• Population: 1.3 million
• New residents: 18,100
• Percentage gain: 1.4%

San Diego's amazing climate and ocean side location make it a draw for new residents, especially retirees.

Its harbor is home to the largest naval fleet in the world and many defense contractors operate in the area, bringing plenty of jobs. In addition, the city's proximity to Mexico provides jobs in cargo shipping and in servicing the truck traffic to and from Mexico.

To accommodate all of the newcomers, developers have switched from building single-family homes to building more affordable condos and rental apartments, according to Doug Kuczynski of the Demographic Research Unit of California's finance department.

"More than 82% of new homes being built in San Diego are in multi-family buildings," he said. "That increases the population density."

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