All Countries
Descanso, CA
Full City Profile · California · San Diego County County
3.1
/5.0
B
Good
1,670
Population
87/sq mi density
$125,714
Median Income
$53,639 per capita
$606,100
Home Value
$652,477 Zillow
$3,318
Median Rent
28.5% income on rent
54°F
Avg Temperature
330 sunny days/yr
318
Violent Crime/100K
2,190 property/100K
B
Overall
3.1 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A+
Economy
5.0 / 5.0
$125,714 median income, 0.6% unemployment
B+
Affordability
4.0 / 5.0
$606,100 home value, $3,318/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
318 violent crimes/100K
C+
Education
2.6 / 5.0
20.5% bachelor's degree or higher
Descanso experiences four distinct seasons with an average annual temperature of 54°F (12°C). Winters average 42°F in January while summers reach 71°F in July. The area gets 330 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 30.3 inches. The area receives 19.9 inches of snow annually. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 48.
Temperature
42°F Jan (6°C)
71°F Jul (22°C)
| Annual Average | 54.0°F |
| 0% below US avg | |
| January Average | 42°F (6°C) |
| July Average | 71°F (22°C) |
| Sunny Days | 330 days/yr |
Geography
| Elevation | 3,575 ft (1,090 m) |
| Area | 19.2 sq mi (49.8 km²) |
| Population Density | 87/sq mi |
| Coordinates | 32.8696°N, 116.6279°W |
| Timezone | America/Los_Angeles |
| County | San Diego County County |
| Nearest Airport | San Diego International (SAN) 34 miles away |
Precipitation & Snow
Air Quality
| AQI Median | 48.0 |
| Rating | Good |
Air Pollutants (EPA 2023)
| Ozone (O₃) | 0.0453 ppm |
| NO₂ (Nitrogen Dioxide) | 13.7 ppb |
| SO₂ (Sulfur Dioxide) | 0.07 ppb |
| CO (Carbon Monoxide) | 0.50 ppm |
| PM2.5 (Fine Particles) | 8.4 μg/m³ |
Natural Hazard Risk
| Overall Risk | Very High |
| Risk Score | 99.7 / 100 |
| Social Vulnerability | 24.8 / 100 |
| Community Resilience | 8.3 / 100 |
Hazard Breakdown
| Tornado | Relatively Low |
| Hurricane | Very Low |
| Earthquake | Relatively High |
| Wildfire | Very High |
| Flood | Very High |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate |
| Drought | Relatively Low |
| Cold Wave | Very Low |
| Landslide | Relatively High |
| Coastal Flood | Relatively Moderate |
| Tsunami | Relatively Low |
| Volcano | Very Low |
| Avalanche | Very Low |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (Dec 2025)
Tsunami History
1 tsunami recorded within 500 km. Highest wave on record: 1.2 m (4 ft).
| Year | Location | Cause | Max Wave | Deaths | Distance |
| 1862 | S. CALIFORNIA | Eruption + Earthquake | 1.2 m | — | 57 km |
Source: NOAA/NCEI Historical Tsunami Database. Sorted by wave height.
Nearby Volcanoes
1 volcano within 200 km. Closest: Salton Buttes (101 km).
| Name | Type | Elevation | Last Eruption | Distance |
| Salton Buttes | Lava dome(s) | -40 m (-131 ft) | 210 | 101 km |
Source: Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program (GVP). Sorted by distance.
Monthly Weather
| Month | Avg Temperature | Precipitation | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 42°F (6°C) | 4.5 in | Coldest |
| February | 45°F (7°C) | 4.4 in | |
| March | 47°F (8°C) | 5.0 in | Wettest |
| April | 51°F (11°C) | 1.9 in | |
| May | 56°F (13°C) | 0.7 in | |
| June | 65°F (18°C) | 0.2 in | Driest |
| July | 71°F (22°C) | 0.4 in | |
| August | 71°F (22°C) | 0.8 in | Warmest |
| September | 67°F (19°C) | 0.8 in | |
| October | 58°F (15°C) | 1.0 in | |
| November | 51°F (11°C) | 2.7 in | |
| December | 45°F (7°C) | 3.4 in |
Descanso has a seasonal temperature swing of 29°F / from 42°F in January to 71°F in August. Total annual precipitation is 25.7 inches, with March being the wettest month (5.0") and June the driest (0.2").