Escondido

Settled in a long valley in the coastal mountains of Southern California, Escondido provides a thriving 34 square mile urban environment in the midst of gentle rolling hills and avocado, tomatoes and citrus groves. Escondido lies about 18 miles inland of the Pacific Ocean via CA-78 and 31 miles northeast of San Diego via I-15.

Inland North San Diego County, of which Escondido is at the core, is emerging as a regional economic leader in the forefront of job development and new industries.

The City of Escondido is a vibrant and diverse community of more than 138,015 [2003] people. The City's economic base is made up largely of successful small businesses, many of which are family-owned.

The cultural oasis of the City's redevelopment efforts is the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, which attracts more than 270,000 visitors from San Diego and surrounding regions each year and provides a significant boost to an already healthy economy. The Center is conveniently located in a charming downtown area, adjacent to historic Grape Day Park.

Escondido is a wonderful place to visit, live, work, play, or do business, and provides a business-friendly environment.

Incorporated:

October 8, 1888

 

Elevation:

800 ft. - 1,000 ft.
(over 2,100 ft. on top of Burnt Mountain in Daley Ranch)

 

Size:

 

City Limits

23,379.43 acres; 36.53 sq. miles

Industrially Zoned Properties

1,202 acres

 

 

 

 

 

 

Housing Types:**

 

Single-Family Homes

22,250

Multifamily (Apts.)

16,810

Mobile homes

3,748

45,808 housing units in 2003 

The city of Escondido boasts a 52% owner occupation rate of its single-family homes. The city also boasts the lowest median cost of homes in the North County area, including the county as a whole. Additionally, the city has a wide-ranging rental market.

The location of Escondido was first identified and discovered by Juan Bautista de Anza, a Spanish explorer, in 1776. Later, the area became part of the Rancho Rincon del Diablo (the devil's corner) land grant bestowed to Juan Bautista Alvarado in 1843 by Mexican Governor Manuel Micheltoren. In 1886, the Escondido Land and Title Company acquired the land grant, laid out the town site, and divided the valley into small farms suitable for grapes or citrus.

On October 8, 1888, the city was incorporated and its voters elected a council, clerk, treasurer, and marshal. Today, Escondido is a full-service, general-law city with five council members elected at large. Escondido operates under the Council-Manager form of government.

The City of Escondido offers a wide variety of outdoor recreational opportunities. These include camping, fishing, picnicking, hiking, mountain biking, and boating, just to name a few. The City maintains a number of different facilities, including Dixon Lake, Lake Wohlford, Daley Ranch, Lake Hodges and nine urban park facilities. Each facility provides users with a multitude of unique resources.

Education:

Escondido Union Elementary School District
Escondido Union High School District
Palomar College


FAQ's:

 

Cable, Utilities, Water
Contact Us

Hospital, Post Offices, Transportation, Cemetary
Relocating to Escondido
Retiring in Escondido
Trash & Recycling Household Hazardous Waste

Parks and Pools:

Boundless Playground
El Norte Park
Felicita County Park
Grape Day Park

James A. Stone Municipal Swimming Pool
Jesmond Dene Park

Kit Carson Park

            Mayflower Dog Park
            Mountain View Park
            Rod McLeod Park
            Staphanie Lagunas Youth Activity Area
            Washington Park and Pool
            Westside Park
 

For more information on Escondido please visit www.escondidochamber.org