Lovely, temperate, and picturesque San Diego is home to several military installations and has one of the nation’s largest veteran populations. Naval Base San Diego is homeport for the Pacific Fleet and there are almost 50 Navy ships, a Coast Guard cutter and many auxiliary vessels docked in the San Diego Bay. In all, there are 213 individual commands on 1,600 acres of land and 326 acres of water. Naval Base San Diego falls under the headquarters umbrella of the Navy Region Southwest (NRSW) which is in charge of shore installation management for California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. The NRSW headquarters is just a few miles north of base, in Downtown San Diego.

Naval Base San Diego is on the San Diego Bay, directly across from Coronado. It occupies what was once a civilian shipbuilding coalition where several companies set up shop in 1918. The decline in profits after World War I prompted the sale of the land to the U.S. Navy, and by 1922 the site was a functioning Navy repair facility. The base has had several missions and was renamed half a dozen times, but is most commonly known as “32nd Street” because of its location.

The high cost of living and housing expenses drive a lot of families to try to live on base. There are several privatized base housing communities located throughout San Diego, and some are even oceanfront. While base housing is a popular choice, there is usually a wait list, and it is by no means the only way to go.

There are generally two schools of thought on where to live in San Diego. Those with school-aged children or large families tend to look inland for larger homes and a lower price-per-square-foot. Young couples, singles, or those with small children (or willing to sacrifice home size for proximity to the water) try to live as close to the coast as possible. Even if you aren’t on the beach, you’ll want to try and position yourself close to a highway that can get you there quickly!

Schools are a big consideration for those with children, and we have listed some of your choices for each area. Charter schools are very popular and they come in all variety of educational models. Be sure to visit our San Diego locale page for more details on schools.