Priced Out and on Edge: First San Diego Vital Signs Survey
San Diego County residents value life in the region, but affordability pressures, doubts about local government and uncertainty about the future are clouding their outlook, according to the first San Diego Vital Signs poll, a new monthly survey of what San Diego County residents think and feel about where they live.
The ongoing survey is a collaboration between nationally recognized scholar and polling expert Tom K. Wong, Ph.D. and J. Walcher Communications, specializing in communicating real data and human stories.
The survey of 800 county adults reveals a growing tension: San Diegans are personally content even as they worry about where the region is headed. Seventy-three percent say they’re very happy or pretty happy with their lives, and 57% rate San Diego County’s quality of life as good or excellent – but 52% say the county is headed on the wrong track and just 26% think the county will be better off in five years.
“These issues don’t exist in isolation, and that’s the point of doing the San Diego Vital Signs Survey every month instead of once,” said Wong. “People’s attitudes change, and the survey is built to track what San Diegans think and are experiencing over time.”
Cost of living and housing were named by 4 out of 10 residents as the single biggest problem facing San Diego County – more than homelessness, crime and immigration combined. Four out of 10 San Diegans also say they’ve cut back on basic expenses in the past year, most often groceries (65%), entertainment (64%) and utilities (50%).
On immigration, residents draw a clear line on whether local authorities should notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when releasing someone from custody. A slim majority (55%) support notifying police for immigrants in the country illegally who have been convicted of a serious or violent felony, but support falls to 33% when there is no such conviction.
On homelessness, San Diegans favor treatment over punishment. Of 11 possible responses surveyed, mental health and addiction treatment (76%) and permanent supportive housing (69%) drew the most support. Arresting people for camping in public drew the least, at 44%.
“With affordability, immigration and a crowded November ballot at play, San Diego County needs a steady, trustworthy read on where residents stand. This survey helps fill the local data gap every month,” said Sandy Young, CEO and owner of J. Walcher Communications. “San Diego Vital Signs sets the baseline that reporters, campaigns and community leaders will be watching all fall.”
San Diego Vital Signs will poll monthly through the November election and continue on a regular cadence afterward, tracking cost of living, housing, local government, immigration and residents’ overall well-being, alongside new questions tied to the news cycle. The survey is a mixed-mode, probability-based study of 800 San Diego County adults, weighted to reflect the county’s adult population. Results are nonpartisan and independently conducted.
The survey is actively seeking funding to keep it running. Please contact press@JWalcher.com to learn more.
Full results and data visualizations from the September poll are available:
San Diego Vital Signs Survey, Sept. 2026 Presentation
San Diego Vital Signs Survey Polling Memo, Sept. 2026
San Diego Vital Signs Sept. 2026 Digital Press Kit
San Diego Vital Signs Briefing Recording, Sept. 2026: [To come]
ABOUT TOM K. WONG
A nationally recognized scholar and polling expert, Tom K. Wong Ph.D.has conducted more than 300 public opinion polls, ranging from national and statewide surveys to highly localized research. He is an associate professor of political science and founding director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Center at UC San Diego. A recipient of the ACLU Presidential Prize, Wong has also advised the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and served on California’s 2020 Census Complete Count Committee.
ABOUT J. WALCHER COMMUNICATIONS
J. Walcher Communications is a top public relations and marketing communications agency that specializes in communicating real data and human stories. Celebrating its 25th anniversary of telling stories throughout San Diego County and nationwide, the agency works with a range of industries including real estate development, professional services, hospitality, sports/ entertainment, consumer products, nonprofits and associations, social justice and more.
Services include media relations, community relations, social media and digital communications, crisis communications, marketing and branding, advertising, Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and media training to local, regional and national clients. The company is listed by Forbes as one of the “Best PR Agencies” in the U.S. For more information, visit www.jwalcher.com or follow on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok.
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