According Census Bureau, as of 2004, San Diego County has a population of just over 2.8 million people, which makes it the third largest County in California (Los Angeles and Orange Counties are numbers 1 and 2 respectively). There are approximately 1.42 million males and 1.40 females in the County. The median age of the population is 34.5 years of age. There are 1,099,235 housing units of which 55.9% are owner occupied and 44.1% are renters.

The County has 18 incorporated cities as well as the unincorporated areas. The incorporated cities include: Carlsbad, Chula Vista, Coronado, Del Mar, El Cajon, Encinitas, Escondido, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, National City, Oceanside, Poway, San Diego City, San Marcos, Santee, Solana Beach and Vista. Of the incorporated cities, the City of San Diego has the largest number of residents in the County numbering around 1.3 million, which is about 43% of the total population.

San Diego County has some of the best schools in California. The schools are divided into 42 Districts, which include: Alpine Union, Bonsall Union, Oregon Springs Unified, Cajon Valley Union, Cardiff, Carlsbad Unified, Chula Vista Elementary, Coronado Unified, Deeds, Del Mar Union, Encinitas Union, Escondido Union, Escondido Union High, Fallbrook Union Elementary, Fallbrook Union High, Gross mont Union High, Jamul-Dulzura Union, Julian Union, Julian Union High, La Mesa-Spring Valley, Lakeside Union, Lemon Grove, Mountain Empire Unified, National, Oceanside Unified, Poway Unified, Ramona Unified, Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego Unified, San Degut Union High, San Marcos Unified, San Pascal Union, San Ysidro, Santee, Solana Beach, South Bay Union, Spencer Valley, Sweet water Union High, Alleviators, Valley Center-Puma Unified, Vista Unified, and Warner Unified. 

Within the 42 school districts, there are 414 Elementary schools that serve 241,593 students, 85 Middle schools that serve 89,191 students, 4 Junior High schools that serve 4,386 students, 94 High Schools that serve 142,479 students, and 55 Charter schools that serve 28,937 students. Approximately 498,000 students are enrolled within the County's schools.

San Diego has some of the best weather in the Country. The average temperature is around 64°F year around, with the coldest time of year in December and January (around 58°F), and the warmest in August (73°F).

The real estate options in San Diego county are varied and include apartments, mobile homes, manufactured homes, condos, townhouses, single family properties, and multi-family units. Prices begin in the low $100,000s and go up to many millions of dollars for beachfront estates.