Rancho San Diego, California Rancho San Diego, California Rancho San Diego is a census-designated place (CDP) in San Diego County, California. The population was 21,208 at the 2010 census, up from 20,155 at the 2000 census. The area was developed as subdivisions beginning in the 1970s. Rancho San Diego is located at (32.765985, -116.921477). According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all land. The chance of earthquake damage in Rancho San Diego is much lower than California average and is much higher than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Rancho San Diego is
University Heights, San Diego Heights and North Park, additional restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and night clubs are within easy reach. The neighborhood sits in a central San Diego location with a broad spectrum of housing options, from cottages, apartments and condominiums, to million-dollar homes. Downtown, Balboa Park, San Diego Airport, Mission Valley, San Diego State University (SDSU, or "state"), are only a few minutes away. The area was founded in 1888. The name "University" (both for the neighborhood and nearby University Avenue) derives from a plan, originally proposed during the land boom of the 1880s, to build a branch of the University of Southern