16 Oct Study: San Diego ZIP code 92121 ranks tops

There’s no doubt San Diego is a great place to live, but the area’s 92121 ZIP code is getting some extra attention: It’s not only one of the best ZIP codes in San Diego county, but the sixth best in the nation, according to San Diego real estate data compiled by real estate blog Movoto.com.

Movoto used a U.S. Census survey to rank the ZIP codes by factors such as median household incomes, unemployment rates, commute times, house values, rents, high school graduation rates and the amount of families living below the federal poverty line. This particular piece of real estate in San Diego, it turns out, ranks tops.

The site highlighted data such as the area’s culture and history, a 17-minute average commute, low unemployment and a median household income of more than $96,000. It also cited the more than 97 percent high school graduation rate and median owner occupied home values of $587,500 and 3.72 percent unemployment rate. That particular ZIP code cuts a wide swath, stretching from the University of California San Diego, east to Miramar and over to Sorrento Valley and Torrey Pines, and includes bio-tech and tech companies as neighbors, to claim the sixth spot among 28,061 U.S. ZIP codes.

Houston’s 77005 ranked #1, and San Diego was the second California city to claim a top ranking; Sea Ranch, Calif’s 95497 ranked #4.

The second San Diego real estate distinction

Over the summer,  the San Diego city of Encinitas received a dubious distinction from Movoto as one of the 10 “snobbiest small cities” in America. It ranked 8th, tying with Rockville, Mary., and Poway, Calif., also made the top #50. Movoto  reviewed data such as home prices, household incomes, college graduation rates, private schools, performing arts and art galleries, and the number of fast food restaurants.