Sold Nov 3
$1,050,000
Dale Street
3 bd · 1 ba · 1,396 sq ft
105% of list price
Listing courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty
San Diego Neighborhood Guide
North Park is a lively, walkable neighborhood northeast of Balboa Park, centered on 30th Street and University Avenue under the North Park sign. It grew from 1893, when James Monroe Hartley bought 40 acres and planted a lemon orchard, into a streetcar suburb of Craftsman bungalows and Spanish Revival homes. Today it is known for craft beer along 30th Street, independent restaurants and shops, the Observatory North Park theater, the weekly Thursday Market and designated historic districts such as North Park Dryden and Burlingame.
Quick Facts
| Area | Mid-City, central San Diego |
|---|---|
| Planning area | North Park Community Plan (formerly Greater North Park, City of San Diego) |
| ZIP code | 92104 |
| Boundaries | The City’s planning area is bordered by Uptown to the west, Mission Valley to the north, Normal Heights and City Heights to the east and Golden Hill to the south, with Balboa Park on the southwest; Park Boulevard and I-805 are commonly cited west and east edges |
| Founded | 1893, when James Monroe Hartley bought 40 acres; Hartley’s North Park was filed in 1912 |
| Home types | Craftsman bungalows, bungalow courts, Spanish Revival homes, duplexes, small apartment buildings and condos |
| Signature style | Craftsman bungalows and 1920s-1930s Spanish Colonial Revival homes |
| Price tier | Upper |
| Best for | People who want character homes, craft beer, independent dining and an artsy, walkable community |
Jeff’s Take
I’ve sold and leased a lot of homes in North Park, and it’s where I send first-time buyers who want character and walkability.
You’ll find Craftsman bungalows, condos and townhomes, with 30th Street and University Avenue for coffee, craft beer and independent restaurants, and Balboa Park right at the edge of the neighborhood.
Who it’s not for: lots are smaller and homes sit close together. If you need a big yard or a lot of garage space, I’ll point you toward Kensington or farther out.
North Park vs. Hillcrest: both are walkable and full of character. North Park has more Craftsman homes and a big craft-beer scene. Hillcrest is denser, with more condos and the medical centers.
What buying in North Park often looks like
Say you’re buying your first home: a 1920s bungalow near 30th Street. Before we write, I check permits on any past additions or a backyard unit, schedule a sewer scope because older sewer lines are common here, and confirm whether the home sits in a historic district, which can affect what you change later. Clean answers up front make for a stronger offer.
Market Snapshot
| Measure | Oct 2026 | Oct 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $1,200,000 | $1,145,000 | +5% |
| Avg. price per sq. ft. | $968 | $1,021 | −5% |
| Homes sold | 11 | 13 | −15% |
| New listings | 23 | 29 | −21% |
| Median days on market | 8 | 11 | −27% |
| % of list price received | 99% | 99% | 0% |
| Months of inventory | 1.9 | 3.1 | −39% |
Single-family homes, ZIP 92104, as of October 2026. Source: San Diego Multiple Listing Service (SDMLS) closed sales, compiled by Jeff Brick. ZIP 92104 also includes Burlingame and part of South Park.
| Measure | Current listings |
|---|---|
| Median asking price | $1,287,000 |
| Median asking price per sq. ft. | $972 |
| Homes for sale | 38 |
| Median days on market (current listings) | 35 |
| Months of supply | 3.3 |
| HouseCanary 1-year price forecast | 1.1% |
Single-family homes, ZIP 92104, listings on the market as of November 3, 2026. Source: HouseCanary Market Insights. Asking prices are what sellers are listing for, not final sale prices.
Jeff’s note (Q4 2026): With 1.9 months of inventory and homes selling in about eight days, North Park is a seller's market. Condos offer a lower entry point, with a median of $445,000 in October.
A Few Recent Sales
Not every sale, just a few recent closings I picked to show what buyers are actually paying in North Park right now. Updated monthly · November 2026.
