The Good, the Bad & the Unequal

Three lenses on the same data. The Good collects areas where San Diego youth have made real progress. The Bad gathers the indicators that are flat or worsening. The Unequal shows where outcomes differ sharply by race, sex, immigration status, disability, age, or sexual orientation. Each finding links to the chart and source behind it.

Areas of Progress — The Good

  • Preschool enrollment in San Diego County held stable, ranging from 52% in 2005 to 56% in 2023. After a dip to 38% in 2021 during the pandemic, the rate recovered to 56%.
  • High-poverty school attendance has fallen substantially: Black students in the County attended high-poverty schools at less than half their 2014 rate by 2022, and Hispanic students saw a 73% decrease, with a similar decline in the City from higher baselines.
  • High school completion rose from 84% to over 95% in San Diego County by 2023; the City of San Diego’s rate was 96%.
  • College enrollment in the County climbed from 56% in 2005 to 64% in 2023, recovering above 2019 levels after a brief dip.
  • Residential stability reached 90% of San Diego County youth in 2023, up from 83% in 2005.
  • Employment was high: 90% of County young adults in the labor force were employed in 2023.
  • Health insurance coverage reached 97% of County youth in 2023, up from 88% in 2008, with disparities by race and immigration status narrowing to small differences.
  • Cigarette use declined substantially over time: frequent cigarette use among SDUSD students has all but stopped, falling from 4% in 2005 to 0.5% in 2021.
  • These are highlights. Explore every metric under Browse by topic.

Areas of Concern — The Bad

  • Standardized test scores in English and math decreased after COVID-19 at both the city and county levels and had not recovered as of 2023.
  • Student homelessness rose from 2021 to 2023 — over 9,000 students in the City of San Diego and over 21,000 in the County.
  • Family-sustaining wages reached only about half of County youth in 2023, a slight decrease from 54% in 2008.
  • Self-sufficient wages among young adults fell from 20% in 2008 to 9% in 2023.
  • Sufficient sleep reached only about 30% of SDUSD students in 2023, leaving a majority short of recommended levels.
  • Daily breakfast was eaten by only about one-third of SDUSD students.
  • Daily physical activity reached just 19% of SDUSD students in 2023 — below the US rate (25%) and down from a decade earlier.
  • Youth drinking rose since 2021, especially among students 18 and older, White and multiracial students, and bisexual, gay, and lesbian students, even as the long-term trend declined.
  • Vape use was reported by about 14% of SDUSD students in 2023.
  • Poor mental health was reported by 28% of SDUSD students in 2023.
  • Suicidal ideation rose from 2005 levels: 21% of students seriously considered suicide in 2023, and about 10% reported an attempt.
  • Skipping school over safety rose to 10% of SDUSD students in 2023, up from 6% in 2021.
  • Bullying on school property rose from 12% in 2021 to 17% in 2023.
  • Sexual teen dating violence rose from 10% in 2013 to 15% in 2023, even as the national average fell to 6%.
  • Peer isolation reached almost 40% of SDUSD high school students in 2023, up from 31% in 2019.
  • Binge drinking rose from 10% in 2017 to 12% of SDUSD students in 2023.
  • STD testing was lacking: 88% of sexually active students reported no STD test in 2023.
  • Texting while driving was reported by about one-third of SDUSD students in 2023.
  • These are highlights. Explore every metric under Browse by topic.

Areas of Inequality — The Unequal

  • Preschool enrollment differed by race: 57% for White versus 49% for Hispanic County residents in 2023, with Hispanic 3- and 4-year-olds among the lowest for nearly a decade.
  • Standardized test scores varied widely: more than three-quarters of Asian students met or exceeded ELA standards in 2023 versus 37% of Black and Indigenous students; immigrants and students with disabilities passed at less than half the rate of their peers. Gaps were similar in math and in the City.
  • College enrollment and completion showed wide racial gaps (88% for AANHPI versus 46% for Black young adults in 2023) and a widening gap by sex (73% women, 57% men).
  • Family-sustaining wages varied by race (68% of White youth versus 22% of Black youth) and immigrant status (50% non-immigrant, 34% immigrant).
  • Low birth weight varied by race: 13% of Black mothers in the County had a low-birth-weight baby in 2023, versus 5% of White mothers.
  • Substance use varied by sex and orientation: SDUSD girls vaped at nearly twice the rate of boys, and bisexual students at twice the rate of heterosexual peers; current drinking followed the same pattern, with girls and bisexual, gay, and lesbian students at highest risk.
  • Poor mental health varied widely: 60% of students of some “other” sexual orientation reported it in 2023 (the highest-risk group), nearly half of gay, lesbian, and bisexual students reported the same versus 21% of heterosexual students, girls were at more than double the rate of boys (38% versus 19%), and 42% of multiracial students reported it versus 28% on average.
  • Suicidal ideation was strongly related to gender and orientation: 15% of boys versus 27% of girls in 2023, and 14% of heterosexual students versus a range of 30% (questioning) to 46% (“other”) for LGBTQIA+ students.
  • Skipping school over safety reached 15% among gay, lesbian, and “other” students versus 9% of heterosexual students in 2023.
  • Bullying was highest among the youngest students and gay or lesbian students (30%); 20% of girls versus 14% of boys.
  • Sexual teen dating violence showed big gaps by sex (21% of girls versus 8% of boys in 2023) and orientation (21–28% among LGBTQ+ groups versus just over one-tenth of heterosexual students); White students rose sharply from 12% to 21% between 2021 and 2023.
  • Witnessing neighborhood violence differed by race: 35% of Black students versus 21% of AANHPI students in 2023.
  • Being threatened or injured with a weapon at school: gay or lesbian students were at twice the risk of the average student in 2023.
  • Physical fights at school: 16% of gay or lesbian students versus 7% on average, and 12% of Black students versus 3% of AANHPI students.
  • Peer isolation was most pronounced by race (49% of Black versus 28% of White students) and orientation (56% of gay and lesbian versus 36% of bisexual students).
  • Frequent vape use differed by sex: 6% of girls versus 2% of boys in 2023.
  • Binge drinking ranged from 6% of AANHPI students to 19% of White students; 17% of bisexual students; 15% of girls versus 10% of boys.
  • Texting while driving varied by race: 24% of AANHPI students versus 41% of White students.
  • These are highlights. Explore every metric under Browse by topic.
Last updated: June 2026 Read the full report (PDF)