El Cajon, CA Area Guide

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Family friendly Public transit is accessible Walkable to grocery stores Yards are well-kept Lots of parks Walkable to restaurants Friendly neighbors Safe at night Pet friendly Streets have sidewalks A quiet area Sense of community

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El Cajon, CA

El Cajon is a great place to live for both families and singles because of the diverse nightlife, family-friendly attractions, great schools and access to major urban resources in nearby San Diego. The temperature runs between the 60s and 80s year-round, and the city has lots of land, nearby recreational resources, mountain views and desert vistas. The city served as a hub for people moving out west for more than 250 years.

Named for Spanish words that mean “the box,” the area is surrounded and protected by mountains, but the actual city has rich, boxed-in pasture land. The city is only 17 miles in area with a population over 100,000. You can enjoy living in a place with lots of history, attractions, modern amenities and short distances to San Diego, Mexico and desert landscapes.

The city offers good public schools, rich nightlife, diverse culture and family-friendly living. Area attractions include the Olaf Wieghorst Museum and Western Heritage Center, which is a National Historic Monument. The East County Performing Arts Center has been voted the area’s best concert hall, and El Cajon offers plenty of parks, sports fields, playgrounds and recreation facilities.

Commuting to the San Diego urban area is fast and easy, but there can be rush hour problems in the San Diego city limits. The cost of living in El Cajon is higher than the average, but that’s mostly based on home costs, which are quite high in all California cities. The average cost of living in the United States is 30 percent less than the cost of living in El Cajon. Health care costs in El Cajon are about 10 percent lower than average, and utilities are about 10 percent higher than the national average. The median home price is around $520,000, but rentals are more affordable because they rank among the lowest for California cities at an average of about $1,200.

Tips for relocating to El Cajon include registering your vehicle within 20 days and getting a California Driver’s license within 10 days. Like all of California, food costs are higher than the national average, but you can save by getting your produce from the city’s farmer’s market.

Public transportation in El Cajon is provided by the Metropolitan Transit System and Greyhound Bus Lines. The city is a major commuter hub for local and regional routes that are served by buses and trolley lines. Disabled residents have equivalent access to buses and light rail lines, and those with more severe disabilities can use the MTS paratransit operations if they can't access trolleys and buses. Seniors enjoy affordable transportation to all cities in San Diego County through RideFACT services.

El Cajon is a perfect blend of historical settings, modern amenities and convenient transportation to some of the world’s most visited sites in San Diego County. Younger people are attracted to the city as evidenced by a 10 percent higher demographic than the average California city.