Residential comparison · 13 facts
La Mesa, CA vs Poway, 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 $86,000 in Poway to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Poway, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $84,000 in La Mesa.
A few differences
- Poway is higher on median household income ($148,359 vs $95,028).
- La Mesa is lower on cost of living index (144 vs 155).
- Poway is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,151/mo vs $2,217/mo).
La Mesa vs Poway · facet by facet
| Facet | La Mesa, CA | Poway, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $812,000 | $1,034,800 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,217/mo | $2,151/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 | 155 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $95,028 | $148,359 |
| 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 · Poway, CA
Questions & answers
- Is La Mesa cheaper than Poway?
- La Mesa has the lower day-to-day cost index (144 vs 155 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Poway equals $85,000 in La Mesa?
- A household earning $85,000 in La Mesa needs about $86,000 in Poway to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Poway lifestyle costs about $84,000 in La Mesa.