Campo's housing stock includes ranch-style residences, manufactured homes, custom homes, and larger acreage properties, reflecting the community's rural, unincorporated character. Buyers are often drawn by the availability of space and the ability to keep animals or equipment, with parcels ranging from smaller lots to multi-acre ranches. The market is shaped by its backcountry setting rather than by suburban development patterns.

Campo is a spread-out, unincorporated community organized along State Route 94 and the surrounding backcountry roads, rather than around a traditional downtown. The Pacific Southwest Railway Museum and the historic depot area form a local landmark, while homes and ranches are scattered across the oak-dotted hills. The community's low density and open setting define its character, with much of the area bordered by national forest and ranchland.

Life in Campo is quiet and rural, tied to ranching, the outdoors, and the area's railroad heritage. Horseback riding, hiking, and off-road recreation are common pastimes, and the community's high-desert mountain climate offers a distinct change from the coastal plain. The Pacific Southwest Railway Museum brings visitors and events to town, while daily life centers on the surrounding open land and the small services along State Route 94.

Campo is served by the Mountain Empire Unified School District, a rural district covering the communities of eastern San Diego County's backcountry. Students attend district schools in the Campo and Pine Valley area, with a small, community-oriented enrollment. The district's wide geographic footprint reflects the sparse population of the Mountain Empire region and keeps class sizes small across its campuses.

State Route 94 runs through Campo, connecting the community westward to San Diego and eastward toward the desert and the Tecate border crossing to the south. The town is roughly fifty miles from downtown San Diego, and the drive traverses the mountains and backcountry of East County. Travel is by car, and the area's rural roads serve the scattered ranches and homes of the region.

Campo's recreation is tied to its open backcountry setting. The Cleveland National Forest and the Lake Morena area offer hiking, camping, fishing, and horseback riding, while the surrounding hills and ranchland support hunting and off-road recreation. The Pacific Southwest Railway Museum adds a historical and educational draw, and the Pacific Crest Trail passes through the region nearby for long-distance hikers.