Neighborhood · City of San Diego neighborhood
Clairemont
Postwar tract housing across four mesas and the canyons between them, now the front line of the missing-middle housing debate.
Population
Median home value
Aug high / Jan low
Clairemont is San Diego's classic postwar suburb, a 13-square-mile spread of ranch houses across the mesas between Mission Bay and Interstate 805. Developers Carlos Tavares and Lou Burgener launched it in 1950 as "The Village Within a City" and named it for Tavares' wife, Claire. The first residents moved in in May 1951, and from 1952 to 1954 builders averaged seven houses a day, making it the largest development of its kind in the nation at the time. Instead of a grid, the plan used winding streets and view lots that follow the canyon rims. With 82,640 residents in SANDAG's 2022 estimate, the Clairemont Mesa planning area is one of the city's most populous. It is really five neighborhoods: North Clairemont, Clairemont Mesa East, Clairemont Mesa West, Bay Park and Bay Ho. Bay Park's slopes look out over Mission Bay; the eastern side borders the Convoy District in Kearny Mesa. Two large canyon preserves shape daily life: the 903-acre Tecolote Canyon Natural Park runs about six miles through the middle, and Marian Bear Memorial Park follows San Clemente Canyon along State Route 52. San Diego Mesa College sits on the mesa's southeastern edge. The original owners who bought in the 1950s are giving way to younger families, and many of the modest single-story houses are being expanded or joined by backyard units. The Blue Line trolley extension along Morena Boulevard and I-5 has added stations on the western edge. Typical values run from just under $1 million in Clairemont Mesa East to more than $1.4 million in Bay Park.
Living here
Draws
- Detached houses with yards closer to the coast than most suburbs
- Two major canyon parks and Mission Bay nearby
- Central location between I-5 and I-805
- Established schools and a strong family base
Tradeoffs
- Typical values near or above $1 million
- Aging 1950s houses often need renovation
- Car-dependent street pattern
- Traffic on Genesee and Balboa at peak hours
Good for: Families and first-time house buyers who want a yard, canyon access and a central commute.
Weather
Clairemont spans a gradient: Bay Park, above Mission Bay, stays close to coastal temperatures, while the eastern mesas near Montgomery Field run a few degrees warmer in summer and cooler on winter nights. May Gray and June Gloom reach the whole community, and fall Santa Ana days bring the hottest weather to the eastern side.
Aug avg high
Jan avg low
Best time to visit: September and October are the warmest, clearest months; winter and spring are best for canyon hikes.
Housing
Typical home value $986,740 (-1.4% year over year)
Predominantly 1950s single-story ranch houses on view lots and canyon-rim streets, many now expanded or with backyard units, plus apartment complexes along the main arterials and condos near Mesa College and Bay Park.
Facts
- Carlos Tavares and Lou Burgener launched Clairemont in 1950 as "The Village Within a City."
- The community is named after Claire Tavares, the developer's wife.
- The first residents moved into Clairemont in May 1951.
- Between 1952 and 1954, builders averaged seven new homes a day, the largest development of its kind in the nation at the time.
- Clairemont covers about 13.3 square miles and includes North Clairemont, Clairemont Mesa East, Clairemont Mesa West, Bay Park and Bay Ho.
- SANDAG estimated the Clairemont Mesa community planning area's population at 82,640 on Jan. 1, 2022.
- Tecolote Canyon Natural Park, 903 acres, was dedicated on April 1, 1978.
- San Diego Unified operates 12 elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools in Clairemont.
Fun facts
- In May 1995 an Army veteran stole an M60A3 tank from a National Guard armory and drove it through nearby streets, crushing about 40 vehicles before police stopped it.
- Clairemont's winding street plan was a deliberate break from the grid, designed to maximize view lots.
- Tecolote means owl, after the birds that live in the canyon.
- Judge Hyde homesteaded in Tecolote Canyon in 1872, long before the suburb arrived.
- Marian Bear Memorial Park, on Clairemont's northern edge, covers 467 acres of San Clemente Canyon.
Getting around
Freeways: I-5, I-805, SR-52
Transit: The Blue Line trolley has stations along Clairemont's western edge; MTS bus routes serve Clairemont Drive, Balboa Avenue, Genesee Avenue and Clairemont Mesa Boulevard.
Parking: Driveways and ample street parking are the norm in this car-oriented suburb.
Walkability: Shopping centers are spaced along arterials, so most errands need a car or bike; canyon trails are the best walking.
Frequently asked
Is Clairemont a good place to live?
Clairemont is a stable, family-oriented suburb of about 82,640 people (SANDAG, 2022) with canyon parks and a central location. Typical values near $1 million and aging houses are the main considerations.
What is the average home price in Clairemont?
Zillow's July 2026 Home Value Index was $986,740 for Clairemont Mesa East, down 1.4% over the year. North Clairemont was $1,051,192, Clairemont Mesa West $1,113,129 and Bay Park $1,430,674.
What is the weather like in Clairemont?
Near Montgomery Field, WeatherSpark's averages show January highs around 66°F and lows around 48°F, and August highs around 80°F. Bay Park, closer to the water, is cooler in summer.
What is Clairemont known for?
It is one of San Diego's largest postwar suburbs, built as "The Village Within a City" beginning in 1950, and for Tecolote Canyon and its views over Mission Bay.
Where did the name Clairemont come from?
Developer Carlos Tavares named the community after his wife, Claire. He and partner Lou Burgener began the project in 1950.
Nearby neighborhoods
Sources
- Wikipedia: Clairemont, San Diego
- City of San Diego Community Planning Group Demographic Data (SANDAG estimates, Jan. 1, 2022)
- Zillow: Clairemont Mesa East home values
- Zillow: Clairemont Mesa West home values
- Zillow: Kearny Mesa home values (nearby comparisons)
- City of San Diego: Tecolote Canyon Natural Park
- Wikipedia: Kearny Mesa, San Diego (1995 tank incident)
- Societe Brewing Company
- WeatherSpark: Average Weather at Montgomery Field Airport