$1,050,000
Dale Street
3 bd · 1 ba · 1,396 sq ft
105% of list price
Listing courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty
$2,085,000
Kalmia Street
5 bd · 4 ba
94.8% of list price
Listing courtesy of Compass
$2,085,000
Kalmia Street
5 bd · 4 ba · 2,800 sq ft
94.8% of list price
Listing courtesy of Compass
$985,000
Idaho Street
4 bd · 3 ba
109.4% of list price
Listing courtesy of TXR Homes
$985,000
Idaho Street
4 bd · 3 ba
109.4% of list price
Listing courtesy of TXR Homes
$975,000
Thorn Street
2 bd · 2 ba · 936 sq ft
100% of list price
Listing courtesy of TXR Homes
$490,000
Ohio Street
2 bd · 2 ba · 840 sq ft
98% of list price
Listing courtesy of TXR Homes
$1,150,000
Bancroft Street
3 bd · 2 ba · 1,117 sq ft
100% of list price
Listing courtesy of TXR Homes
$535,000
Arizona Street
2 bd · 2 ba · 722 sq ft
100% of list price
Listing courtesy of Compass
$640,000
Arizona Street
2 bd · 2 ba · 833 sq ft
97.7% of list price
Listing courtesy of EXp Realty of California
Sold information from the San Diego MLS (SDMLS®), deemed reliable but not guaranteed. These homes may have been listed and sold by other brokerages; they are shown to illustrate the local market, not as Jeff Brick’s own sales. Want the full list of recent sales or a value estimate for your home? Ask Jeff.
History
North Park’s story starts with Joseph Nash, whose Park Villas subdivision was mapped in 1870. In 1893, James Monroe Hartley bought 40 acres of it and planted a lemon orchard, naming the area Hartley’s North Park because it sat north of City Park, now Balboa Park. Joseph McFadden and George Buxton marketed the southern part as McFadden and Buxton’s North Park, and in 1905 Jack Hartley and William Jay Stevens started the neighborhood’s first real estate firm. The official Hartley’s North Park map was filed in 1912.
Streetcars drove growth. The University Avenue and Adams Avenue lines opened in 1907, and the 30th Street line came in 1911 and was extended north to University Avenue in 1912. Builders such as David Owen Dryden filled the new streets with Craftsman bungalows, followed by Spanish Revival homes in the 1920s and 1930s. After World War II North Park became a suburban shopping district, then declined in the 1960s as freeways and Mission Valley malls drew shoppers away. Revitalization began in the 1990s, with the restored North Park Theatre as a well-known example.
James Monroe Hartley’s 1893 purchase gave the area its name, and in 1905 Jack Hartley and William Jay Stevens founded Stevens & Hartley, North Park’s first real estate firm. Meanwhile Joseph McFadden and George Buxton developed the southern tracts and later the Burlingame tract, opened in January 1912 with William H. Wheeler as principal architect. David Owen Dryden, who arrived from Monrovia around the end of 1911, built mostly shingled one-story Craftsman bungalows in North Park and nearby areas from 1912 to 1918; the Journal of San Diego History documents about 60 of his houses. The North Park Dryden Historic District holds 20 of his homes, the largest concentration in the city, plus 15 by Edward F. Bryans, whom the City named a Master Builder.
Architecture
North Park is best known for Craftsman bungalows, whose deep eaves and large porches suit San Diego’s climate, along with bungalow courts that are common between University and Adams avenues. Spanish Colonial Revival homes became popular in the 1920s and 1930s. The North Park Dryden Historic District, with a period of significance from 1912 to 1941, shows Late Victorian, Craftsman, Spanish Revival and early California Ranch homes. The Burlingame Historic District, built from 1912 to 1952, adds Mission Revival, Prairie School, Art Deco, Tudor Revival, Colonial Revival and Ranch homes. Architects there included William H. Wheeler, Carleton Winslow and Alexander Schreiber, and the tract is known for rose-colored sidewalks. David Owen Dryden’s work moved from shingled Craftsman bungalows to stucco and tile Spanish Revival designs in the 1920s.
North Park has several City-designated historic districts. The North Park Dryden Historic District, approved by the Historical Resources Board on June 23, 2011, covers 136 homes along 28th Street and Pershing Avenue between Upas and Landis streets, more than 100 of them contributing. The Burlingame Historic District was first established in 2002 and expanded in 2007, with 188 parcels. The City also lists the Shirley Ann Place and University Heights Water Storage and Pumping Station districts in the area, and the North Park Theater on University Avenue is a designated landmark. The North Park Historical Society offers a free advisory service for owners curious about designation and Mills Act property tax savings.
Living Here
North Park offers some of central San Diego’s widest range of older housing. The City’s community plan describes single-family homes, including many pre-1940 bungalows, plus duplexes, small six- to nine-unit apartment buildings, larger apartment buildings and condominiums. Bungalow courts are common between University and Adams avenues. Many homes date from the 1910s through the 1930s, and some streets sit within designated historic districts, so buyers often find original Craftsman and Spanish Revival details. Newer condos and apartments cluster near the commercial corridors.
