Spring Valley
To Downtown San Diego: 17 minutes
ZIP CODE 91976–91979
Buy $4.98K - $3.65M
Rent $795 - $10K
Local information
![](https://scottway.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/pin_amarillo.png)
School
1 Middle School
1 High School
![](https://scottway.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/pin_verde.png)
Crime
![](https://scottway.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/pin_negro.png)
Commute
![](https://scottway.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/pin_gris.png)
Shop & Eat
6 Groceries
2 Nightlife
General Description
![](https://scottway.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/northpark01-1024x684.jpeg)
Spring Valley: small town flavor
Although Spring Valley is the largest unincorporated community in San Diego County, it still offers a “small town flavor” to all its residents. The town gets its name from a lush natural spring found within its boundaries.
Spring Valley has a long and complex history. The original inhabitants of the town were the Kumeyaay people, who called the area Neti or Meti. However, the natives were driven away by Spanish conquerors who also called it El guaje de San Jorge (St. George’s Spring) and used the region for cattle. A claim for a 160-acre ranch, which included the spring, was filed by judge Augustus S. Ensworth of San Diego in 1863. However, local surveyor Rufus King Porter bought the ranch as well as the small adobe house which Augustus built and later sold it to Hubert Howe Bancroft, a historian. The adobe is now a National Historic Landmark.
Spring Valley is located just south of La Mesa, which is about a mile from Interstate 8. This ensures that the city’s roughly 30,000 residents have quick, convenient access to other parts of the region. The community is positioned between two other major roads – State Highways 94 and 125—and is bordered by Casa de Oro, Lemon Grove, Sweetwater Reservoir and La Mesa.
Educational institutions—including San Diego State University, Grossmont Community College, University of San Diego and the University of California at San Diego—are all nearby and Cuyamaca College is only a few minutes east. Residents can visit the Grossmont Hospital which is located in La Mesa, north of Spring Valley.
Two school districts have jurisdiction over public educational institutions in the community. They are the Grossmont Union High School District, which oversees Helix Charter High School, the Gateway West Community Day School, and the Gateway Community Day School; and the La Mesa Spring Valley District, which oversees elementary and middle schools. Residents also have some private schooling options, such as the Liberty Charter School, San Diego Jewish Academy and the Christ Lutheran School.
![](https://scottway.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/marina01-1024x682.jpeg)
![](https://scottway.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Nk-2I6uH-1024x684.jpeg)
More Features
There are countless opportunities for Spring Valley residents to participate and contribute to the community’s success, because the community enjoys a long history of volunteerism as well as advocacy for its residents. For instance, the recent construction of a shared-use gymnasium and teen center was a great success and was an outcome of the collaboration between La Mesa-Spring Valley School District, community stakeholders, and the County of San Diego.
The Spring Valley Community Center offers a range of civic services, including lunches for senior adult and even a “Tiny Tot” school. It’s also the site of the annual Spring Valley fair, “It’s How We Live!”, which celebrates the local community and promotes good health among its citizens.
For those seeking a community that offers a small-town feel alongside urban professional and apartment lifestyles, Spring Valley is definitely an excellent option.