Photo: Dirk Hansen · CC BY-SA 3.0San Diego spent more per resident in 2022 than 88% of similar cities
San Diego’s city government spent $4.4 billion on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2024, about $3,170 per resident. Water and other utilities ($566.6 million) are counted separately.
What stands out about how San Diego is run
Read from the city’s budget and official records.
Who’s in charge in San Diego
From public records with a current term; a name is hidden the day its term ends.
Council members and agencies: sandiego.gov ↗
San Diego’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The city posts agendas and minutes on sandiego.gov ↗.
About $3,170 per resident a year, or $8.68 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: housing & development, at 16%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
$2,795 per resident in 2022: more than 88% of them
San Diego’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($2,795 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 479 California cities that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,385, and the middle half spent $960–$2,001. San Diego spent more than 88% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($363.6 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
California cities that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; San Diego itself left out).
Day-to-day spending is up 10% since 2022
Day-to-day services, in dollars, in the years San Diego reported to the Census Bureau. Prices rose too: about 4% a year in 2022–2024.
Day-to-day spending by fiscal year
Per resident: 2022: $2,795 · 2023: $2,937 · 2024: $3,170.
full-time in March 2025, up from 10,009 in 2022.
Building projects, interest and enterprises (hospital, utilities) are left out, so a big construction year doesn’t read as growth.
The typical homeowner pays $5,945 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.66% of the home’s value, vs 0.70% across California.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at San Diego’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.
Tax bills are one input to San Diego’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in San Diego →
One full-time city employee for every 119 residents
On the payroll in March 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2024 finance file (1,381,162).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
San Diego City Unified School District
San Diego’s K–12 school district. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $21,281 per pupil, $13,111 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
California districts overall: 36% local, 52% state, 11% federal.
Sweetwater Union High School District · $16,482 per pupil
San Dieguito Union High School District · $15,720 per pupil
Escondido Union High School District · $21,430 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
San Diego’s votes are counted by county
California reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for San Diego alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are San Diego County’s results.
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat56.9%841,038 votes
Donald J TrumpRepublican40.1%592,873 votesOthers: 2.9% (43,126 votes).
Most votes in San Diego County: Kamala D Harris
California: Harris 58.5%, Trump 38.3%
100% of San Diego lies in San Diego County. Every 2024 race in San Diego County is on the county’s page.
San Diego County’s 2024 results →Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
San Diego sends 6 members to the State Assembly alone.
- 1Your cityMayorTodd Gloriaas listed by Open States, October 9, 2026
- 2California AssemblySan Diego is split between 6 districts
- 3California SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseSplit between districts
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of California
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How San Diego compares with the towns next door
No neighbor is close in size, so the comparison above uses California cities that don’t run their own schools. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Santee | $947 | $4,840 |
| Lemon Grove | $1,064 | $4,752 |
| La Mesa | $1,140 | $5,339 |
| Escondido | $1,151 | $4,898 |
| Chula Vista | $1,151 | $6,058 |
| Imperial Beach | $1,310 | $4,745 |
| Poway | $2,216 | $6,843 |
| National City | $2,853 | $3,595 |
| Coronado | $3,461 | $10,000+ |
| San Diego | $2,795 | $5,945 |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach San Diego’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about San Diego’s government
How much does San Diego spend per resident?
About $3,170 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2024, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $2,795 was more than 88% of 479 California cities that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in San Diego?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $5,945 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.66% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.70% across California. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see sandiego.gov.
Who is the mayor of San Diego?
Todd Gloria, as listed by Open States (checked October 9, 2026). The council and agencies are listed on sandiego.gov.
How did San Diego vote in 2024?
California counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for San Diego alone. San Diego County, where 100% of San Diego lies, voted Harris 56.9%, Trump 40.1% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for San Diego?
11,586 full-time and 1,652 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $137.2M (about $1.6B a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents San Diego in the state legislature?
San Diego is split among 6 Assembly districts and 4 State Senate districts, so your address decides. The California Legislature’s lookup finds yours. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about San Diego’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →