As of the 2000 census, there are 133,559 people, 43,817 households, and 31,153 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,421.4/km² (3,680.9/mi²). There are 45,050 housing units at an average density of 479.4/km² (1,241.6/mi²). According to the 2000 census, the racial makeup of the city is 51.9% White, 2.25% African American, 1.23% Native American, 4.46% Asian, 0.23% Pacific Islander, 19.19% from other races, and 4.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 38.7% of the population. [2]
There are 43,817 households of which 39.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% are married couples living together, 28.9% are non-families, and 11.7% with a female householder with no husband present. 22.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.01 and the average family size is 3.50.
In the city the population is spread out with 29.7% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 31 years. For every 100 females there are 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 96.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $42,567, and the median income for a family is $48,456. Males have a median income of $32,627 versus $27,526 for females. The per capita income for the city is $18,241. 13.4% of the population and 9.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 17.9% of those under the age of 18 and 5.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
The city can be divided into two demographically distinct areas. Peripheral hilly areas to the north, southeast, and southwest are relatively wealthy and populated by non-Hispanic whites, and flat areas adjacent to the downtown are predominantly Hispanic. As of 2006-07 school year, non-Hispanic white children comprise 71.7% of all students in Bernardo Elementary School (southwest), 60.8% of all students in L.R. Green Elementary School (southeast), and 54.7% of all students in Reidy Creek Elementary School (north); on the other hand, Farr Avenue, Pioneer and Lincoln Elementary schools (three large schools just north of the downtown) all have more than 85% of Hispanic and less than 6% non-Hispanic white students.
Escondido is served by two highways, Route 78 and Interstate 15. Bus service is operated by the North County Transit District (NCTD). NCTD began operating the SPRINTER, a light rail service, on March 9th of 2008. The rail line links Escondido to Oceanside using the existing 22-mile (35 km) long Escondido Branch trackage of the San Diego Northern Railroad. This made Escondido one of the first cities in the United States to operate Desiro-class diesel multiple units manufactured by Siemens in Germany. The California High Speed Rail Association chose Escondido as a proposed stop along the proposed high speed rail system that will reach from Southern to Northern California. A section of the line between San Francisco and Los Angeles has been approved by voters in the November 2008 elections.