Commercial Real Estate Market in La Jolla, CA
Updated monthly: sale, lease, property records, location trend, and more… · Last update: September 30
1,877 active listings and 24,880 off-market properties in La Jolla, CA. Commercial property asks $588/SF to buy and $24.18/SF/Yr to lease.
Market Trends
La Jolla, CA spans 13.1 square miles in San Diego County, California. Figures below refresh monthly; last updated 30 September 2026.
Office
Office vacancy in La Jolla, CA runs 20.8% across the West region in 2025, up from 11% in 2019.
Vacancy Rate % in West region
Retail
Retail vacancy in La Jolla, CA runs 5.8% across the West region in 2025, down from 7% in 2020.
Vacancy Rate % in West region
Industrial
Industrial vacancy in La Jolla, CA runs 7.9% across the West region in 2025, up from 3.7% in 2019. Nearly 3.2x the 2022 low of 2.5%.
Vacancy Rate % in West region
Multifamily
Multifamily space in La Jolla, CA asks $702/SF to buy. Vacancy runs 8.6% across the West region in 2025, up from 7% in 2022.
Average Sale Price $/SF
Listings
Vacancy Rate % in West region
Market overview
Demographics & Economy
La Jolla, CA has 51,587 residents in 19,738 households. Density runs 3,947 people per square mile. Median household income here is $141,822 and median gross rent $2,632 a month.
51,587
Population
19,738
Households
2.6
Avg Household Size
32
Median Age
80%
College-Educated
99%
High-School Grad
13.1 sq mi
ZIP Area
3,947
Density / Sq Mi
$141,822
Median Household Income
$52,627
Median Earnings
$2,632
Median Rent
$1,857,800
Median Home Value
Tools
Lease vs Buy Breakeven
At $24.18/SF/Yr lease vs $588/SF buy → buying wins if held > 18.9 years.
At a 4.1% gross asking yield the payback reads short relative to leasing. Assumes 30% down at 6.5% fixed, 2% a year in taxes and upkeep, 3% appreciation, 5% opportunity cost, 2% closing plus 5% selling costs, and a 3% annual rent escalator.
Nearby Markets
| Market | Average Sale Price, $/SF | Average Lease Price, $/SF/Yr |
|---|---|---|
| Del Mar | — | — |
| Solana Beach | — | — |
| San Diego | — | $24.18 |
| Coronado | — | — |
Commercial property in La Jolla, CA asks $588/SF.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average price per square foot for commercial property in La Jolla?
Commercial property in La Jolla, CA asks an average of $588 per square foot. The 6 most recent recorded sales traded at a median of $569/SF, so asking sits 3% above the achieved median. Multifamily carries the highest asking price at $702/SF.
How much does it cost to lease commercial space in La Jolla?
Asking lease rates in La Jolla, CA average $24.18 per square foot per year.
Is it cheaper to lease or buy commercial space in La Jolla?
Buying beats leasing in La Jolla, CA if the property is held longer than 18.9 years, comparing $24.18/SF/Yr asking rent with $588/SF asking price. The model assumes 30% down at 6.5% fixed, 2% of value per year in taxes and upkeep, 3% appreciation, 5% opportunity cost on the cash and a 3% annual rent escalator.
Where does Realmo's La Jolla market data come from?
Realmo compiles La Jolla, CA figures from 8 recent recorded sales, 854 active sale listings, 1,023 active lease listings, 24,880 tracked off-market properties. Sale and lease figures refresh monthly; vacancy annually. Last updated 30 September 2026.
Methodology & data sources
- Asking prices and averages
- Computed from 854 active for-sale and 1,023 active for-lease listings in La Jolla, CA. These are ASKING figures from live listings, not closed-transaction prices, and a segment carried by a handful of listings reads as indicative rather than an average.
- Vacancy rates
- Published per-sector market series, taken at the metro level where one exists and otherwise at the Census-region level — a chart reading "in <region> region" is a regional number, not this city's.
- Refresh
- The monthly aggregates close at the end of the previous month, so 30 September 2026 — not today — is the honest last update.
- Known limitations
- office vacancy is reported at West region level, retail vacancy is reported at West region level and industrial vacancy is reported at West region level.
- Coverage
- Metrics below the 10-observation threshold fall back one geographic level. The geography used is named on each figure.
Compiled by the Realmo Data team · reviewed 30 September 2026 · How Realmo checks market page data · Report a data issue
