Relocating to San Diego for General Atomics in 2026

by Mance Rieder

Quick answer: Where should I live if I work at General Atomics in San Diego?

General Atomics' main campus is at 3550 General Atomics Court in Torrey Pines, and GA-ASI is headquartered at 14200 Kirkham Way in Poway. Nearby San Diego County areas range from a $854,208 median sale price in University City (July 2026) to $1.89 million in Carmel Valley (August 2026), per Redfin.

Key takeaways:

Confirm which campus you report to first. Torrey Pines and Poway sit on opposite sides of Interstate 15, and that one detail shapes your whole search.
Around Poway, Redfin's August 2026 medians run from about $1 million in Rancho Bernardo to $1.38 million in Rancho Peñasquitos.
Near Torrey Pines, University City and Mira Mesa offer more condos and townhomes, while Carmel Valley is mostly newer, master-planned housing.

If you just accepted an offer from General Atomics, you're probably staring at a map of San Diego and wondering which side of town to search. Here's how I'd think about it after 10 years of helping people buy here.

Where are General Atomics' San Diego campuses?

General Atomics lists its corporate headquarters at 3550 General Atomics Court, a 120-acre site in Torrey Pines about 15 miles north of downtown. GA-ASI, the aeronautical systems company, lists its headquarters at 14200 Kirkham Way in Poway.

GA's careers page also names San Diego area sites in Rancho Bernardo and Sabre Springs. When I checked it in October 2026, it listed roughly 6,000 employees in Poway and about 2,200 in Torrey Pines. Ask your recruiter or HR which building you'll report to, and what your relocation package covers.

How far is the commute to General Atomics?

Here are road distances from the center of each area to each campus, measured with OpenStreetMap routing. Rush-hour drive times vary a lot by time of day and route, so test the drive yourself at your actual start time before you commit.

To GA-ASI on Kirkham Way, Poway:

Poway: 3.6 miles
Sabre Springs: 5.4 miles
Rancho Peñasquitos: 7.8 miles
Rancho Bernardo: 9.7 miles
Scripps Ranch: 10.4 miles

To the Torrey Pines campus:

University City: 4.9 miles
Carmel Valley: 6.7 miles
Clairemont: 7.3 miles
Mira Mesa: 8.0 miles

How much do homes cost near General Atomics?

The prices below are Redfin's three-month median sale prices for all home types, so a condo-heavy area will look lower than its single-family homes actually trade for.

Around $850,000 to $1 million. University City came in at $854,208 for July 2026, with 1960s and 1970s single-family streets south of Rose Canyon and condos closer to UTC. Mira Mesa was $961,672 for July 2026, mostly 1970s tracts plus a good share of condos and townhomes.

Around $1 million to $1.4 million. Rancho Bernardo hit $1,010,512 for August 2026, with a wide mix of condos, townhomes and older single-level homes. Poway was $1,229,187, Scripps Ranch (Redfin's Scripps Miramar Ranch) was $1,359,344, and Rancho Peñasquitos was $1.38 million, all for August 2026. Poway leans toward older single-family homes, often on bigger lots, and Peñasquitos and Scripps Ranch mix 1970s to 1990s tracts with townhome communities. If you're weighing those housing types, here's how single-family homes, townhomes and condos differ in San Diego.

Above $1.5 million. Carmel Valley was $1,894,086 for August 2026. Much of it is newer, master-planned housing, and some neighborhoods carry a special tax, so read up on how Mello-Roos works in San Diego before you write an offer.

I don't have a current Clairemont median to share, so pull recent sales for the specific streets you like. You'll find mostly 1950s and 1960s single-family homes there, with some condos and townhomes mixed in.

What school districts serve these areas?

Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Peñasquitos and Sabre Springs are mostly in the Poway Unified School District. Scripps Ranch, Mira Mesa, Clairemont and University City are mostly in San Diego Unified, and Carmel Valley is served by the Del Mar Union School District and the San Dieguito Union High School District. Boundaries don't follow neighborhood names, so check each address with the district and look up schools on the California School Dashboard.

Bottom line

Start with the campus you'll report to, then pick a price range and housing type, then test the drive at rush hour. Changing jobs while you buy can also affect your loan, so read what happens to a mortgage application when you change jobs before you apply.

Moving to San Diego for a new job? Start with our relocation checklist, then call or text me at (858) 295-0556, or book a quick call at calendly.com/mance-riederhomes/strategycall.