San Diego County Demographics

A map of San Diego County's Population by Race

Race	2024 Pop	2020 Pop	2024 %	2020 %
White	1,394,708	1,422,205	42.4%	43.1%
Hispanic	1,139,063	1,119,629	34.6%	33.9%
Asian	397,310	400,589	12.1%	12.1%
Multiracial	174,700	167,240	5.3%	5.1%
Black	143,223	145,014	4.4%	4.4%
Native American/Other	39,770	43,957	1.2%	1.3%

San Diego County, California has an estimated population of 3,288,774, a less than 1% change from the 3,298,634 recorded in the 2020 Census. The population is 42.4% White, 34.6% Hispanic, 12.1% Asian, 5.3% Multiracial, 4.4% Black, and 1.2% Native American/Other. This demographic dot map shows the population of San Diego County, with one dot drawn for each person counted by the Census, color-coded by race.

San Diego is about as racially diverse as it was in the 2020 Census. It is less diverse than California overall. Demographers use a diversity index to measure the probability that two randomly selected individuals belong to different racial or ethnic groups. In San Diego County, that probability was 68.0% in 2020 and 68.1% in the most recent ACS estimates.

San Diego County is ranked the 2nd most populous county in California, out of 58 counties. San Diego County was ranked the 2nd most populous county in the 2020 Census.

San Diego County's White Population

1,394,708 residents of San Diego County, or 42.4% of the population, identify as White. The share of White residents in San Diego County is higher than in California overall, where 33.8% of the population is White. San Diego County ranks 32nd statewide in terms of White residents as a share of the population, out of 58 counties.

Since the 2020 Census, San Diego County's White population has declined by an estimated 1.9%. White residents' share of San Diego County's population has decreased from 43.1% to 42.4%.

San Diego County is more White than neighboring Riverside County (31% White), Orange County (36.9% White), Imperial County (9.1% White), Los Angeles County (24.7% White), and San Bernardino County (24.7% White).

San Diego County's Black Population

143,223 residents of San Diego County, or 4.4% of the population, identify as Black. The share of Black residents in San Diego County is comparable to the share in California overall, where 5.2% of the population is Black. San Diego County ranks 13th statewide in terms of Black residents as a share of the population, out of 58 counties.

Since the 2020 Census, San Diego County's Black population has declined by an estimated 1.2%. Black residents' share of San Diego County's population has remained roughly unchanged at 4.4%.

San Diego County is more Black than neighboring Orange County (1.5% Black), and Imperial County (2% Black). San Diego County is less Black than neighboring Riverside County (6% Black), Los Angeles County (7.4% Black), and San Bernardino County (7.5% Black).

San Diego County's Asian Population

397,310 residents of San Diego County, or 12.1% of the population, identify as Asian. The share of Asian residents in San Diego County is slightly lower than in California overall, where 15.3% of the population is Asian. San Diego County ranks 14th statewide in terms of Asian residents as a share of the population, out of 58 counties.

Since the 2020 Census, San Diego County's Asian population has remained roughly the same. Asian residents' share of San Diego County's population has remained roughly unchanged at 12.1%.

San Diego County is more Asian than neighboring Riverside County (6.9% Asian), Imperial County (1.3% Asian), and San Bernardino County (8.1% Asian). San Diego County is less Asian than neighboring Orange County (22.2% Asian), and Los Angeles County (14.9% Asian).

San Diego County's Hispanic Population

1,139,063 residents of San Diego County, or 34.6% of the population, identify as Hispanic. The share of Hispanic residents in San Diego County is lower than in California overall, where 40.2% of the population is Hispanic. San Diego County ranks 22nd statewide in terms of Hispanic residents as a share of the population, out of 58 counties.

Since the 2020 Census, San Diego County's Hispanic population has grown by an estimated 1.7%. Hispanic residents' share of San Diego County's population has increased from 33.9% to 34.6%.

San Diego County is more Hispanic than neighboring Orange County (34.2% Hispanic). San Diego County is less Hispanic than neighboring Riverside County (51.3% Hispanic), Imperial County (86% Hispanic), Los Angeles County (48.4% Hispanic), and San Bernardino County (55.2% Hispanic).

San Diego County's Native American/Other Population

39,770 residents of San Diego County, or 1.2% of the population, identify as American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander/Other. The share of Native American/Other residents in San Diego County is comparable to the share in California overall, where 1.2% of the population is Native American/Other. San Diego County ranks 38th statewide in terms of Native American/Other residents as a share of the population, out of 58 counties.

Since the 2020 Census, San Diego County's Native American/Other population has declined by an estimated 9.5%. Native American/Other residents' share of San Diego County's population has remained roughly unchanged at 1.2%.

San Diego County is more Native American/Other than neighboring Orange County (0.9% Native American/Other), Imperial County (0.8% Native American/Other), Los Angeles County (1% Native American/Other), and San Bernardino County (1.1% Native American/Other).

San Diego County's Multiracial Population

174,700 residents of San Diego County, or 5.3% of the population, identify as Multiracial. The share of Multiracial residents in San Diego County is comparable to the share in California overall, where 4.4% of the population is Multiracial. San Diego County ranks 30th statewide in terms of Multiracial residents as a share of the population, out of 58 counties.

Since the 2020 Census, San Diego County's Multiracial population has grown by an estimated 4.5%. Multiracial residents' share of San Diego County's population has remained roughly unchanged at 5.3%.

San Diego County is more Multiracial than neighboring Riverside County (3.6% Multiracial), Orange County (4.3% Multiracial), Imperial County (0.9% Multiracial), Los Angeles County (3.5% Multiracial), and San Bernardino County (3.5% Multiracial).

Sources: Most recent population estimates are from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. 2020 population counts and map data are from 2020 Census State Redistricting Data. Geographic data are from Census TIGER/Line Shapefiles.