10 towns within about an hour of the main post area: drive time, rent, home values and the school district for each.
The green or red number is an E-5 with dependents' 2026 BAH ($3,975) minus that town's median 2-bedroom rent. Check your own pay grade.
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,533 a month
San Diego City Unified School District: 175 schools, 95,492 students, 22.3 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,834 a month
Santee School District (high school: Grossmont Union High School District): 11 schools, 6,159 students, 23.2 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$474 a month
Del Mar Union Elementary School District (high school: San Dieguito Union High School District): 9 schools, 3,662 students, 20 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,758 a month
La Mesa-Spring Valley School District (high school: Grossmont Union High School District): 22 schools, 10,684 students, 23.4 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$474 a month
Solana Beach Elementary School District (high school: San Dieguito Union High School District): 7 schools, 2,730 students, 22.8 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,824 a month
Poway Unified School District: 39 schools, 34,935 students, 23.3 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$2,024 a month
Cajon Valley Union Elementary School District (high school: Grossmont Union High School District): 26 schools, 15,607 students, 24.4 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$2,044 a month
Lemon Grove Elementary School District (high school: Grossmont Union High School District): 8 schools, 3,122 students, 22.1 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median rent: +$474 a month
Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School District (high school: San Dieguito Union High School District): 2 schools, 543 students, 13.6 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,887 a month
Escondido Union Elementary School District (high school: Escondido Union High School District): 24 schools, 14,173 students, 17.5 students per teacher. District facts
Updated October 12, 2026. How we get our numbers.
San Diego, CA is about 13 minutes from the main post area (6.4 road miles) without traffic.
El Cajon, CA, where the Census median rent is $1,856 a month (rent plus utilities, 2020-2024 average). New leases usually cost more than the median, so check current listings too.
For an E-5 with dependents the 2026 DoD BAH is $3,975 a month. That is at or above the Census median 2-bedroom rent in 9 of the 9 towns here with a Census figure for that size, with the most left over in Lemon Grove, CA.
San Diego City Unified School District, with 175 schools and 95,492 students (22.3 students per teacher), from the NCES Common Core of Data. Always confirm the school for a specific address with the district.