits at $103,438 (2% above the California average), while per-capita income is $48,634. The poverty rate stands at 3.8% and the unemployment rate at 1.5%. On housing, the median home value is $676,800 (12% below the state average) with median rent at $3,000 per month, and 78.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 91916 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 18.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.3, and the average commute is 27 minutes. We also surface 4 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing San Diego County, so you can benchmark 91916 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →
Top industries in ZIP 91916
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 91916.
- Construction
Construction
9 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
5 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
4 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
4 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
4 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 91916, Descanso, CA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
1,622
Population
103.3
Area (sq mi)
16
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 91916?
43.3
Median Age
44.9%
Male
55.1%
Female
9.4%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$103,438
Median Household Income
+2% vs state
$48,634
Per Capita Income
3.8%
Poverty Rate
1.5%
Unemployment Rate
27.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 91916 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$103,438 Top 17% higher than 83% of 30,318 US ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
672
Total Housing Units
605
Occupied Units
67
Vacant Units
2.81
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$676,800
Median Home Value
-12% vs state
$3,000
Median Rent
1974
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+1.9%
YoY Change (2024)
269
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+169%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 91916 have increased 1.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +169% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +0.6% | 192 |
| 2021 | +13.5% | 218 |
| 2022 | +13.8% | 248 |
| 2023 | +6.4% | 264 |
| 2024 | +1.9% | 269 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 34 business establishments in ZIP 91916, employing approximately 99 people with a combined annual payroll of $8,642,000.
34
Businesses
99
Employees
$8.6M
Annual Payroll
5
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 9 | 26.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 5 | 14.7% |
| Retail trade | 4 | 11.8% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 4 | 11.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 4 | 11.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 91916 vs 91931 →
ZIP 91916 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 91901
Alpine (91901)
17,403 residents
- 92036 3,440
Julian (92036)
3,440 residents
- 91962 1,646
Pine Valley (91962)
1,646 residents
- 91916 1,622
Descanso (91916)
1,622 residents
- 91931 592
Guatay (91931)
592 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 91916 ranks #4 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 91916 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 91962
Pine Valley (91962)
$143,094 median income
- 91901
Alpine (91901)
$114,167 median income
- 91916
Descanso (91916)
$103,438 median income
- 92036
Julian (92036)
$73,750 median income
- 91931
Guatay (91931)
$63,750 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 91916 ranks #3 of 5 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in San Diego County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 91916 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 91916? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 91916? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 91916? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 91916? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 91916? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 91916? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 91916? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 91916? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 91916? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 91916? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 91916? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Descanso, CA
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.