Regions of the San Diego metropolitan area
Encyclopedia
The Regions of the San Diego metropolitan area
and San Diego County, as they cover the same area are:
communities such as Julian
, Pine Valley
, and Borrego Springs are not always placed into any particular region due to their isolation and distance from major urban centers, although the San Diego Association of Governments puts them within the East County Major Statistical Area.
San Diego metropolitan area
The San Diego Metropolitan Area, also known as Greater San Diego and officially the San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos Metropolitan Statistical Area, is a metropolitan area on the United States Pacific Coast. The U.S. Census of the Bureau defines the San Diego metropolitan area as encompassing all of...
and San Diego County, as they cover the same area are:
- The Anza Borrego, or Desert or Inland, region includes all of northeastern San Diego County, including Borrego Springs. The region consists predominantly of the largest state park in California and occupies all of San Diego County east of the Peninsular RangesPeninsular RangesThe Peninsular Ranges are a group of mountain ranges, in the Pacific Coast Ranges, which stretch from southern California in the United States to the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula; they are part of the North American Coast Ranges that run along the Pacific coast from Alaska...
with the exception of the Mountain Empire.
- Central, or Central San Diego, includes most of the city of San Diego, often together with CoronadoCoronado, CaliforniaCoronado, also known as Coronado Island, is an affluent resort city located in San Diego County, California, 5.2 miles from downtown San Diego. Its population was 24,697 at the 2010 census, up from 24,100 at the 2000 census. U.S. News and World Report lists Coronado as one of the most expensive...
, excluding South San DiegoSouth San DiegoSouth San Diego is a district in San Diego, California, within a larger region known as the South Bay.-History:Before the arrival of the Spanish explorers, area of South San Diego was largely inhabited by the Digueno people...
. It may or may not include northern communities within the city of San Diego.
- CuyamacaCuyamaca, CaliforniaCuyamaca is a region of eastern San Diego County. It lies east of the Capitan Grande Indian Reservation in the western Laguna Mountains, north of Descanso and south of Julian. Named for the 1845 Rancho Cuyamaca Mexican land grant, the region is now dominated by the Cuyamaca Rancho State Park...
, (KumeyaayKumeyaay languageKumeyaay , also known as Central Diegueño, Kamia, and Campo, is the Native American language spoken by the Kumeyaay people of southern San Diego and Imperial counties in California. Hinton suggested a conservative estimate of 50 surviving Kumeyaay speakers...
: 'Ekwiiyemak) is a region of eastern San Diego County. It lies east of the Capitan Grande Indian Reservation in the western Laguna MountainsLaguna MountainsThe Laguna Mountains are a section of the Peninsular Ranges in eastern San Diego County, California. The mountains run in a northwest/southeast alignment for approximately ....
, north of DescansoDescanso, CaliforniaDescanso is a small census-designated place in the Mountain Empire area of southeastern San Diego County, California and part of California's 52nd congressional district. Descanso is located east of Alpine and west of Pine Valley. The population was 1,423 at the 2010 census.The community's name...
and south of JulianJulian, CaliforniaJulian is a census-designated place in San Diego County, California, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,502, down from 1,621 at the 2000 census.Julian is an official California Historical Landmark No. 412...
. Named for the 1845 Rancho CuyamacaRancho CuyamacaRancho Cuyamaca was a Mexican land grant in present day San Diego County, California given in 1845 by Governor Pío Pico to Agustin Olvera. The grant extended south of present day Julian and encompassed Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, Lake Cuyamaca, and Cuyamaca Peak.-History:Olvera remained in Los...
Mexican land grantRanchos of CaliforniaThe Spanish, and later the Méxican government encouraged settlement of territory now known as California by the establishment of large land grants called ranchos, from which the English ranch is derived. Devoted to raising cattle and sheep, the owners of the ranchos attempted to pattern themselves...
, the region is now dominated by the 26000 acres (105.2 km²) Cuyamaca Rancho State ParkCuyamaca Rancho State ParkCuyamaca Rancho State Park is a state park located forty miles east of San Diego, California in the Laguna Mountains of the Peninsular Ranges. The park's 26,000 acres feature pine, fir, and oak forests, with meadows and streams that exist due to the relatively high elevation of the area compared...
