San Diego County has one of the largest concentrations of military installations in the country. Where you live in relation to your base shapes your commute, your housing allowance and your costs, so it helps to start with a map in your head. This guide lists the main installations by their general location, and gives you quick ways to explore the areas around them.
The main installations
- Naval Base San Diego (32nd Street): on the bay in southeast San Diego, next to National City.
- Naval Air Station North Island and Naval Amphibious Base Coronado: on Coronado, with the amphibious base on the Silver Strand south of the city.
- Naval Base Point Loma: on the Point Loma peninsula, near Ocean Beach and the Sub Base.
- Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego: near the airport and Old Town, close to downtown.
- Naval Medical Center San Diego: at Balboa Park, near downtown.
- Marine Corps Air Station Miramar: in the north-central part of the city, off Interstate 805 and State Route 52.
- Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton: in northern San Diego County, along Interstate 5 next to Oceanside.
How people choose where to live
- The commute: the same distance can take twice as long at rush hour. Use the Commute Check to see the real route at the hours you would travel.
- Your housing allowance: see what a payment near your BAH can carry with the BAH Buying Power Calculator.
- The neighborhood: use the Neighborhood Match quiz to find ZIP codes that fit your budget and lifestyle, and the ZIP code affordability table to see typical prices.
- Schools, if you have children: check the district for each address, as described in our moving-in checklist.
Buying with a VA loan
Many service members use the VA home loan benefit. See orders to keys: a PCS timeline, the VA appraisal requirements and funding fee exemptions. Rudy helps buyers use the VA home loan benefit and can help you compare neighborhoods near your base.
Talk to a lender. Rates, loan programs and approvals come from lenders, not from websites or real estate agents. Talk to your own mortgage broker, or use our preferred lender, Point Mortgage Corporation (NMLS #231073), at (619) 475-4095. You are always free to choose any lender you like, and you can verify any lender’s license at nmlsconsumeraccess.org.
General information, not legal, tax or lending advice. Programs, rules and rates change, so confirm current details with the official source, your lender and your advisors. Base locations are general; always use your command's official guidance for gates, hours and access.
More guides
- The Best Time to Buy or Sell in San Diego, Month by Month — Charts and numbers show which months San Diego homes sell most, when prices peak and when buyers have the most room to negotiate.
- Printable Neighborhood Sheets by ZIP Code — A one-page, printable snapshot of any San Diego County ZIP code: typical values, rent, days to sell, income and the age of homes.
- Questions to Ask a Mortgage Lender Before You Choose One — A printable list of questions that help you compare lenders on equal footing, and what to look for on the Loan Estimate.
- HOA Dues and Mello-Roos Taxes: What They Are and What to Ask — Two costs that sit outside the mortgage and change what a home really costs each month, with the documents to request before you buy.