Alpine, California

Alpine is a census-designated place (CDP) in the Cuyamaca Mountains of San Diego County, California, United States. Alpine had a population of 14,696 at the 2020 census, up from 14,236 at the 2010 census. The town is largely surrounded by Cleveland National Forest and borders two reservations of the Kumeyaay, Viejas and Sycuan tribes, and the rural unincorporated areas around the city of El Cajon.

History

Before its modern settlement, the area was part of the home of the Kumeyaay Indians, whose ancestors had lived here for possibly as long as 12,000 years.

The community's name was suggested by a resident in the 1880s who said that the environment reminded her of her native country of Switzerland.

The small commercial district along Alpine Boulevard has seen some suburban development in recent decades, and it is surrounded by large stretches of less densely populated rural areas that began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Horse ranches and small farms are still common, along with open chaparral hillsides and riparian canyons.

In 2003, the Cedar Fire ravaged the Alpine area.

Geography

Alpine sits on both sides of Interstate 8 at the eastern extent of the California coastal region and the western extent of the Peninsular Ranges, about east of downtown San Diego, at an elevation of about .

The location of Alpine is not precisely defined since it is an unincorporated area. According to the United States Geological Survey, it is at (32.8350521, -116.7664109), which is near the intersection of Alpine Boulevard and Tavern Road. That is approximately where most maps place Alpine. Kumeyaay tribes are indigenous to the area, and the Ewiiaapaayp Band and Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians both have headquarters in Alpine.

According to the United States Census Bureau, it is at (32.834563, -116.770615), which is approximately west of the USGS location. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , 99.99% land and 0.01% water.

Viejas Mountain is the highest peak in the area, at . Wright's Field is a nature reserve located in Alpine.

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Alpine has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csa" on climate maps. Summers are warm and dry, and winters are cool with moderate precipitation. Temperatures are more extreme than coastal San Diego, similar to nearby El Cajon and Ramona, and less extreme than the nearby mountain and desert regions, such as Julian.

Rainfall averages per year, falling mostly from November to March, with numerous microclimates and annual variation. Rainfall amounts can vary greatly from month to month, or from year to year.

Average January temperatures range from the low 60s in the day to the low 40s at night. Average July temperatures range from upper 80s to the low 90s in the day to the low 60s at night. Highs of over in the summer and lows of under in the winter are occasional, particularly in the northern section of Alpine, on the slopes of Viejas Mountain.

Snowfall is very rare within the town of Alpine, with trace amounts falling once out of every two to three winters. However, light snow commonly falls each winter at elevations above .

Demographics

The 2020 United States census reported that Alpine had a population of 14,696. The population density was . The racial makeup of Alpine was 76.0% White, 1.7% African American, 1.3% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 6.6% from other races, and 11.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.3% of the population.

The census reported that 99.0% of the population lived in households and 1.0% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters.

There were 5,299 households, out of which 32.8% included children under the age of 18, 59.2% were married-couple households, 6.1% were cohabiting couple households, 20.2% had a female householder with no partner present, and 14.5% had a male householder with no partner present. 19.3% of households were one person, and 9.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.75. There were 3,994 families (75.4% of all households).

The age distribution was 21.6% under the age of 18, 7.5% aged 18 to 24, 23.2% aged 25 to 44, 28.8% aged 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 42.7years. For every 100 females, there were 97.7 males.

There were 5,532 housing units at an average density of , of which 5,299 (95.8%) were occupied. Of these, 70.1% were owner-occupied, and 29.9% were occupied by renters.

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that 9.1% of the population were foreign-born. Of all people aged 5 or older, 81.7% spoke only English at home, 12.8% spoke Spanish, 2.7% spoke other Indo-European languages, 2.7% spoke Asian or Pacific Islander languages, and 0.1% spoke other languages. Of those aged 25 or older, 95.3% were high school graduates and 32.5% had a bachelor's degree.

The median household income was $111,723, and the per capita income was $48,125. About 7.8% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line.

Government

In the California State Legislature Alpine is in , and in .

In the United States House of Representatives, Alpine is in .

Education

Alpine is home to the Alpine Union School District, which manages Liberty Charter High School, Joan MacQueen Middle School, Boulder Oaks Elementary School, Shadow Hills Elementary School, and Creekside Early Learning Center.

Notable people

* Being as an Ocean, melodic hardcore band
* Trenton Brooks, current Major League Baseball first baseman for the San Diego Padres
*Sheldon Creed, off-road racing driver and NASCAR driver
* Marcus Giles, former Major League Baseball second baseman
* Mark Grant, former Major League Baseball pitcher and San Diego Padres announcer
* Duncan D. Hunter, former United States Representative
* Duncan L. Hunter, former United States Representative
* Kyle Strait, Mountain Biker and trail builder
* Alex Vesia, current Major League Baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
* Cole Whitt, NASCAR driver

References

External links

Alpine Mountain Empire Chamber of Commerce

''The Alpine Sun''
- local newspaper

{{Authority control

Census-designated places in San Diego County, California
Cuyamaca Mountains
East County (San Diego County)
Census-designated places in California