Casa de Oro-Mount Helix, California

Casa de Oro-Mount Helix is a census-designated place (CDP) in the East County region of San Diego County, California. As of the 2020 census, Casa de Oro-Mount Helix had a population of 19,576.^[2]

The CDP encompasses several unincorporated neighborhoods near the cities of El Cajon and La Mesa and the CDP of Spring Valley. Locations in the northern (Mount Helix) part of the CDP use La Mesa addresses, while locations in the southern (Casa de Oro) part use Spring Valley addresses. Informally, Casa de Oro is often considered to be a part of Spring Valley.

In 1872, after a scientist discovered a European snail (Cornu aspersum, formerly Helix aspersa) living on a small mountain, Rufus King Porter, the founder of what is now unincorporated Spring Valley, California, named the peak Mt. Helix.^[3] Then in 1885, the United States Postal Service rejected the use of two words for a post office name, so Rufus submitted just the name Helix and also became the first postmaster in Spring Valley; the Helix Post Office was operated out of his home.

Around this same time, Hubert Howe Bancroft came to the area. He bought the Porters' ranch and also acquired neighboring properties, accumulating about 500 acres (2.0 km²). He began calling his property "Helix Farms." Bancroft hired workers to help develop Helix Farms, planting orchards and building structures for his ranch. By the early 1900s, Helix Farms was home to the largest olive ranch in southern California; some of the original olive trees can still be found today. Bancroft died in 1918, and eventually his family sold the property.^[4]

Casa de Oro-Mount Helix is located at 32°45′48″N 116°58′39″W / 32.76333°N 116.97750°W / 32.76333; -116.97750 (32.763359, -116.977474).^[5]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 6.9 square miles (18 km²), all land.

Casa de Oro-Mount Helix first appeared as an unincorporated place under the name Grossmont-Mt. Helix in the 1970 U.S. census;^[18] and then as a census designated place under the name Casa de Oro-Mount Helix in the 1980 United States census.^[18]

As of the 2020 census, Casa de Oro-Mount Helix had a population of 19,576 and a population density of 2,857.4 inhabitants per square mile (1,103.2/km²).^[26] The racial makeup of the CDP was 65.0% White, 6.4% African American, 0.6% Native American, 4.0% Asian, 0.5% Pacific Islander, 8.2% from other races, and 15.3% from two or more races, with Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprising 23.2% of the population.^[27]

The census reported that 99.1% of residents lived in households, 0.5% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.4% were institutionalized.^[26]

100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.^[28]

There were 7,108 households, of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Married-couple households made up 57.4% of all households, 5.8% were cohabiting couple households, 22.8% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present, and 14.1% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. About 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73, and there were 5,339 families (75.1% of households).^[26][29]

The age distribution was 19.7% under the age of 18, 8.1% aged 18 to 24, 21.9% aged 25 to 44, 27.9% aged 45 to 64, and 22.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.2 years. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.1 males.^[26]

There were 7,370 housing units at an average density of 1,075.8 units per square mile (415.4 units/km²), of which 96.4% were occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.0%; 72.3% of occupied housing units were owner-occupied and 27.7% were occupied by renters.^[26]

The 2010 United States census^[30] reported that Casa de Oro-Mount Helix had a population of 18,762. The population density was 2,737.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,057.1/km²). The racial makeup of Casa de Oro-Mount Helix was 13,375 (64.6%) White, 1,108 (5.9%) African American, 89 (0.5%) Native American, 593 (3.2%) Asian, 96 (0.5%) Pacific Islander, 996 (5.3%) from other races, and 999 (5.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4,815 persons (23.3%).

The Census reported that 18,563 people (98.9% of the population) lived in households, 110 (0.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 89 (0.5%) were institutionalized.

There were 6,943 households, out of which 2,179 (31.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 4,036 (58.1%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 745 (10.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 360 (5.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 365 (5.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 77 (1.1%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,319 households (19.0%) were made up of individuals, and 617 (8.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67. There were 5,141 families (74.0% of all households); the average family size was 3.02.

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $123,037, and the per capita income was $58,567. About 2.5% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line.^[31]

Public high school education is provided by the Grossmont Union High School District. Elementary and middle schools are run by the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District.

In the California State Legislature, Casa de Oro-Mount Helix is in the 39th senatorial district, represented by Democrat Akilah Weber, and in the 75th Assembly district, represented by Republican Carl DeMaio.^[32]