Residential comparison · 13 facts
La Mesa, CA vs Lemon Grove, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in La Mesa needs about $78,500 in Lemon Grove to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Lemon Grove, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $91,500 in La Mesa.
A few differences
- La Mesa is higher on median household income ($95,028 vs $88,009).
- Lemon Grove is lower on cost of living index (134 vs 144).
- Lemon Grove is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,931/mo vs $2,217/mo).
La Mesa vs Lemon Grove · facet by facet
| Facet | La Mesa, CA | Lemon Grove, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $812,000 | $705,400 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,217/mo | $1,931/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Cost of living index | 144 | 134 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $95,028 | $88,009 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 260 days | 260 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: La Mesa, CA · Lemon Grove, CA
Questions & answers
- Is La Mesa cheaper than Lemon Grove?
- Lemon Grove has the lower day-to-day cost index (134 vs 144 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Lemon Grove equals $85,000 in La Mesa?
- A household earning $85,000 in La Mesa needs about $78,500 in Lemon Grove to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Lemon Grove lifestyle costs about $91,500 in La Mesa.