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Descanso

CaliforniaCDP

Photograph of Descanso
Featured view

Descanso

Total population

1,590

Median home value

$662,600

15.5%

Bachelor's+

Median income

$110,132

Descanso$110k
National$74k
Elevation3573 m
Land area49.77 km²
Weather90°F · Sunny
Coordinates32.87°, -116.63°

Demographic figures from US Census Bureau · ACS 5-year estimates. Overview below cites Wikipedia and may reference a different year.

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City facts

Elevation
3573 m
Area
49.77 km²

Facts from Wikidata (CC0).

Overview

Descanso is a small unincorporated community in the Cuyamaca Mountains, within the Mountain Empire area of southeastern San Diego County, California. The community's name is a Spanish word meaning "rest from labor".

Read more on Wikipedia

History & geography

History

In 1884, a group of Spiritualists started Hulburd Grove. In 1898, the residents of the area started the Descanso school and the Descanso Town Hall. Peter Jacobs started the Descanso Park Addition in 1926.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP covers an area of 19.2 square miles (49.8 km2), all of it land. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Descanso has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csa" on climate maps.

Read full article on Wikipedia

Excerpted from the corresponding Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA).

Demographics & economy

Median age
53.6
Median home value
$662,600
Housing units
587
Poverty rate
3.7%
Unemployment
0.9%

Race & ethnicity

White
81%
Black
0%
Asian
0.3%
Hispanic
17%

Source: US Census Bureau — American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

Geography

Latitude
32.8696
Longitude
-116.6279
Water area
—
View on OpenStreetMap

Coordinates & boundaries from the US Census TIGER/Line shapefiles.

Climate

Current forecast

This Afternoon
90°F
Sunny
Tonight
65°F
Clear
Tuesday
91°F
Sunny
Tuesday Night
65°F
Mostly Clear
Wednesday
91°F
Sunny
Wednesday Night
66°F
Clear

Forecast for Descanso, CA from NOAA NWS API.

Air quality

Industrial & pollution facilities

Natural hazard risk

Health (adults)

High blood pressure
27%
Diabetes
7.9%
Adult obesity
26%
Binge drinking
20%
Adult smoking
12.1%
No leisure activity
18.3%

Age-adjusted prevalence estimates from CDC PLACES (latest release).

Walkability

Amenities nearby

Wildlife & biodiversity

Observations (last 5 yrs, 10 mi)
278,052
Distinct species (top 10)
10

Most-observed species

  • Acorn Woodpecker
    Melanerpes formicivorus (Swainson, 1827) · Aves
    8,502
  • California/Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay
    Aphelocoma californica (Vigors, 1839) · Aves
    6,803
  • Common Raven
    Corvus corax Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
    6,276
  • Mountain Chickadee
    Poecile gambeli (Ridgway, 1886) · Aves
    5,434
  • Western Bluebird
    Sialia mexicana Swainson, 1832 · Aves
    5,367
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
    Sitta carolinensis Latham, 1790 · Aves
    5,220
  • Spotted Towhee
    Pipilo maculatus Swainson, 1827 · Aves
    5,139
  • Dark-eyed Junco
    Junco hyemalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
    5,014

Citizen-science & research observations from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).

Schools

Total
6
Elementary
3
Middle
2
High
0
Other
1

Largest nearby schools

  • Boulder Oaks Elementary
    Elementary · Alpine · 438 students · 25.8:1 ratio
  • Joan MacQueen Middle
    Middle · Alpine · 400 students · 19:1 ratio
  • The Heights Charter
    Elementary · Alpine · 265 students · 33.1:1 ratio
  • Descanso Elementary
    Elementary · Descanso · 200 students · 25:1 ratio
  • Pine Valley Middle
    Middle · Pine Valley · 154 students · 25.7:1 ratio
  • JCS - Pine Valley
    Other · Pine Valley · 143 students · 15.9:1 ratio

Public K–12 schools within ~10 mi from Urban Institute Education Data Portal (NCES Common Core of Data, 2022).

Earthquake history

Quakes ≥ 2.5 (25 yrs, 62 mi)
3,898
Largest magnitude
5.71
Largest event
2010-06-15

Most recent

Events from the USGS Earthquake Catalog (global) (FDSN Event Web Service).

Photos

Sights & places nearby

Notable people from here

Nearby places in California

Browse all places in California →

Geography & sun

Avg solar (kWh/m²/day)
5.82
Annual solar (kWh/m²)
2,123

Elevation, sunrise/sunset and daylight from Open-Meteo. Solar climatology from NASA POWER.

Nearby airports

Public attention

Wikipedia views (last 30 days)
616
Avg daily Wikipedia views
21
Attention level
Obscure

Pageview totals from the Wikimedia Pageviews API.

Books about Descanso

Sudoku Genius Mind Exercises Volume 1
Descanso Cali State of Mind Collection · 2019
Water resources of the Descanso Area, San Diego County, California
Lowell F. W Duell · 1990
Wholesale price list season 1952-1953
Wholesale price list season 1952-1953
Descanso Distributors Inc · 1952
Wholesale price list season 1951-1952
Wholesale price list season 1951-1952
Descanso Distributors Inc · 1951
New daily news peaches
New daily news peaches
Descanso Distributors Inc · 1954
Wholesale price list season 1953-1954
Wholesale price list season 1953-1954
Descanso Distributors Inc · 1953
Royalty meets at Descanso
Rudy Schaffer · 1983
Estate gardens of California
Estate gardens of California
Melba Levick · 2002

Search results from Open Library.

Recent natural events nearby

Wildfires, storms and other events from NASA EONET (last 12 months, within 250 mi).

Ground air-quality sensors

Recently spotted species

Telegraphweed
Telegraphweed
Heterotheca grandiflora
Seen 2026-10-04
Western Hardwood Sulphur Shelf
Western Hardwood Sulphur Shelf
Laetiporus gilbertsonii
Seen 2026-10-04
Tricholita chipeta
Tricholita chipeta
Tricholita chipeta
Seen 2026-10-03
Columbian Emerald
Columbian Emerald
Nemoria darwiniata
Seen 2026-10-03
Drepanulatrix bifilata
Drepanulatrix bifilata
Drepanulatrix bifilata
Seen 2026-10-03
Drepanulatrix carnearia
Drepanulatrix carnearia
Drepanulatrix carnearia
Seen 2026-10-03
Lucerne Moth
Lucerne Moth
Nomophila nearctica
Seen 2026-10-03
Divided Cobubatha
Divided Cobubatha
Cobubatha dividua
Seen 2026-10-03
Parexcelsa ultraria
Parexcelsa ultraria
Parexcelsa ultraria
Seen 2026-10-03

Research-grade observations from iNaturalist (within ~15 mi).

Nearest stream gauge

Events

Gallery

Sources

  • • Wikipedia
  • • US Census Bureau (ACS 5-year estimates)
  • • NOAA National Weather Service
  • • Wikidata
  • • USGS Earthquake Catalog (global feed)
  • • NCES via Urban Institute Education Data Portal
  • • GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility)
  • • iNaturalist
  • • CDC PLACES
  • • Open-Meteo / sunrise-sunset.org
  • • Wikipedia Pageviews API
  • • Open Library
  • • NASA EONET