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.

Casa de Oro-Mount Helix
Census designated place
Location in San Diego County and the state of California
Casa de Oro-Mount Helix Location in the United States
Coordinates: 32°45′48″N 116°58′39″W
Country	United States
State	California
County	San Diego
Area [1]
• Total	6.85 sq mi (17.74 km2)
• Land	6.85 sq mi (17.74 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0%
Population  (2020)[citation needed]
• Total	19,576
• Density	2,857.39/sq mi (1,103.25/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP codes	91941, 91977, 92020
Area code	619
FIPS code	06-11691
GNIS feature ID	2407979

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.

History

Mount Helix behind the steeple of Santa Sophia Church (inaugurated 1958)

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.^[2] 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.^[3]

Geography

Casa de Oro-Mount Helix is located at 32°45′48″N 116°58′39″W (32.763359, -116.977474).^[4]

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

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1970	8,723		—
1980	19,651		125.3%
1990	30,727		56.4%
2000	18,874		−38.6%
2010	18,762		−0.6%
2020	19,576		4.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[5] 1860–1870[6][7] 1880-1890[8] 1900[9] 1910[10] 1920[11] 1930[12] 1940[13] 1950[14] 1960[15][16] 1970[17] 1980[18] 1990[19] 2000[20] 2010[21] 2020[22] As Grossmont-Mt. Helix in 1970

Casa de Oro-Mount Helix first appeared as an unincorporated place under the name Grossmont-Mt. Helix in the 1970 U.S. Census;^[17] and then as a census designated place under the name Casa de Oro-Mount Helix in the 1980 U.S. Census.^[17]

Casa de Oro-Mount Helix CDP, California – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000[23]	Pop 2010[24]	Pop 2020[22]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	14,694	13,061	11,836	77.85%	69.61%	60.46%
Black or African American alone (NH)	930	1,064	1,174	4.93%	5.67%	6.00%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	75	69	53	0.40%	0.37%	0.27%
Asian alone (NH)	378	566	718	2.00%	3.02%	3.67%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)	50	86	82	0.26%	0.46%	0.42%
Other race alone (NH)	57	27	101	0.30%	0.14%	0.52%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	548	654	1,068	2.90%	3.49%	5.46%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2,142	3,235	4,544	11.35%	17.24%	23.21%
Total	18,874	18,762	19,576	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

2020

The 2020 United States census reported that the CDP had a population of 19,576. The population density was 2,857.4 inhabitants per square mile (1,103.2/km²). 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. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.2% of the population.^[25]

The census reported that 99.1% of the population lived in households, 0.5% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.4% were institutionalized.^[25]

There were 7,108 households, out of which 29.2% included children under the age of 18, 57.4% were married-couple households, 5.8% were cohabiting couple households, 22.8% had a female householder with no partner present, and 14.1% had a male householder with no partner present. 18.9% of households were one person, and 10.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.73.^[25] There were 5,339 families (75.1% of all households).^[26]

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.^[25]

There were 7,370 housing units at an average density of 1,075.8 units per square mile (415.4 units/km²), of which 7,108 (96.4%) were occupied. Of these, 72.3% were owner-occupied, and 27.7% were occupied by renters.^[25]

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.^[27]

2010

The 2010 United States Census^[28] 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.

The population was spread out, with 3,945 people (21.0%) under the age of 18, 1,510 people (8.0%) aged 18 to 24, 3,807 people (20.3%) aged 25 to 44, 6,012 people (32.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 3,488 people (18.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.

There were 7,249 housing units at an average density of 1,057.8 per square mile (408.4/km²), of which 5,018 (72.3%) were owner-occupied, and 1,925 (27.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.2%. 13,358 people (71.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,205 people (27.7%) lived in rental housing units.

Education

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.

Government

Welcome sign to Casa de Oro, California

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.^[29]