Republic Moving and Storage is proud to serve you as an agent for North American Van Lines and STI. Our unparalleled reputation in the moving and storage industry has been in our steadfast commitment to provide every customer an: economical, safe, professional move by requiring some of the most stringent standards and safety training for our moving and storage professionals.
Want the space and tranquility of the suburbs with the convenience of urban living? Bay Terraces, San Diego is a quiet, family-friendly neighborhood in hilly SE San Diego. Known for its panoramic views, rolling hills, and easy freeway access, Bay Terraces has so much to offer, including affordable home prices for the city.
If you’re considering moving to Bay Terraces, here’s everything you want to know about this beautiful community.
Table of Contents
Where Is Bay Terraces, San Diego?
The San Diego Bay Terraces neighborhood is in southeast San Diego and bordered by the neighborhoods of Alta Vista, Skyline, Paradise Hills, and South Encanto and the city of National City. It’s bounded to the south-southeast by SR 54 and SR 129 which separate the hilly neighborhood from Sweetwater Reservoir and the city of Bonita.
Bay Terraces is usually divided into two large areas: North Bay Terrace and South Bay Terrace. The 92139 zip code covers South Bay Terrace and Paradise Hills, and the 92114 zip code covers North Bay Terrace and Skyline, sometimes collectively called “Skyline Hills.” Bay Terraces is the largest neighborhood in the Skyline-Paradise Hills Community Planning Area.
Despite its fairly secluded location, it’s just 12 miles from Bay Terraces to downtown San Diego.
Bay Terraces, San Diego Map
Bay Terraces History & Overview
The land that would become Bay Terraces was annexed by the City of San Diego in 1969. Over the next 20 years, the previously unused land, once a canyon, between Paradise Hills and Skyline was developed into Bay Terraces. In its early history, subdivisions were built in what was considered a high-crime area. Developers had trouble attracting buyers, especially buyers who could afford the prices of the new homes.
With local programs and federal subsidies, the community was eventually developed and populated. Initially, its residents included military families, low-income families, and Filipino immigrants. The Bay Terraces area was popular with the large number of Filipino immigrants who joined the Navy thanks to its proximity to Naval Base San Diego.
Today, Bay Terraces, San Diego is home to 31,500 people. It’s one of the largest neighborhoods in San Diego. Bay Terraces is still home to a large Filipino American population that makes up about 44% of the population.
Like many neighborhoods in the hilly region, the population density is low for the city. The median household income in Bay Terraces is $71,000, close to the San Diego median of $68,000. The most affluent area of the neighborhood is the northernmost section of North Bay Terrace surrounding Morse High School and next to the Skyline neighborhood.
What’s It Like Living in Bay Terraces?
After moving to Bay Terraces, you’ll enjoy a slower-paced life than the more urban areas of the city. Its many parks and recreation opportunities, combined with good schools and large residential subdivisions, make it popular with families and retirees.
It’s easy to access the rest of the city thanks to convenient highway access and San Diego MTS bus service. MTS Bus Route 12 (City College – Skyline Hills) is the main line serving the neighborhood. Other routes with stops in Bay Terraces include:
Route 961 (24th St Transit Center – Encanto Trolley)
Route 962 (8th St Transit Center – Spring Valley)
Route 4 (12th St & Imperial Trolley – Lomita Village)
Things to Do in Bay Terraces San Diego
It may be mostly residential subdivisions, but that doesn’t mean Bay Terraces doesn’t have plenty to offer in the way of recreation and entertainment. In particular, the San Diego Bay Terraces neighborhood is known for its many parks.
The sprawling Paradise Hills Park is a top destination for sports and outdoor recreation. It includes the Paradise Hills Recreation Center with a playground, skate park, multi-purpose courts, walking trails, and rec center. Residents can sign up for camps, classes, and sports.
Paradise Canyon Park is a 45-acre open space within the community and runs along the south side of Paradise Valley Road. Some portions are maintained by the Hillsborough HOA – the neighborhood also has two open space parks that lead to Penn Elementary and the yet-to-be-developed Parkside park.
The Bay Terrace Community Park is one of the community’s main gathering spots with regular activities like the spring egg hunt. It’s one of the latest editions to the neighborhood and possible through efforts by the Bay Terraces Community Association and resident volunteers.
Kids and older adults alike enjoy the neighborhood’s strong sense of community and great amenities at the Bay Terraces Community and Senior Center. The center offers a variety of senior programs like crafts, bingo, cooking classes, sewing classes, a walking club, yoga, line dancing, and special events. The community center offers extensive youth programs ranging from art and baking classes to boxing, Polynesian dance, soccer leagues, and summer camp.
