Naval Base San Diego, California

If you are looking to rent or buy while in San Diego, it is essential to define your priorities. In general, San Diego housing is costly. If you are ok with smaller living spaces (condo, apartment or townhouse) and enjoy the urban lifestyle, you have a lot of options in fun neighborhoods like Downtown, North Park, South Park, Coronado, and Hillcrest. If you want/need more space, a yard, or a good school district; you will need to move farther out from Central San Diego. People speak highly of the school districts in East Lake and Poway. Coronado is a beautiful place to live, but the housing is very expensive. Check out the outside San Diego cities/neighborhoods section for popular and less expensive options.

Downtown Apartments/Condos

• 4th + J
• Market Street Village Apartments
• Pacific Gate Condos (rent or purchase)

There are no schools on the NB San Diego military base, because family housing is spread throughout the city. The San Diego Unified School District (SDUSC) is vast, and covers the entire city of San Diego, and much of the area around MCAS Miramar. South of San Diego is the Chula Vista district. The district rates an A on niche.com so families that make it work living in the city appreciate the quality of the school options.

Through the School Choice program, students can apply to attend any school in the district beginning in November, regardless of where they live, but acceptance is based on space available. The San Diego schools follow two different types of school calendars. Some schools are traditional, with a school year that begins in August and ends in early June. The year-round school schedule begins in late July and runs until the following July, with long breaks in January and April. Pay attention to which calendar your child's school will use, especially if you have more than one child!

San Diego (and Southern California in general) has an extremely high cost of living. Housing is expensive, and San Diego BAH rates are designed to match the average rental costs in the area. San Diego BAH varies depending on rank and whether or not you have dependents. To determine your BAH at Naval Base San Diego, use our BAH calculator.

The San Diego area is not an extremely affordable area to live in or buy a home in. With the median home price of $575,000, the local markets are quite a bit higher than the national average and an increase in rate is inevitable. However, if you don’t mind paying what some refer to as a “Sunshine Tax,” San Diego is a beautiful place to live, work, and play.

Because the San Diego area includes several different military bases, you will find that the resources are often spread out. Military families stationed in the area can attend events or use amenities at any location, including the 32nd Street complex, MCAS Miramar, Coronado NAB, Coronado NAS North Island, and NB Point Loma. There is a large Commissary at 32nd Street with a fresh meat and seafood counter. There is also a smaller Commissary on NAS North Island. There are gyms and swimming pools on each base, and a large family gym in Admiral Hartman housing. There is a bowling alley at 32nd Street and North Island, with a Movie Theater nearby each location. The main medical facility for military families in San Diego is the Naval Medical Center in Balboa Park, called either NMCSD or more commonly Balboa Hospital.

There is seriously so much to do in Southern California. Individuals, couples, and families are all sure to enjoy their time here. From museums to beaches, San Diego has it all. Start in Balboa Park, an open green space near downtown San Diego, where you can find art and history museums, a Shakespeare Theater, a Japanese Garden, and lots of food trucks.

MUSEUMS: San Diego is sporting some serious military museums and memorials. Among the most popular are the USS Midway Museum, The Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum, and the San Diego Air & Space Museum. The USS Midway Museum is housed on the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier. One could spend days here exploring the history through tours, interactive exhibits, and a wide variety of events and activities. The USS Midway is even host to the virtual exhibition, The Wall of Gratitude, in which you can submit a photo of your Service Hero and have them honored with their brothers and sisters in service. The Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum is the only Marine Corps Aviation museum in the nation and worth a visit. Admission and parking are free to see all this unique museum has to offer. The San Diego Air & Space Museum offers an extensive collection of aircraft and spacecrafts from all over the world as well as simulators and special interactive activities for the kiddos. Admission is free for active military.

BEACHES: The San Diego area is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in America, 70 miles of beaches to be exact. Some local favorites are Mission Beach, La Jolla, and Del Mar. Enjoy surfing, bike-riding, or just some relaxation. All of the beaches offer something a little different and you could spend a while exploring all beach life here has to offer.

FOR THE KIDS: If the beaches happen to get boring for the kiddos, there are tons of other things to occupy their time and energy. San Diego is home to the famous San Diego Zoo which you are probably aware of, it’s also home to the 100-year-old Birch Aquarium and the San Diego Zoo Safari. Other excellent attractions for families include; Legoland, Belmont Park, Sea World, and Aquatica. Aside from theme parks, favorite activities include whale watching, seeing the sea lions at La Jolla, or catching a baseball game at Petco Park. With so many options in San Diego it’s hard to not have a good time while stationed here.