Is Chula Vista, CA a Good Place to Live?
Chula Vista is a large city of 276,103 in California, with a median household income of $101,984 and a 8.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Chula Vista stands out for lower-than-average crime.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Chula Vista is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Chula Vista city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 111.5Chula Vista's overall cost of living index is 111.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Chula Vista costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Chula Vista, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $647,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,035 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.9% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $101,984 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageChula Vista's violent crime rate is 375.8 per 100,000 residents — 1% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Chula Vista is served primarily by Chula Vista Elementary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22.0:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Chula Vista, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Chula Vista Elementary | — |
| Elementary Schools | 43 | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 22.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.2% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 85.3% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Chula Vista sees average highs of 67.5°F in January and 74.6°F in July, with 11.0 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Chula Vista, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 67.5°F |
| Average High — July | 74.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Chula Vista, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 276,103 | — |
| Median Age | 36.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.8% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 29.1 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 40.9% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 5.2% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 32.6% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 15.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.7% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 12.2% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Chula Vista
Chula Vista, CA is covered by 5 ZIP codes: