Poway, California

Poway is affectionately known as the city in the country. Here, you can enjoy a mix of rural charm and modern convenience. The city’s rolling hills and country landscapes cultivate a sense of peace for residents who care about their relationships with their neighbors but also appreciate being spread out from them. Although it is a slower pace of life, you won’t be without your modern conveniences or entertainment options. Shops and restaurants are plentiful, particularly around Poway Road.

It even has a few locally famous spots, like the historical ambiance of Old Poway Village and Instagram-worthy Potato Chip Rock along the Mt. Woodson Trail (Google it, you’ll see what we’re talking about). If being in a ‘city in the country’ is still a little too much ‘city’ for you, escape further via the area’s 70+ miles of nature trails. Or, if you need a reminder as to why you moved away from ‘all the people,’ take the short drive to the beach or downtown San Diego.

The more rural lifestyle that attracts some to Poway is others' worst nightmare. If you opted for some extra acreage where you can keep horses or grow some of your food, you can also expect to drive 15-20 minutes to get to shops and other conveniences. And even then, you might feel like you need to travel outside of Poway if you’re seeking an upscale grocery store or eatery. Additionally, most who live in Poway don’t work here. You should expect to factor in a commute to Mira Mesa, Scripps Ranch, Sereno Valley, or other nearby areas where companies are more likely to have office space. These realities coupled with Poway’s location just east of the I-15 freeway means you’ll be contending with some traffic during rush hour.

Just to be clear, not everyone is in this boat. If you work from home, commute time isn’t an issue for you. If you opt to live closer to downtown Poway in a more traditional neighborhood with sidewalks, then you will be able to walk to shops and things without any issue. If you have kids, you’ll find an abundance of parks and outdoor activities to enjoy together. But if you’re expecting to move to this popular San Diego suburb and find many of your urban favorites or decent public transportation, you’re going to be disappointed.

This used to be the type of place you could ride your horse to your favorite bar and nobody would bat and eye. Ok, we’re being dramatic, but hear us out. There’s a little tension in Poway between the folks that want it to remain “the city in the country” and the more recent transplants who expect the amenities and restaurant choices to reflect the high-end price of their $1.4 million home. In other words, the newbies wouldn’t mind a Whole Foods and a fancy date night spot while the oldies think things were fine just the way they were.

However, everyone can agree that the connection to nature makes Poway a special place. Families and individuals alike love the city’s patchwork of parks. You can go horseback riding, cast a line on Lake Poway, or cycle on city trails. While temperatures do typically get about 10 degrees hotter in the summers compared to the coast just 20 miles west, they don’t prohibit folks from getting outside and enjoying the simple beauty of their surroundings.

Families come to Poway for the school system, and additionally, for the high school athletics. The Poway Unified School District’s 39 schools serve 36,000 students. Niche.com commends the district with an “A+” overall rating and GreatSchools.com gave most of the schools an 8 or 9/10 score.

Parents can rest easy that no matter where they live in Poway, they have a high probability of their child receiving an above-average education from the district’s 27 elementary schools, 8 middle schools, and 7 high schools. Poway High School, in particular, is applauded for its superb athletics program which has produced several professional athletes over the years. Students can expect to achieve above-average rankings in all their core subjects plus get to explore and stretch their capabilities in agriculture, architectural design, computer animation, automobile repair, music, and more.

If you’re looking for religiously oriented private school options, Poway has those too. Two top-rated Christian options, The Cambridge School and Cathedral Catholic High School, are relatively easy driving distances. You’ll also find that San Diego Jewish Academy and the all-girls Torah High School of San Diego provide impressive education.