Living near Naval Base Point Loma: gates, neighborhoods and 2026 rents

This guide is for sailors, civilians and families with orders to Naval Base Point Loma, including the submarine base, the Harbor Drive Annex and the NAVWAR Old Town Campus. We compared six neighborhoods within a short drive, pinned a central landmark in each, and gave the drive to Gate 6, a dated 2026 rent figure, the school picture and one honest drawback. Point Loma is a peninsula, so the roads in matter more here than almost anywhere in San Diego.

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Leaflet | © OpenStreetMap contributors

Base

1. 1Gate 6 (Main Gate) — Only 24-hour gate to the submarine base
2. 2Gate 9 — 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.; topside
3. 3Harbor Drive Annex gate — 24 hours
4. 4NAVWAR Old Town Campus — NAVWAR headquarters

Peninsula

1. 5Point Loma/Hervey Library — Central Point Loma landmark
2. 6Ocean Beach Library — Central Ocean Beach landmark
3. 7Liberty Public Market — Liberty Station landmark

Old Town and Uptown

1. 8Old Town San Diego State Historic Park — Central Old Town landmark
2. 9Pioneer Park — Mission Hills landmark

Clairemont

1. 10Clairemont Town Square — Central Clairemont landmark

Gates are approximate. Each neighborhood is pinned at a central landmark (a library, park, market or the state historic park), not a recommended street. Sources: SANDAG Naval Base Point Loma briefing book and NIWC Pacific visitor page, checked October 5, 2026.

See these on the full San Diego map

Know which site you report to

Naval Base Point Loma is several sites. SANDAG's briefing book describes the submarine base at the south end of the peninsula, where about 10,000 people work, the Harbor Drive Annex on North Harbor Drive southeast of Rosecrans Street, with about 2,000, and the Old Town Campus southwest of I-5 and north of MCRD along Pacific Highway. The Old Town Campus is headquarters for the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR), which was called SPAWAR until it was renamed in June 2019. Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC Pacific) lists its main address as 53560 Hull Street, and it asks visitors to submit requests at least 15 business days ahead.

• —Gate 6 (Main Gate), Rosecrans Street at Kellogg Street: open 24 hours, the only 24-hour gate to the submarine base.
• —Gate 9, Catalina Boulevard near Electron Drive: 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• —Harbor Drive Gate, North Harbor Drive at Laning Road: open 24 hours.
• —Gate hours above are from SANDAG's 2018 briefing book. Confirm current hours with your command or the Pass and ID office.

1. Liberty Station and Loma Portal

Liberty Station sits close to the Harbor Drive Annex and is about 3 miles from Liberty Public Market to Gate 6. Next door, Zumper's October 4, 2026 median for a 2-bedroom in Loma Portal was $3,970, with only 25 listings that day, so expect competition. The market itself is a good weekend spot (Liberty Public Market tips). The drawback is jet noise. Loma Portal is inside the airport's 65-decibel noise contour and eligible for the Quieter Home Program, which soundproofs homes near the flight path.

2. Point Loma Heights and the peninsula

Point Loma is about 4 miles from the Point Loma/Hervey Library to Gate 6. Zumper's September 29, 2026 medians for Point Loma Heights were $3,300 for a 2-bedroom and $4,495 for a 3-bedroom, with prices up 14% on the year. Point Loma High (San Diego Unified, 2335 Chatsworth Blvd) serves Point Loma and Ocean Beach. The drawback is Rosecrans Street. SANDAG says its signals aren't synchronized, morning traffic backs up to Kellogg Street, and the afternoon exit backs up along Rosecrans to Dock Street.

3. Ocean Beach

Ocean Beach is about 4 miles from its library to Gate 6. Zumper's October 4, 2026 medians were $3,400 for a 2-bedroom and $6,550 for a 3-bedroom, so it works best for singles, couples or small families. Kids go to Point Loma High. The drawback is the same as Loma Portal: Ocean Beach is inside the airport's 65-decibel contour and eligible for the Quieter Home Program.

4. Old Town

Old Town is the natural pick for the NAVWAR Old Town Campus, which sits just southwest of it along Pacific Highway. It is about 5 miles from the state historic park to Gate 6. Zumper's August 2026 medians were $3,500 for a 2-bedroom and $5,150 for a 3-bedroom, and overall prices were up 40% on the year, so listings swing a lot. Schools are San Diego Unified. Watch the campus itself: the Navy is studying a mixed-use redevelopment of the 70.3 acres under a possible 99-year lease, with five alternatives and community worries about traffic and density still open as of June 2026.

5. Mission Hills

Mission Hills is uptown, about 7 miles from Pioneer Park to Gate 6 and a short drive to the Old Town Campus. Zumper's October 1, 2026 median for a 2-bedroom was $3,352, but its 2-bedroom number moved sharply over the prior month, which usually means few listings. Schools are San Diego Unified, and Mission Hills students may choose Point Loma High as their neighborhood school. The drawback is limited rental supply.

6. Clairemont

Clairemont is the value pick, about 11 miles from Clairemont Town Square to Gate 6 and about 7.5 miles to the Old Town Campus. Zumper's September 16, 2026 medians in Clairemont Mesa West were $2,950 for a 2-bedroom and $4,397 for a 3-bedroom. Schools are San Diego Unified. The drawback is the drive: SANDAG says congestion on I-5, I-8, Rosecrans and Harbor Drive delays base commuters.

Housing help and schools

Liberty Military Housing manages Navy and Marine family housing across the San Diego region, and the San Diego Housing Service Center (619-556-8443) can walk you through waits and options. There are no Department of Defense schools in the San Diego area, so children attend local public, private or charter schools. The Navy Region Southwest School Liaison for Point Loma is 619-553-8290 (NBPLSLO@navy.mil). For the trade-offs, read on-base vs off-base housing and the PCS to San Diego checklist.