A town of about 22,131 people in San Diego County, part of the San Diego area. Resident comments and photos are about Winter Gardens; job numbers cover the wider area.
Each grade compares this area with all 813 U.S. metro and small-town areas: A is the top 20%, F the bottom 20%. Cost compares everyday prices with the U.S. average. Varro doesn't grade safety; crime facts are further down. Graded on the San Diego area's numbers.
Scored the same way as the quiz, against 813 U.S. metro areas. A feel is listed when Winter Gardens scores 70 or higher out of 100.
Less so: cozy, growing.
Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.
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Within 5 miles of Winter Gardens's center.
None found within 5 miles: hospitals.
Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Within 5 miles of the center of Winter Gardens.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.
Nearest hospital with an emergency room: Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa, about 6 miles away in a straight line.
Of about 2,806 rented homes in Winter Gardens, 62% rent for under $2,000 a month and 95% for under $3,000.
Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.
Average cost: $1,946
From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.
The middle rented home in Winter Gardens rents for $1,500 to $1,999 a month. Before you get the keys, expect about $3,000 to $3,998 for first month plus a deposit, or up to $4,500 to $5,997 where landlords also ask for last month.
Many landlords want your income to be about 3 times the rent. For $1,500 to $1,999, that's a yearly income of about $54,000 to $71,964.
Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.
42 public school districts in this county, with about 392,139 students in all. The county also has 120 public charter schools and 179 private schools. Which public school serves a home depends on its address.
Straight-line miles from the center of Winter Gardens, nearest first. Being closest doesn't mean a school serves a given home. "Passed the state test" is the share of students who scored proficient or better on California's own reading and math tests in the 2021-22 school year, the latest year the U.S. Department of Education has published for every school. Each state sets its own test and passing bar, so compare schools within the same state, not across states. Test results track family income closely and leave out a lot (teachers, programs, how a school fits your child). For newer results, see the state's school report card.
School choice: state law as summarized by the Education Commission of the States, 50-State Comparison: Open Enrollment Policies (2022). Pre-K: share of children in state-funded pre-K, National Institute for Early Education Research, State of Preschool 2025 Yearbook (2024-25 school year).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, 2026 determinations on state implementation of IDEA Part B (issued June 18, 2026).
NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Private schools: NCES Private School Survey, 2021-22. Varro doesn't rank single schools. The area's Schools grade at the top of the page compares its test pass rates with the rest of the state only. For programs and newer results, see each district's site and the state's school report card.
California keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.
| Age | Daycare center | Home daycare |
|---|---|---|
| Infant (under 2) | $379/week about $19,700 a year | $251/week about $13,100 a year |
| Toddler (2) | $269/week about $14,000 a year | |
| Preschool (3 to 4) | $243/week about $12,600 a year | $238/week about $12,400 a year |
| School-age | $219/week about $11,400 a year |
For an infant at a center: $379/week here, $371 across CA, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 18% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.
25 colleges in the county around Winter Gardens. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.
Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.
IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.