City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Vista, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Vista - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

98,646
Residents
$91,854
Median income
$674,400
Median home
$3,001
Median rent (state)

Vista - the verdict

Vista ranks in the 72nd percentile for household income and the 57th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

72nd
percentile, household income
92nd
percentile, home value
98th
percentile, median rent
57th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Vista, CA

98,646 people live in Vista, California - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Vista brings in $91,854 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.1%. Home values in Vista run a median of $674,400, and the median resident age is 34.9 years. 27.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 62.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 220 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 59% from five years earlier. Vista reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1180.2 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 62.7°F with 13.4 inches of precipitation per year.

California carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts California at 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Above Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $3,001 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 23.1 minutes, with 75.7% driving alone and 13.2% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 99.7 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

98,646 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$91,854 /yr

Poverty 7.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Vista compare to other US cities?

Vista measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 72% higher than other cities
Home value 92% pricier than other cities
Median rent 98% pricier than other cities
Safety 57% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at California, Vista ranks #96 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Vista against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to California only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

California-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Vista toward the top of California's cities

Among the 1,458 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Vista ranks #287 - the 76th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Vista only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#610 of 1,338
54th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#287 of 1,458
76th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#467 of 1,343
65th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#674 of 1,450
53rd percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#685 of 1,458
53rd percentile in California

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within California only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

72ndIncome percentile
57thSafety percentile

72nd percentile nationally for median household income · 57th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Vista's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Vista's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 45 Avg. percentile National median
Vista's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Vista's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$674,400 8th percentile more affordable than 8% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Vista $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Vista, CA Vista, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Vista, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Vista, CA median $91,854/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Vista, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Vista, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 27.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
98,646
Median Income
$91,854
Median Home Value
$674,400
Median Age
34.9
Poverty Rate
7.1%
Labor force participation
62.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
27.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1180.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
316.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
863.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
62.7°F
Annual Precipitation
13.4"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
28
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
98,000 residents98,500 residents99,000 residents99,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 98,838 residents 98,274 residents ▼ -0.6%
Vista's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
220
housing units authorized
Single-Family
181
detached homes
Multifamily
39
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 540
2020 500
2021 95
2022 173
2023 206
2024 220

Permit volume decreased 59% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
23.1 minutes
Drive Alone
75.7%
Carpool
7.4%
Public Transit
1.0%
Walk
1.0%
Work from Home
13.2%
Other
1.7%

Based on 48,711 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Vista sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$3,001/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Hesperia
100,141 people
Norwalk
100,713 people
Arden-Arcade
96,319 people
Tracy
95,358 people
Chico
102,032 people
Vacaville
102,085 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Vista's 98,646 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Roanoke, VA
98,677 people
New Braunfels, TX
98,700 people
Yuma, AZ
98,461 people
Boca Raton, FL
98,833 people
Longmont, CO
98,958 people
Kenosha, WI
99,147 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Vista's $91,854 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Cedar Point, NC
$91,853 median income
Georgetown, TX
$91,857 median income
Huntington Center, VT
$91,862 median income
Three Way, TN
$91,845 median income
Rosendale, WI
$91,844 median income
Florissant, CO
$91,838 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Vista, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Vista, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 50.3% 11.7% 27.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 49.7% White 50.3% Black or African American 2.8% Asian 5.2% American Indian 1.4% Native Hawaiian 0.8% Some other race 11.7% Two or more races 27.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Vista compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Vista (this city) 98,646 $91,854
Hesperia 100,141 $68,971
Norwalk 100,713 $98,709
Arden-Arcade 96,319 $71,767
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Vista, CA?

What is the population of Vista, CA? +

98,646 people live in Vista, CA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Vista, CA? +

Median annual household income in Vista runs $91,854, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Vista? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Vista; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Vista, CA safe? +

Vista has a total crime rate of 1180.2 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Vista, CA? +

Homes in Vista carry a median value of $674,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Vista? +

The average annual temperature in Vista runs 62.7°F, 13.4 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.