Descanso is a community in San Diego County, California, home to about 1,590 people across 19 square miles. Its ZIP code is 91916.
Homes sold for a median of $273 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Descanso. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Descanso’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Descanso well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | San Diego International Airport (SAN)35 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Chula Vista, CA29 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | San Diego, CA30 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Descanso; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Descanso had 1,499 residents in the 2020 census, up 5% since 2010.
It’s the 949th largest of 1,563 towns in California by population.
San Diego County grew from 35,090 residents in 1900 to 3,298,634 in 2020.
San Diego County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 84°F in summer, and winter lows average 32°F. About 30.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 20 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Cuyamaca, CA weather station (8 miles away).
1,391,721 jobs at 93,407 businesses in San Diego County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
8 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Descanso.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Mental health providers | 8 |
|---|
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Grocery stores
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums
Counts are within about 3 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Mountain Empire Unified. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Descanso ElementaryDescanso | K–6 | 188 | Public | 1.2 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
Buying or selling around Descanso? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Loading map…
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.