El Cajon

Featured view

El Cajon

Total population

103,287

Median home value

$772,200

25%

Bachelor's+

Median income

$77,462

El Cajon$77k

National$74k

Air quality index

47Good

Elevation132 m

Weather67°F · Partly Cloudy

Coordinates32.80°, -116.96°

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

Overview

El Cajon is a city in San Diego County, California, United States, 17 mi (27 km) east of downtown San Diego. The city takes its name from Rancho El Cajón, which was named for the box-like shape of the valley that surrounds the city, and the origin of the city's common nickname "the Box".

Demographics & economy

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

Geography

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

Climate

10-year averages from ERA5 reanalysis (Open-Meteo).

Current forecast

Forecast for El Cajon, CA from NOAA NWS API.

Air quality

Current readings from Open-Meteo Air Quality API (Copernicus CAMS European reanalysis).

Wildlife & biodiversity

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

Schools

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

Earthquake history

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

Notable people from here

Dave Mustaine

American musician

Jimmie Johnson

American racing driver

Bill Walton

American basketball player and sportscaster (1952–2024)

Frederick W. Sturckow

American astronaut

Steve Roach

American composer and musician

Craig Goldy

American guitarist

Boyd Rice

American experimental musician

Frankie Hejduk

American soccer player

Glen Morgan

American television producer, writer, and director (born 1961)

Jeremy Stenberg

American motocross rider

Joe Kennedy

professional baseball player (1979–2007)

K

Ken Carpenter

American racing cyclist

Jason Russell

American film director known for founding Invisible Children, Inc. and Kony 2012

J

Janine Hanson

Canadian rower

A. J. Griffin

American baseball player

Brian Giles

American baseball player

People born within ~10 km, from Wikidata (CC0). Click any name for their Wikipedia article.

Nearby places in California

• Bostonia
  1.6 mi away
• Casa de Oro-Mount Helix
  2.7 mi away
• Crest
  5.4 mi away
• Eucalyptus Hills
  5.8 mi away
• Bonita
  9.3 mi away
• Coronado
  15.1 mi away · pop. 20,192
• Descanso
  19.9 mi away
• Del Mar
  20.7 mi away
• Del Dios
  21 mi away
• Elfin Forest
  23.1 mi away
• Campo
  30.4 mi away
• Bonsall
  35.3 mi away

Browse all places in California →

Geography & sun

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

Public attention

Pageview totals from the Wikimedia Pageviews API.

Books about El Cajon

Search results from Open Library.

Recent natural events nearby

• MTZ/SDU/TUSIL Wildfire, San Diego, California
  Wildfires · 2026-05-19 · 35 mi
• VERONA Wildfire, Riverside, California
  Wildfires · 2026-05-19 · 67 mi
• BAIN Wildfire, Riverside, California
  Wildfires · 2026-05-19 · 87 mi
• SANDY Wildfire, Ventura, California
  Wildfires · 2026-05-18 · 143 mi
• NEURALIA Wildfire, Kern, California
  Wildfires · 2026-05-13 · 178 mi
• CANYON Wildfire, Kern, California
  Wildfires · 2026-05-07 · 194 mi
• Santa Rosa Island Wildfire, Santa Barbara, California
  Wildfires · 2026-05-15 · 196 mi
• TOWER Wildfire, Kern, California
  Wildfires · 2026-05-03 · 206 mi

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

Recently spotted species

Pacific chorus frog

Pseudacris regilla

Seen 2026-06-13

Southern Pacific Rattlesnake

Crotalus oreganus helleri

Seen 2026-06-13

Dotted Paropsine Leaf Beetle

Paropsis atomaria

Seen 2026-06-13

Greater Roadrunner

Geococcyx californianus

Seen 2026-06-13

branching phacelia

Phacelia ramosissima

Seen 2026-06-13

California Aster

Corethrogyne filaginifolia

Seen 2026-06-13

Common Pill Woodlouse

Armadillidium vulgare

Seen 2026-06-13

western coastal wattle

Acacia cyclops

Seen 2026-06-13

Common Grass Skimmer

Paragus haemorrhous

Seen 2026-06-13

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

Nearest stream gauge

Live readings from USGS NWIS · measured 2026-06-13 18:00 UTC.

Gallery

Geotagged photos within ~6 miles of El Cajon, from Wikimedia Commons contributors.

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Photos via Wikimedia Commons — see each image page for license & attribution.