Median Income
$106,433
household / year
Median Home Value
$758,900
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,925
gross / month
Cost of Living
112
national avg = 100

Is Alpine, CA a Good Place to Live?

Alpine is a small city of 15,911 in California, with a median household income of $106,433 and a 5.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.

Strengths: Alpine's profile is close to national averages across most measures.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Alpine is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Alpine city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 111.5

Alpine's overall cost of living index is 111.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Alpine costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.

Metric Alpine, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $758,900 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,925 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 71.3% 65.9%
Median Household Income $106,433 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Alpine's violent crime rate is 376.7 per 100,000 residents — 1% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
376.7 /100k
Property Crime
1373.6 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Alpine is served primarily by Alpine Union Elementary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.1:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Alpine, CA National Avg
School District Alpine Union Elementary —
Elementary Schools 4 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio 21.1:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 32.0% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 96.3% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Alpine sees average highs of 63.9°F in January and 86.7°F in July, with 16.1 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricAlpine, CA
Average High — January63.9°F
Average High — July86.7°F
Annual Precipitation16.1"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricAlpine, CANational Avg
Population15,911—
Median Age41.838.9
Unemployment Rate5.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time28.8 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)79.5%59.3%
Black or African American1.9%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino12.8%18.9%
Asian2.1%6.3%
Under 1822.9%22.2%
65 and over17.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Harbison Canyon, CA 5 mi Crest, CA 7 mi Descanso, CA 8 mi Lakeside CDP (San Diego County), CA 9 mi Granite Hills, CA 9 mi

ZIP Codes in Alpine

Alpine, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

91901

Alpine vs Other Cities

Alpine, CA vs Harbison Canyon, CA Alpine, CA vs Crest, CA Alpine, CA vs Descanso, CA Alpine, CA vs Lakeside CDP (San Diego County), CA Alpine, CA vs Granite Hills, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Alpine's cost of living index is 112, where 100 is the national average. That puts Alpine roughly 12% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $758,900 and median rent is $1,925/month.
Alpine's violent crime rate is 376.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1373.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Alpine are operated by Alpine Union Elementary. The district has 4 elementary, 1 middle, and several high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.1:1. 32.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Alpine, CA has a population of 15,911, a median household income of $106,433, and an unemployment rate of 5.9%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Alpine averages 63.9°F in January and 86.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 16.1 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Alpine, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 91901.
The population of Alpine, California is 15,911 with a median age of 41.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Alpine: cost of living index 112 (100 = US average), median home $758,900, median household income $106,433, crime index 86 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Alpine side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.