San Diego vs Charlotte

A side-by-side comparison of San Diego, California and Charlotte, North Carolina — population, climate, cost of living, demographics, and more.

PlaceSan DiegoSan Diego

California, United States

CharlotteCharlotte

North Carolina, United States

Location
State / regionCaliforniaNorth Carolina
Country🇺🇸 United States🇺🇸 United States
Coordinates32.815, -117.13635.209, -80.831
Elevation128 m229 m
TimezoneEastern Time Zone
Founded1768
NicknameHornet's Nest
Size
Population1,404,461943,474
Land area326.1 mi²310.8 mi²
Water area46.3 mi²2.0 mi²
Density (per mi²)4,3073,036
Housing units588,866415,975
Demographics
Median age36.634.5
White (non-Hispanic)44.7%39.8%
Black or African American5.4%32.7%
Asian17.7%6.8%
Hispanic or Latino30.5%18.4%
Economy & education
Median household income$111,032$86,416
Median home value$980,700$431,900
Bachelor's or higher53.6%49.4%
Poverty rate10.4%11.9%
Unemployment5.6%4.3%
Climate
Avg high temp70°F72°F
Avg low temp56°F54°F
Annual precipitation13.5 in44.6 in
Sunshine % of year70.0%64.0%
Annual solar (kWh/m²)1,7931,632
Air & environment
US AQI3061
Air quality categoryGoodModerate
PM2.5 (µg/m³)7.310.4
PM10 (µg/m³)11.611.1
Ozone (µg/m³)65.069.0
NO₂ (µg/m³)2.77.7
Wildlife species observed1010
Wildlife observations3,162,085646,088
Risk & hazards
Earthquakes (last 10y)1,2362
Largest earthquake (mag)5.42.6
Active weather alerts11
Health
Obesity24.6%30.1%
Diabetes9.4%10.7%
Smoking9.6%11.4%
Schools
Schools total275155
Elementary schools17397
Middle schools3521
High schools4927
Civic & interest
Mayor / leaderVi Lyles
Official websitehttps://www.charlottenc.gov/
Sister cities9
Notable people (Wikidata)816
Books about this place84
Wikipedia views (last 30d)4,81063,561
Overview
Summary

San Diego is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. It is the eighth-most populous city in the U.S. and second-most populous city in California with a population of over 1.4 million, while the San Diego metropolitan area with over 3.3 million residents is the 18th-largest metropolitan area in the country. San Diego is the county seat of San Diego County. It is known for its mild Mediterranean climate, extensive beaches and parks, long association with the United States Navy, and recent emergence as a wireless, electronics, healthcare, and biotechnology development center.

Wikipedia

Charlotte is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. With a population of 874,579 at the 2020 census, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., seventh-most populous city in the South, and second-most populous city in the Southeast. The Charlotte metropolitan area, with an estimated 2.88 million residents, is the 21st-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. The Charlotte metropolitan area is part of an 18-county combined statistical area with an estimated population of 3.47 million as of 2024. It is the county seat of Mecklenburg County.

Wikipedia

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