PlainZIP

Spring Valley, CA · standard

ZIP Code 91978

San Diego County, California - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

8,896
510/sq mi
$113,170
Median income
$637,200
Median home value
31.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Spring Valley pairs an upper-quartile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 12%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 8%
home value, US ZIPs
510
people per sq mi
68%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 91978 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 91978 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Spring Valley, San Diego County, California, home to 8,896 residents across 17.4 square miles, a density of 510 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.

ZIP 91978 skews affluent, with a median household income of $113,170 (11% above the California average), while per-capita income is $44,103. The poverty rate stands at 10.2% and the unemployment rate at 9.0%. Median home value sits at $637,200 (18% below the state average), median rent at $2,327 a month, and owner-occupancy at 67.9%.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 31.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.5, and the average commute is 27 minutes. To put 91978 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in San Diego County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 91978

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Spring Valley, CA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 91978.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 91978, Spring Valley, CA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

8,896

Population

17.4

Area (sq mi)

510

People / sq mi

Los Angeles

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 91978?

42.5

Median Age

50.2%

Male

49.8%

Female

24.8%

Foreign-Born

White 45.7%
African American 10.3%
Asian 6.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.9%
Two or More Ethnicities 21.0%
Hispanic or Latino 34.1%

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?

$113,170

Median Household Income

+11% vs state

$44,103

Per Capita Income

10.2%

Poverty Rate

9.0%

Unemployment Rate

26.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 91978 ranks nationally

Spring Valley, CA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$113,170 Top 12% higher than 88% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). This entry sits in this band. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

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?

High School Graduate or Higher 53.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 31.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

3,311

Total Housing Units

3,236

Occupied Units

75

Vacant Units

3.09

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 67.9%
Renter 32.1%

$637,200

Median Home Value

-18% vs state

$2,327

Median Rent

1978

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

+3.7%

YoY Change (2024)

338

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+238%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 91978 have increased 3.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +238% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.9% 241
2021 +13.3% 273
2022 +15.2% 314
2023 +3.8% 326
2024 +3.7% 338

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 183 business establishments in ZIP 91978, employing approximately 1,678 people with a combined annual payroll of $86,290,000.

183

Businesses

1,678

Employees

$86.3M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 37 20.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 20 10.9%
Manufacturing 16 8.7%
Wholesale trade 16 8.7%
Health care and social assistance 16 8.7%
Retail trade 15 8.2%
Other services (except public administration) 15 8.2%
Accommodation and food services 13 7.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 10 5.5%
Finance and insurance 6 3.3%
Transportation and warehousing 5 2.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 5 2.7%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 2.7%

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 91978 vs 91977 →

ZIP 91978 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 91978 ranks #0 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 91978 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 91978 ranks #5 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
91977 Spring Valley, CA 58,368 3.1 mi
91914 Chula Vista, CA 15,448 4.1 mi
91941 La Mesa, CA 31,779 3.9 mi
92020 El Cajon, CA 57,767 5.2 mi
91945 Lemon Grove, CA 25,460 5.4 mi
91915 Chula Vista, CA 24,659 7.1 mi
92019 El Cajon, CA 42,598 5.3 mi
92114 San Diego, CA 65,433 6.6 mi
91942 La Mesa, CA 38,069 5.9 mi
91902 Bonita, CA 17,653 5.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in San Diego County

91911 standard
Chula Vista, CA
Pop: 82,999
92154 standard
San Diego, CA
Pop: 79,708
91910 standard
Chula Vista, CA
Pop: 75,802
92126 standard
San Diego, CA
Pop: 73,343
92105 standard
San Diego, CA
Pop: 69,813
92114 standard
San Diego, CA
Pop: 65,433

Related Areas

San Diego County Spring Valley, CA California

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 91978 in? ▼
ZIP code 91978 (Spring Valley) is located in San Diego County, California. San Diego County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/san-diego-ca.
What is the population of ZIP code 91978? ▼
ZIP code 91978 in Spring Valley, CA has a population of 8,896 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 91978? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 91978 is $113,170, which is 48% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 91978? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 91978 is $637,200, which is 129% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 91978? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 91978 is White at 45.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 34.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 91978? ▼
ZIP code 91978 has 183 business establishments employing approximately 1,678 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 91978? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 91978 are: Construction (37), Professional, scientific, and technical services (20), Manufacturing (16). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 91978? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 91978 increased by 3.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 238%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 91978? ▼
In ZIP code 91978, 53.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 31.3% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 91978? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 91978 is 26.7 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 91978? ▼
In ZIP code 91978, approximately 67.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 32.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 91978? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 91978 is 10.2% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.