. Within the park is the prominent Cuyamaca PeakCuyamaca PeakCuyamaca Peak is a mountain in San Diego County roughly from the Pacific Ocean, in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park east of San Diego and southwest of Julian...
, the second-highest mountain in San Diego County at 6512 feet (1,984.9 m).
- East CountyEast County, San DiegoEast County is a region of San Diego County, California. It is east of the city of San Diego.-Geography:East County does not have an official geographic definition. It commonly includes the four cities east of San Diego and South Bay—El Cajon, La Mesa, Santee, and Lemon Grove—as well as suburban...
most always includes cities and communities east of the city of San Diego. Due to varying definitions, it may or may not include eastern backcountryBackcountryA backcountry area in general terms is a geographical region that is:* isolated* remote* undeveloped* difficult to accessThe term may apply to various regions that are reasonably close to urban areas but are:* not immediately accessible by car...
areas.
- The Mountain EmpireMountain Empire, San DiegoThe Mountain Empire is a rural area in southeastern San Diego County, California. The Mountain Empire subregion consists of the backcountry communities in southeastern San Diego County...
includes communities along California State Route 94California State Route 94State Route 94 in the U.S. state of California is the Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway from Interstate 5 in Downtown San Diego to the end of the freeway portion past Route 125 in Spring Valley; the non-freeway segment of SR 94 is Campo Road....
and Interstate 8Interstate 8Interstate 8 is an Interstate Highway in the southwestern United States. It runs from the southern edge of Mission Bay at Sunset Cliffs Blvd, in San Diego, California, almost at the Pacific Ocean, to the junction with Interstate 10, just southeast of Casa Grande, Arizona...
, in the southeast Mountainous region of the county. It may or may not be included in East County.
- North County is divided into Coastal and Inland communities. It includes all cities and communities north of the city limits of San Diego and all cities and communities - including and to the west of - RamonaRamona, CaliforniaRamona is a census-designated place in San Diego County, California. The population was 20,292 at the 2010 census.The term Ramona also refers to an unincorporated community that includes both the Ramona CDP and the adjacent CDP of San Diego Country Estates CDP...
and San Diego Country EstatesSan Diego Country Estates, CaliforniaSan Diego Country Estates, commonly referred to as the Estates, is an affluent valley resort populace composed of several neighborhoods associated with the unincorporated community of Ramona, California. The Estates are a census-designated place in the North County region of San Diego County,...
. According to some definitions, it may or may not include northern communities within the city of San Diego.
- South BaySouth Bay, San DiegoSouth Bay is a region in southwestern San Diego County, California consisting of the communities and cities of Bonita, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, Lincoln Acres, National City, and South San Diego....
or South County includes all cities and communities at the southern end of San Diego BaySan Diego BaySan Diego Bay is a natural harbor and deepwater port adjacent to San Diego, California. It is 12 mi/19 km long, 1 mi/1.6 km–3 mi/4.8 km wide...
including South San DiegoSouth San DiegoSouth San Diego is a district in San Diego, California, within a larger region known as the South Bay.-History:Before the arrival of the Spanish explorers, area of South San Diego was largely inhabited by the Digueno people...
. Coronado is included in the South County definition that also includes South Bay.
Consistency
None of these regions has an accepted defined area, and the borders will vary depending on the source. Some backcountryBackcountry
A backcountry area in general terms is a geographical region that is:* isolated* remote* undeveloped* difficult to accessThe term may apply to various regions that are reasonably close to urban areas but are:* not immediately accessible by car...
communities such as Julian
Julian, California
Julian is a census-designated place in San Diego County, California, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,502, down from 1,621 at the 2000 census.Julian is an official California Historical Landmark No. 412...
, Pine Valley
Pine Valley, California
Pine Valley is a community and census-designated place in the Mountain Empire area of southeastern San Diego County, California. The population was 1,510 at the 2010 census, up from 1,501 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, and Borrego Springs are not always placed into any particular region due to their isolation and distance from major urban centers, although the San Diego Association of Governments puts them within the East County Major Statistical Area.