The localSkyline Hills Branch Library is another example of the city’s investment in efficient, modern buildings and the community itself. Opened in 2016, this 15,000-square-foot library serves Bay Terraces, Paradise Hills, and Skyline with the types of amenities, services, and events residents of all ages can appreciate.
There’s a community room and kitchen for educational and cultural events, computer lab, and story time and activities for toddlers and young children. The library also features dedicated children and teen spaces with study areas and an IDEA Lab makerspace with a 3D printer, desktop cutting machine, and embroidery machine.
Here’s where to find all of these Bay Terraces attractions and amenities:
Families living in Bay Terraces are served by the San Diego Unified School District. Students attend Morse High School and Bell Middle School. There are several elementary schools in Bay Terraces:
Boone Elementary
Penn Elementary
Zamorano Elementary
Bethune Elementary
There are two fantastic magnet schools in Bay Terraces. Zamorano Fine Arts Academy is a TK-5 visual arts magnet school in Bay Terraces, San Diego, with about 1,100 enrolled students. It’s a California Distinguished School focused on academic and artistic development, music studies, and instrumental music.
The nearest private schools are San Diego Academy in Paradise Village and St. Rita’s Christian Academy in Valencia Park.
Is Bay Terraces, San Diego Safe?
Bay Terraces is a safe place to live and largely residential or outdoor space. However, one small area of the neighborhood has a reputation for crime, even though it’s improved substantially.
The section of the neighborhood surrounding the block-long Meadowbrook Apartments San Diego complex used to be plagued by gang violence and drug crimes. Despite major improvements, the area stretching along South Meadow Drive from Paradise Valley Road to Shadyglen Lane had the largest increase in violent crime in the city from 2013 to 2017. Aggravated assault was the most commonly reported crime, and over half of the crime in the area was in or very close to the apartment complex.
Bay Terraces, San Diego Real Estate
Bay Terraces is a mostly residential neighborhood dominated by single-family homes. Most homes in the area were built in the 1960s to 1980s. North Bay Terrace has a median home price of $775,500, up 17% year-over-year, with mostly ranch homes built in the 60s. South Bay Terraces is more densely populated, with a larger inventory of homes and greater selection of home types. The median home price in South Bay Terraces is $587,500.
There are a few desirable subdivisions in South Bay Terraces. Hillsborough Knolls is a family-friendly neighborhood of two-story homes built in the 80s. Meadow Run is one of the best neighborhoods for families with young children. It surrounds Bay Terraces Park and Zamorano Elementary. SouthBay Townhomes is a large townhome development built in the 1980s if you’re looking for amenities and maintenance-free living.
Thinking about renting after moving to Bay Terraces? Meadowbrook Apartments is the only option for renters outside private homes for rent.
If you’re looking for a close-knit, safe, and family-friendly neighborhood in San Diego to call home, Bay Terraces is calling your name! Republic Moving & Storage is here to help on moving day with dependable moving services tailored to your needs.
Call our friendlyBay Terraces movers today at (619) 591-0079 to get started with a free moving quote.
Bill Lovejoy
Bill Lovejoy is the president of Republic Moving and Storage. Purchasing the assets of Republic Relocations in May 2008. In 2008, Republic did $700K of business and today is over $15 Million. Republic was named AMSA’s 2010 Agent of the Year for Service Excellence after only two years in business.
Bill is proud that he grew up doing every facet of the business from a local mover, over the road driver, salesperson, operations manager, and general manager. (and just about everything else in between) Before purchasing Republic, Bill was with Bekins Moving and Storage where he served as a Senior Vice President and was a partner. He was responsible for three HHG companies as well as two logistics companies.
A proud Father of six children, and a lovely wife, Carol, Bill constantly works to keep a balance between work and family Life. Bills “stress relieving” hobbies include racket ball, basketball, tennis, and golf.
Living in Spring Valley CA is wonderful! Spring Valley, CA is a census-designated place in San Diego County in Southern California. Originally home to the Kumeyaay people, Spring Valley is known […]
Set your sails for Bonsall! If you've ever wondered what living in Bonsall CA is like, welcome to your ultimate guide. Indigenous communities began inhabiting Bonsall 12,000 years ago. Spanish […]
Searching for an affordable area with great weather and access to the beach? Maybe you should consider living in El Cajon CA. Just east of San Diego lies the thriving […]
