Branch: U.S. Navy
Location: San Diego, California
Installation Type: Naval Base
Status: Active

Overview

Naval Base San Diego is the largest surface naval base on the West Coast of the United States and home to approximately 50 tenant commands. Located on the eastern shore of San Diego Bay in the City of San Diego, the base hosts the Pacific Fleet’s largest concentration of surface combatants including cruisers, destroyers, amphibious assault ships, and support vessels. San Diego is the second-largest naval complex in the United States after Norfolk and is the flagship of Commander, Navy Region Southwest. The base was formerly known as Naval Station San Diego (32nd Street Naval Station) and is the primary homeport for Pacific Fleet destroyers and cruisers.

Mission & Units

• Primary Mission: Homeport and support U.S. Pacific Fleet surface warships including destroyers, cruisers, amphibious ships, and fleet support vessels; provide installation services for approximately 50 tenant commands; serve as the primary Pacific Fleet surface ship homeport.
• Major Units: Commander, Navy Region Southwest (CNRSW) headquarters; Naval Station San Diego (32nd Street); Commander, Surface Forces Pacific (SURFPAC) elements; Multiple Destroyer Squadrons (DESRONs); Multiple Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) elements; Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group
• Tenant Units: Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD); Naval Base Point Loma (submarine homeport); Fleet Logistics Center San Diego; Naval Air Station North Island (Coronado, separate); Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR)

Location & Access

• Nearest Major City: San Diego, CA (population approximately 1.4 million; metro approximately 3.3 million) – within city limits on the bay
• Nearest Commercial Airport: San Diego International Airport (SAN) – approximately 3 miles northwest; one of the closest major airports to any U.S. military base
• Gate Access: Main gate on Harbor Drive; multiple gates; CAC/military ID required; visitor passes at Visitor Control Center; pier access controlled for ship security

Population

• Active Duty Personnel: Approximately 20,000 (at Naval Station San Diego; broader San Diego military community exceeds 100,000 active duty)
• Family Members: Approximately 25,000
• Civilian Employees: Approximately 8,000
• Total Installation Population: Approximately 53,000 (Naval Station SD component)

Key Facilities

• Medical: Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD) – one of Navy Medicine’s flagship hospitals; Level 1 Trauma Center; comprehensive specialties; Balboa Naval Hospital (colloquial name); Rady Children’s Hospital (world-class pediatric care, adjacent to NMCSD campus)
• Commissary: Yes – commissary on base
• Exchange (PX/BX/NEX): Yes – Navy Exchange (NEX) and facilities; substantial NEX serving the large San Diego military community
• Fitness & Recreation: Fitness centers; pools; sailing and boating on San Diego Bay; golf; bowling; auto skills; San Diego world-class beaches, weather, and outdoor recreation; Sea World, Zoo, and cultural amenities nearby
• Schools: San Diego Unified School District and multiple other San Diego County districts serve military families; no DoDEA schools; school quality varies significantly by neighborhood in San Diego; military families seek higher-rated suburban districts (Poway Unified, Grossmont Union, etc.); Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society has education resources
• Childcare: Child Development Centers; waitlists common; register early
• Veterinary Services: Veterinary Treatment Facility on base; wellness and preventive care
• Legal Assistance / JAG: Legal Assistance Office, Naval Base San Diego; appointment-based

Housing

• On-Post Housing: Navy Housing on base; privatized family housing; limited inventory relative to the large population
• Average Wait Time: Can be 90-180+ days; San Diego off-post housing market is extensive but expensive
• Off-Post Housing: San Diego County communities including National City, Chula Vista, Point Loma, Lemon Grove, El Cajon, La Mesa, Spring Valley, and Santee popular with military families; Bonita, Eastlake (Chula Vista) are popular suburban options; average rent approximately $2,800-$3,800/month for 3-bedroom home; San Diego housing is among the most expensive in the country; BAH is high but housing costs are challenging; California has no state income tax on military pay for non-domiciliary military members
• BAH Rate Reference: Check current BAH rates at Defense Travel Management Office (dtmo.mil); San Diego BAH is among the highest in the Navy

PCS & Newcomer Info

• Sponsorship Program: Contact gaining ship or command; destroyer, cruiser, and amphibious ship squadrons have sponsorship programs; San Diego is a huge military community with extensive newcomer resources
• In-Processing: Naval Base San Diego in-processing; typically 2-3 days; ship-specific check-in for sea duty personnel
• EFMP (Exceptional Family Member Program): Fleet and Family Support Center; enrollment required; NMCSD, Rady Children’s Hospital, and UCSD Health provide outstanding specialist access; San Diego has one of the best medical communities in the West

Local Area & Quality of Life

• Climate: Mediterranean; year-round pleasant; warm dry summers (average high 78F/26C in July); mild winters (average low 50F/10C in January); minimal rainfall (approximately 11 inches per year); low humidity; approximately 266 sunny days per year; occasionally hot Santa Ana wind events in fall; one of the best climates in the continental United States
• Cost of Living: Very high; San Diego housing is among the most expensive in the nation; BAH partially offsets; other costs (food, transportation) also above national average; California overall high cost; military families often sacrifice space for location quality
• Nearby Attractions: San Diego Bay and Pacific Ocean beaches; San Diego Zoo (world-famous); Balboa Park (15 world-class museums); USS Midway Museum; Gaslamp Quarter entertainment district; Old Town San Diego; La Jolla Cove (seals, snorkeling, upscale dining); Tijuana, Mexico (20 minutes south, Zona Rio cultural scene); SeaWorld; Legoland; Torrey Pines State Reserve; wine country at Temecula (1 hour); Los Angeles (120 miles)
• Spouse Employment: San Diego metro offers outstanding employment in defense contracting (Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, L3 Technologies, BAE Systems), biotechnology/pharmaceutical (Pfizer, Illumina, many others – world-class biotech hub), healthcare (Scripps Health, Sharp Healthcare, UCSD), technology, and tourism; one of the best employment markets for military spouses in the U.S.; FFSC assists

Contact & Resources

• Official Website: https://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrsw/installations/nbsandiego.html
• Main Installation Phone: (619) 556-1011
• MWR Website: https://sandiego.navymwr.org (verify current URL)
• ACS / Fleet & Family / Airman & Family Readiness: Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC), Naval Base San Diego; (619) 556-7404; relocation, financial readiness, employment, family support; deployment support programs

Last updated: 2026-02-23
Sources: https://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrsw/installations/nbsandiego.html; https://installations.militaryonesource.mil/in-depth-overview/naval-base-san-diego; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NavalBaseSan_Diego, Joseph L. Jordan, Attorney at Law