Data last updated
What the numbers say about National City
Consumer prices in the San Diego-Carlsbad MSA were up 4.7% over the year to September 2026, on the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index for the San Diego-Carlsbad MSA.
Across the categories the Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks for the San Diego-Carlsbad MSA, recreation and education rose fastest at +8.5%, while food rose least at +2.4%.
Shelter costs specifically moved +3.0%, slower than the all-items figure.
HUD's Fair Market Rent for the San Diego-Carlsbad MSA is $2,459 for a one-bedroom and $3,001 for a two-bedroom, as of January 2026.
Official figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and HUD Fair Market Rents.
The index figures in the cards above each carry their own base year and are not comparable to one another. Only the year-over-year changes described here compare like with like.
Data Sources & Methodology
Consumer Price Index (CPI)
CPI data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS CPI-U series), San Diego-Carlsbad MSA, monthly frequency.
Rental Costs
Fair Market Rents from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), annual frequency, for the San Diego-Carlsbad MSA (all of San Diego County). A Fair Market Rent is HUD's standard for its area, not an average of listed rents.
Income
Median household income from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), most recently available year.
Computed Metrics
- Rent-to-Income: Annual 2BR rent as percentage of median household income
Data last refreshed: September 1, 2026. This page is updated monthly with the latest available government data. Home prices are not shown: we publish market prices only as reported by real estate boards. All data is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice.