ok, I have to jump in here. Mt. Helix and Kensington are dumps? South of downtown scarred someone for life? And the South Bay isn’t good enough to be part of SD????

What on earth? Are you people all in North County? Do you all carry that anti-bacterial gel in your pockets in case you have to drive south of the 8?

For the record, amongst native San Diegans:
– Not everyone wants to live in a McMansion in North County, that looks exactly the same as your neighbor.
– Mission Hills is considered very prestigious, as is Mt. Helix (at the top) and Kensington
– Part of Chula Vista are very beautiful, and there are many very wealthy people living here in South Bay.
– We all know old money is south of the 8, and new money and transplants live in N. county. Unless you’re coastal – then you could be old money, and you could be very cool.

Sometimes the attitudes of people about what makes a good neighborhood just make me laugh. I’d take a one-of-a-kind canyon home in Hillcrest and walk to some of San Diego’s best restaurants over living in the tract development of Carmel Valley where the best you can get is a mini-van drive to the Vons parking lot for overpriced chain food any day!