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Looking for a great place to live in San Diego? The San Ysidro neighborhood, best known as the San Diego border town, offers the perfect Southern California lifestyle with a strong Mexican cultural influence and a rich history. It’s one of the most affordable neighborhoods in San Diego for home buyers and renters and just minutes from the beach.
Here's why living in San Ysidro, San Diego may be perfect for you!
Table of Contents
Where Is San Ysidro?
San Ysidro is a neighborhood located in the City of San Diego California in San Diego County. It’s one of several neighborhoods that comprise South San Diego, a district that includes:
South San Diego is separated from the rest of the city by the cities of Chula Vista and National City. Just west of South San Diego is Imperial Beach, a coastal community, and the closest beach to San Ysidro.
The Otay Mesa Freeway (SR 905) marks the northern boundary of the community. I-5 and I-805 both run through the neighborhood.
The neighborhood is best known for the San Ysidro border with Mexico. The Mexican border to the south is the world’s fourth busiest land border crossing.
It’s 16 miles from downtown San Diego to San Ysidro.
The San Ysidro Port of Entry at the United States – Mexico border is one of the world’s busiest international border crossings. About 20,000 northbound pedestrians and 70,000 northbound vehicles pass through the port every day. Its location is along I-5, which connects to Mexican Federal Highway 1.
Just north of the San Ysidro Land Port of Entry is the San Ysidro Transit Center, a San Diego Trolley station on the Blue Line. It’s a major destination for international visitors who can use public transportation to access downtown San Diego. It’s also connected to the Las Americas Premium Outlets shopping center. About 18,000 people use the station every day.
A new international bus service from Mexicoach offers faster border crossing between San Ysidro and Tijuana.
San Ysidro California Map
San Ysidro History
The San Ysidro ranchero was established in 1873 along the Tijuana River and relied heavily on Tijuana for supplies. The first customs house was built in 1874.
In 1909, a group settled the area to create an agricultural utopia. The idea was that individuals could grow their own food and sustain themselves while providing their surplus to others. It was named for Isidro, the patron saint of farmers.
For much of its history, the “Little Landers Colony” had closer ties to Tijuana than San Diego until it was developed as an urban community. Most of the original settlers left the area when the Tijuana River flooded in 1916, destroying most of their homes. The area was mostly home to white farmers, ranchers, and investors in the Tijuana tourist industry until the 1930s. It then became a jockey town, home to jockeys and racehorses.
San Ysidro and its surrounding communities were unincorporated areas of San Diego County until it was annexed by the City of San Diego in 1957.
What's it Like Living in San Ysidro, San Diego?
San Ysidro is a diverse community and a vital gateway between San Diego and Mexico. After moving to San Ysidro, you’ll enjoy a village-like environment with cultural and architectural aspects that reflect the community’s rich history. There’s a mix of established and close-knit neighborhoods with cared-for older homes and newer urban developments with a denser population.
Most commercial activity in the neighborhood is along the historic San Ysidro Blvd as well as the Las Americas Premium Outlets.
Today, San Ysidro is one of the top San Diego neighborhoods for families and retirees looking for affordable living and a small-town feel where you can get to know your neighbors.
The population of San Ysidro is 27,869 in almost 6,900 households. The community is 93.8% Hispanic, 3.0% White, 1.7% Asian, 0.9% Black or African American, and 0.6% two or more races. The median household income is $44,300.
Things to Do in San Ysidro
One of the best things about moving to San Ysidro San Diego is becoming part of a welcoming community of neighbors. The area is served by several community amenities and services:
The San Ysidro Chamber of Commerce helps with community beautification and public art through the Border Public Art Committee.
The César Chávez Community Center was built in 1993 and serves families and children in the area with recreational activities including a playground, sports fields, and indoor and outdoor game courts.
Your local San Diego Public Library – San Ysidro branch is a new addition to the neighborhood with a makerspace and 3D printer, outdoor movie screen, teen and kid areas, and a computer lab.
You’ll find plenty ofSan Ysidro parks, hiking trails, and other options for outdoor recreation. The San Ysidro Community Park is a centrally located 3.6-acre green space with a senior center, recreation buildings, basketball and tennis courts, and a playground. Vista Terrace Park is a large, grassy area with a playground. It’s home to the Vista Terrace Pool, one of the major attractions in the community for residents. The 6-lane pool is a popular birthday party venue and offers swim classes. Howard Lane Park is a popular neighborhood park with a brand-new playground and comfort station, plus hiking trails.
Las Americas Premium Outlets is one of the major attractions in San Ysidro for locals and international visitors. It’s the largest outlet mall in San Diego with 125+ shops.
Pancho Villa Farmer’s Market is a beloved destination for high-quality, authentic Latin American food products. Pancho Villa has served the area since the 1970s with fresh produce, meat, and prepared foods with an in-house tortilleria and bakery.
Of course, you’ll find dozens of amazing restaurants in San Ysidro, particularly Mexican and seafood cuisine. Restaurant El Achiote has a large menu of family-style Mexican dishes at reasonable prices. For fantastic seafood, make sure you check out Mariscos German. The food truck serves up everything from shrimp tacos and fish soup to tostadas and authentic shrimp cocktails.
Many areas of San Ysidro are safe. However, it has the highest number of property crimes in San Diego. In 2023, there were 1,788 property crimes reported in 2023. This included 448 car thefts, 181 shoplifting incidents, 119 thefts from vehicles, 198 incidents of vandalism or destruction of property, and 586 incidents of other larceny or theft. There were 49 robberies and 68 burglaries in San Ysidro.
There were 289 crimes against persons reported in the community in 2023, including 3 homicides, 6 sexual assaults, 94 aggravated assaults, and 162 simple assaults. The San Ysidro homicide rate is just 1 per 100,000 residents, well below the San Diego and national average.
There are several elementary schools in the neighborhood, including:
Smythe Elementary
La Mirada Elementary
Sunset Elementary
Willow Elementary
Nicoloff Elementary
Students attend San Ysidro Middle School and San Ysidro High School.
There are several charter schools nearby the neighborhood, including Hawking STEAM Charter School and Nestor Language Academy Charter School.
Families interested in private education can enroll at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School, a PK-8 Catholic school that’s served the community for over 80 years.
The San Ysidro community is one of the most charming places to live in San Diego County if you’re interested in a close-knit environment, affordability, and the convenience of the international border crossing. If you’re planning to move to San Ysidro, Republic Moving & Storage is ready to help. Call the best San Ysidro movers at (619) 591-0079 for a personalized moving estimate and the superior customer service you deserve!
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.
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