East County does not have an official geographic definition, although East County boundaries are unofficially drawn by the County of San Diego for its second district. It commonly includes
El Cajon,
La Mesa,
Lemon Grove, and
Santee, as well as suburban and rural unincorporated communities such as
Lakeside,
Spring Valley,
Jamul, and
Alpine. Many sources also include vast swaths of the
backcountry of San Diego County also known as the
Mountain Empire, including communities along
Interstate 8 such as
Pine Valley and
Descanso, and communities along the rural section of
California State Route 94 such as
Potrero,
Boulevard, and
Jacumba. Other sources consider communities within the entire eastern two-thirds of the county to be East County, thereby encompassing places like
Ramona,
Julian, and
Borrego Springs. The Ramona area—Ramona,
San Diego Country Estates and
Barona Mesa—is often considered part of inland
North County due to its association with Rancho Bernardo, Escondido and other North County Inland communities. The populace of East County primarily dwells in the interior valleys east of San Diego proper while some development encroaches on the coastal foothills. A broader definition of East County exists that includes the
Cuyamaca Mountains and the
Laguna Mountains, as well as the desert area of
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Yet, this definition, when used by SANDAG, excludes the
East Suburban centers. Prominent geologic formations include
El Cajon Mountain, a large, dome-shaped mountain overlooking Santee and Lakeside, as well as Iron Mountain and Mount Woodson that overlook Poway. ==Demographics==