Escondido is a city located in California, just north of the city of San Diego. Spanish for "hidden", it occupies a shallow valley ringed by rocky hills. Founded in 1888, it is one of the oldest cities in San Diego County. The city has an estimated population of 147,514 as of January 1, 2010 and its municipal government set itself an operating budget limit of $426,289,048 for its fiscal year 2010-2011. The city is known as Eskondiid in DiegueƱo. A nationwide study in 2005 ranked Escondido #11 out of 25 of the most conservative cities in America.