La Mesa, California Population 2024

60,350
010K20K30K40K50K60K19201930194019501960197019801990200020102020YearPopulation

La Mesa Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of La Mesa was:

  • White: 59.4%
  • Two or more races: 17.18%
  • Black or African American: 8.39%
  • Other race: 7.78%
  • Asian: 6.42%
  • Native American: 0.57%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.27%
Land Area (mi²)
9.1 sq mi
Density (mi²)
6,637.90/sq mi
Growth Since 2020
-1.22% (-747)
The current population of La Mesa, California is 60,350 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates (released May 2024). The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 61,097.

Population by Race

Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White36,13459.4%
Two or more races10,44917.18%
Black or African American5,1068.39%
Other race4,7317.78%
Asian3,9056.42%
Native American3460.57%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander1640.27%
59.4%17.18%8.39%7.78%6.42%Race

White

Two or more races

Black or African American

Other race

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

La Mesa Population by Race

La Mesa Population Pyramid 2024

010203040506070803.5K3K2.5K2K1.5K1K500005001K1.5K2K2.5K3K3.5KMaleFemale

La Mesa Median Age

37.1

Total

35.9

Male

38

Female

La Mesa Adults

There are 48,041 adults, (9,492 of whom are seniors) in La Mesa.

La Mesa Age Dependency

57.8

Age Dependency Ratio

24.6

Old Age Dependency Ratio

33.2

Child Dependency Ratio

La Mesa Sex Ratio

Female31,66652.05%
Male29,16947.95%

La Mesa Population by Age

La Mesa Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All25,1782.384654
Non Family11,0891.333664
Married10,0233.1361.738.3
Female3,2783.4535.464.6
Male7883.130.869.2

3.08

Average Family Size

2.38

Average Household Size

46.0%

Rate of Home Ownership

39.81%13.02%44.04%Households by Type

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

MarriedAllNon FamilyFemaleMale00.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.91

owner

renter

La Mesa Households and Families

Less Than 9th Grade9th to 12th GradeHigh School GraduateSome CollegeAssociates DegreeBachelors DegreeGraduate Degree01K2K3K4K5K6K

Male

Female

Education Attained
Count
Percentage
9th to 12th Grade1,4713.36%
Associates Degree5,13011.73%
Bachelors Degree10,62324.3%
Graduate Degree6,16314.1%
High School Graduate7,47017.09%
Less Than 9th Grade1,0782.47%
Some College11,78226.95%
17.09%26.95%11.73%24.3%14.1%Over 25 Education

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

La Mesa Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

La Mesa Educational Attainment by Race

IslanderWhiteBlackNative American2+ RacesAsianHispanicOther Race0%20%40%60%80%100%

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

Race
Total
High School
Bachelors
White25,85924,91911,428
Hispanic9,5418,4092,293
2+ Races5,3514,8991,591
Black3,1933,030671
Other Race3,1312,668612
Asian3,1052,8161,605
Native American27225738
Islander14814851

The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 51.69%.

La Mesa Educational Attainment by Race

OverallLess Than 9th GradeHigh School GraduateSome CollegeBachelors DegreeGraduate Degree$0$20,000$40,000$60,000$80,000$100,000

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$76,007$86,487$61,148
Graduate Degree$91,487$107,596$83,596
High School Graduate$42,973$50,704$39,280
Less Than 9th Grade$35,000$39,615$27,184
Overall$59,141$64,770$50,246
Some College$50,099$56,602$44,869

$59,141

Average Earnings

$64,770

Average Male

$50,246

Average Female

La Mesa Earnings by Educational Attainment

La Mesa Language by Age

74.91%14.39%Languages

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

La Mesa Language

74.91% of La Mesa residents speak only English, while 25.09% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 14.39% of the population.

La Mesa Language

La Mesa Poverty by Race

NativeBlackMultipleHispanicOtherAsianWhite0%2%4%6%8%10%12%14%16%18%20%22%24%

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White31,0322,8619.22%
Hispanic16,6832,35114.09%
Multiple10,3021,50814.64%
Black5,0521,01320.05%
Other4,57957212.49%
Asian3,8913719.53%
Native3317522.66%

11.69%

Overall Poverty Rate

9.19%

Male Poverty Rate

13.98%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in La Mesa

The race most likely to be in poverty in La Mesa is Native, with 22.66% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in La Mesa is White, with 9.22% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 1.32%. Among those working part-time, it was 14.18%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 24.82%.

