The Point Loma neighborhood is a gorgeous beach town characterized by its laid back attitude, beautiful ocean views, the flurry of naval activities, and historic monuments paying tribute to the US armed forces. With proximity and connectivity to most of San Diego's city areas, a well-established business and education environment, and attractive real estate, Point Loma is a dream neighborhood of many a California resident.

Geography and Climate

The Point Loma neighborhood rests atop a scenic hill in the San Diego Bay area. It is a long peninsula, enveloping the entrance to the San Diego Bay. On the West, it is bordered by the Pacific Ocean and on the East, by the San Diego Bay. Views to the East show the skyline of Downtown San Diego, the Cuyamaca mountains, and the Bay. To the South, Mexico stretches down, and to the West, the Pacific Ocean extends beyond the horizon. A ridge erupts on this peninsula, rises over 50 feet, and falls back sloping to the water on either side.
Like most of San Diego, the climate is balmy and pleasant. The table below indicates climate and rainfall averages for Point Loma, based on a 30-year period from 1971 to 2000.

Demography

The Point Loma neighborhood hosts a community of about 18,500 residents. The population density is more than 3,300 residents per square mile, indicating that the area is thickly populated. More than 92% of the population comprises of Whites and the rest comprises of Hispanics, African Americans and Asians. People are well-educated, as can be seen from the statistics below. The household income is $67,328 compared to the US average of $44,684, indicating that the neighborhood is more affluent than average neighborhoods. The per capita income is $35,704.

Attractions

The key attraction to Point Loma is The Cabrillo National Monument, celebrating the landing of Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo at San Diego Bay on September 28, 1542. Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo of Spain was the first European explorer to see San Diego Bay. A heroic statue of Cabrillo looks out over the Bay, from where one gets a superb view of San Diego's harbor and skyline. The annual Cabrillo Festival Open House is held each October on Sunday. At the highest point of the Cabrillo National Monument Park, stands the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, the historic lighthouse that guided ships through the San Diego Bay from 1855 to 1891. Today, the interiors of the lighthouse have been refurbished to its historic 1880s appearance. In a former army building an exhibit tells the story of the coast artillery on Point Loma and commemorates the US armed forces at work and its fallen heroes. In the winter, migrating gray whales can be seen off the coast. On the West side of the park, a quiet place to reflect and relax, is a small but beautiful stretch of rocky inter-tidal coastline. The Point Loma Tide Pool, on the Western edge of the The Cabrillo National Monument, is host to a myriad of tidal creatures such as Octopus, Sea Anemone, Sculpin, Starfish, Lobster, Abalone, Crabs and many more.

Point Loma also boasts Shelter Island, a man made peninsula, with its beautiful marinas and many charter companies for tours to deep sea fishing. Views from this point are possibly some of the greatest harbor views in the world. The island is the home of the San Diego Yacht Club, host to America's Cup as well as several marinas, hotels and restaurants.
Point Loma is also home to the San Diego Sports Arena, the popular rock concert venue SOMA, many hotels and the former United States Naval Training Center (NTC). Today the NTC, now known as Liberty Station, is a 361-acre mixed use redevelopment project that includes residential, office, retail, educational, and civic, arts and cultural districts. It also includes a 9-hole golf course, a 46-acre waterfront park and a 100-acre historic district on the National Register of Historic Places. The Corky McMillin Companies, the Point Loma Naval Submarine Base at the end of Rosecrans Boulevard, is still in operation.

The Point Loma neighborhood is also well-known for its beautiful views. On one side of the mountain there are sunset cliffs where you can overlook the ocean while walking, biking or chatting with the locals. On the other side there are Bay views of Downtown and Coronado. Surfing, sailing, swimming, boating and other water sports are also popular here, and dolphins and seals can be spotted often. There are also parks and trails along the coast and within the canyon with breathtaking views.

Business and Education

Point Loma nurtures many unique local businesses. The unemployment rate is 4.40%, less than the US average of 5%, whereas the 2005 job growth rate is 2.98%, higher than the US average of 1.30%. Experts peg the future job growth rate at 19.18%, more than double the US future job growth average of 9.06%. It takes an average of 20 minutes to commute to work and public transport is also readily available. San Diego Downtown, the vibrant business and entertainment district of San Diego, is also close by.

This Oceanside community is also home to the Point Loma Nazarene University. Schools rank in the 70th percentile in the state. Below-mentioned statistics by Sperling's Best Places indicate the better standard of schooling compared to national averages.

With about 265 physicians per capita in the Point Loma neighborhood, compared to 170 in the United States the quality of health management services is better too.

Point Loma Real Estate

About 70% of the Point Loma real estate was built between 1950 and 1980. Silvergate and La Playa are the upscale areas of the neighborhood. Apartments and condos account for about one third of Point Loma's housing. Many Point Loma homes are upscale and some construction dates back to the 1920s and 1930s. Most homes in Point Loma are large, many have views, and each home has an individual charm.

Currently, there are 51 condos and 127 detached homes in Point Loma that are available. The median home price is $ 1,180,022 whereas the average price is $ 850,000, indicating that the market is premium. However, experts peg the market to be strongly in favor of buyers, indicating that the present is a good time to invest.

Indeed, with its idyllic setting, ocean-village atmosphere, well-established business and education and enviable real estate, Point Loma is a dream residential neighborhood of many an American family.