North Park centers on 30th Street and University Avenue. Thirtieth Street is famous as San Diego’s “Beer Street,” lined with breweries and tasting rooms, and the neighborhood mixes independent restaurants, coffee shops, vintage stores and galleries. The North Park Thursday Market runs every Thursday from 3 to 7:30 p.m. on North Park Way. North Park Main Street hosts the annual Festival of Arts and Taste of North Park. Observatory North Park, in the historic North Park Theatre, brings touring music acts. North Park Mini Park, behind the Observatory, is a community gathering space, and canyon trails offer quick escapes.
Getting Around
Walk Score: 86, Very Walkable (https://www.walkscore.com/CA/San_Diego/North_Park) · Transit Score: 49, Some Transit (https://www.walkscore.com/CA/San_Diego/North_Park) · Bike Score: 64, Bikeable (https://www.walkscore.com/CA/San_Diego/North_Park)
North Park is in the San Diego Unified School District. McKinley Elementary, at 3045 Felton Street, serves students from transitional kindergarten through fifth grade and describes itself as being in the heart of North Park. Other elementary, middle and high school assignments vary by address across this large neighborhood. Boundaries and programs can change, so families should confirm the assigned schools for any specific property with San Diego Unified.
North Park residents enjoy Balboa Park and its Morley Field sports complex, North Park Community Park and Recreation Center, Trolley Barn Park, Montclair Park, North Park Mini Park, and canyon trails in Switzer Canyon and Juniper Canyon.
Explore North Park
Public and charter schools closest to the heart of North Park.
San Diego Unified
San Diego Unified
San Diego Unified
San Diego Unified
San Diego Unified
San Diego Unified
San Diego Unified
San Diego Unified
School assignment depends on the exact address, so confirm the schools for any home with the school district. Source: California Department of Education, 2024–25 school sites. Report cards link to the official California School Dashboard.
Green space, trails and play areas in and around North Park.
Park data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Distances are approximate, measured from the center of North Park.
North Park sits in central San Diego on a canyon-cut mesa northeast of Balboa Park. Hillcrest and University Heights lie to the west, Normal Heights and City Heights to the east, South Park and Golden Hill to the south and Mission Valley to the north. University Avenue and El Cajon Boulevard are its main east-west streets, and 30th Street is the main north-south spine, meeting University at the North Park sign.
Local Favorites
Concert venue in the historic North Park Theatre
2895 University Ave, San Diego, CA
Directions →Photos, ratings and links from Google Maps
FAQ
In 1893 James Monroe Hartley bought 40 acres and named his property Hartley’s North Park because it sat north of City Park, now Balboa Park. The name stuck for the larger area that grew around it.
It is a City-designated district of 136 homes along 28th Street and Pershing Avenue between Upas and Landis streets, approved on June 23, 2011. It is named for builder David Owen Dryden, whose 20 homes there are the largest concentration of his work in San Diego.
North Park is known for Craftsman bungalows, bungalow courts and 1920s-1930s Spanish Revival homes, along with duplexes, small apartment buildings and condos. Many homes were built before 1940.
Yes. Walk Score rates North Park 86, Very Walkable, with a Bike Score of 64 and a Transit Score of 49. The area around 30th Street and University Avenue is especially easy to explore on foot.
Thirtieth Street, which runs through North Park as well as Normal Heights and South Park, is lined with craft breweries, tasting rooms and beer-friendly restaurants. Over time it became known as San Diego’s main beer destination.
The North Park Thursday Market runs every Thursday from 3 to 7:30 p.m. on North Park Way between Granada Avenue and Ray Street. It is hosted by North Park Main Street.
North Park is in San Diego Unified, and McKinley Elementary on Felton Street is one of the neighborhood’s schools. Assignments vary by address, so confirm with the district for any home you are considering.
Work With Jeff
Jeff Brick, San Diego REALTOR® at Compass, DRE# 02156850. Million Dollar Service at All Price Points. Call or text 858-324-4448.
Nearby neighborhood guides: Hillcrest · Mission Hills · Burlingame · South Park · University Heights
Header photo: Jlantzy (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Real numbers for your neighborhood from the San Diego MLS, a short note from Jeff, and the homes worth seeing. One email a month. Unsubscribe any time.
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