La Mesa Poverty

Less Than 9th GradeHigh SchoolSome CollegeBachelors or Greater0%2%4%6%8%10%12%14%16%

rate

Rate
Poverty
High School15.82%
Some College11.88%
Less Than 9th Grade11.78%
Bachelors or Greater6.48%

La Mesa Poverty Rate by Education

Male EmployedMale UnemployedFemale EmployedFemale Unemployed0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%

rate

Rate
Poverty
Female Unemployed32.89%
Male Unemployed20.66%
Female Employed5.24%
Male Employed4.48%

La Mesa Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

La Mesa Income by Household Type

Under10k10kTo15k15kTo25k25kTo35k35kTo50k50kTo75k75kTo100k100kTo150k150kTo200kOver200k0510152025

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

Name
Median
Mean
Families$107,169$127,068
Households$84,337$109,808
Married Families$119,432$-999,999,999
Non Families$59,881$82,429
HouseholdsFamiliesMarried FamiliesNon Families020,00040,00060,00080,000100,000120,000

mean

median

Income by Household Type

La Mesa Marital Status

OverallMalesFemales0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

43.9%

Overall Marriage Rate

46.9%

Male Marriage Rate

41.2%

Female Marriage Rate

La Mesa Married by Age and Sex

35-4445-5455-6420-34Over 650102030405060

male

female

La Mesa Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.

La Mesa Marital Status by Race

AsianOtherRaceWhiteNonHispanicWhiteHispanicIndianTwoOrMoreRacesBlackHawaiian0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

La Mesa Marital Status

46.61%25.52%20.32%Veterans by War

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

3,940

Number of Veterans

3,229

Male Veterans

711

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
Second Gulf War1,876
First Gulf War1,027
Vietnam818
World War II169
Korea135

La Mesa Veterans by War

18 to 3435 to 5455 to 6465 to 7475+02004006008001,0001,2001,4001,600

count

Age Group
Veterans
35 to 541,450
75+708
65 to 74677
18 to 34570
55 to 64535

La Mesa Veterans by Age

WhiteHispanic2+ RacesBlackAsianOther RaceNative AmericanIslander02004006008001,0001,2001,4001,6001,8002,0002,2002,400

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White2,3887.98%
Hispanic8718.11%
2+ Races69911.38%
Black39010.94%
Asian2748.35%
Other Race1153.41%
Native American5917.77%
Islander159.15%

La Mesa Veterans by Race

La Mesa Veterans by Education

22.89%38.38%34.97%Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

9.68%

Veteran Poverty Rate

36.56%

Veteran Disability Rate

La Mesa Veterans by Education

16 - 1920 - 2425 - 2930 - 3435 - 4445 - 5455 - 5960 - 6465 - 7475+0102030405060708090

LaborForceParticipation

69%

Labor Force Participation

62.2%

Employment Rate

6.3%

Unemployment Rate

La Mesa Employment by Age

IslanderNative AmericanOther RaceHispanicAsian2+ RacesWhiteWhite Non-HispanicBlack0102030405060708090100

LaborForceParticipation

La Mesa Employment by Race

Less Than High SchoolHigh School GraduateSome CollegeBachelors or Greater0102030405060708090

LaborForceParticipation

La Mesa Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

17.57%25.31%48.73%Origin

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

16.6%44.94%8.26%27.05%Origin

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

57.67%

Born in La Mesa

85.76%

Native Born

14.24%

Foreign Born

4.6%

Non Citizen

9.64%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

85.76% of La Mesa residents were born in the United States, with 57.67% having been born in California. 4.6% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.

La Mesa Place of Birth

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change
Year
Population
Growth
Change
202959,417-186-0.31%
202859,603-187-0.31%
202759,790-187-0.31%
202659,977-186-0.31%
202560,163-187-0.31%
202460,350-187-0.31%
202360,537-68-0.11%
202260,605-231-0.38%
202160,836-261-0.43%
202061,0971,0991.83%
201959,998-317-0.53%
201860,315-171-0.28%
201760,486480.08%
201660,4384240.71%
201560,0144390.74%
201459,5753480.59%
201359,2274740.81%
201258,7534900.84%
201158,2639161.6%
201057,34700%
200054,7491,8183.43%
199052,9312,6235.21%
198050,30811,13028.41%
197039,1788,73728.7%
196030,44119,495178.1%
195010,9467,021178.88%
19403,9251,41256.19%
19302,5131,509150.3%
19201,004-58,413-98.31%

La Mesa Population by Year