Many residents of San Diego often confuse the differences between 'City' and 'County'.

Just because an address includes 'San Diego' does not mean it falls under the jurisdiction of the City of San Diego. Understanding this difference can help with various aspects such as administrative services, taxes, and school districts.

To start with the big picture, San Diego County is an administrative region located at the southwestern tip of California, covering an area of about 4,261 square miles.

The total population of the county is approximately 3.4 million (as of 2020), making it the second most populous county in California.

Within the county, there are 18 incorporated cities and several unincorporated areas.

The 18 incorporated cities are as follows:

Carlsbad, Chula Vista, Coronado, Del Mar, El Cajon, Encinitas, Escondido, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, National City, Oceanside, Poway, San Diego (City), San Marcos, Santee, Solana Beach, Vista.

Among these, the City of San Diego is the largest, with over 40% of the county's total population residing in this city.

The City of San Diego is divided into 9 City Council Districts. Each district elects one council member to represent the area.

The boundaries of the districts can be adjusted based on population changes. For major districts, District 1 includes La Jolla, UC areas, and northern Mira Mesa, while District 2 includes Mission Valley, Pacific Beach, and Ocean Beach, and District 8 includes southern San Diego (such as Barrio Logan and Logan Heights).

At the county level, 5 members of the Board of Supervisors represent each district and oversee county administration.

The county government is responsible for administrative services in unincorporated areas (such as road maintenance and sheriff services) and provides regional administrative services like welfare, health, and courts.

Unincorporated Areas refer to county jurisdictions that do not belong to any city.

For example, areas like Spring Valley, Lakeside, Ramona, Alpine, and Jamul fall into this category.

Residents in these areas receive police services from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, not city police.

Knowing which jurisdiction your residence falls under is important. Trash collection, road management, and complaint handling differ between the city and county.

Additionally, tax rates, school district boundaries, and voting precincts also vary accordingly.

If you are unsure which city or county jurisdiction your address belongs to, you can check through California's Geographic Information System or the official San Diego County website.