The Town FilesChula Vista, California
City in San Diego County · population 275,487 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $758,700
- Household income
- $108,032
- Jan low / Jul high
- 47° / 75°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 37.1
Chula Vista is a city of 275,487 people in San Diego County, California. The median home is worth $758,700, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more of a college town than 90% of California towns, more seaside character than 87% of California towns, more vibrant than 85% of California towns.
How Chula Vista ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Chula Vista is worth $758,700, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 7.0 times the median household income of $108,032, which is more affordable than 41% of California towns. Median rent is $2,229 a month. 59.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chula Vista | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $758,700 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,229 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $108,032 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.0× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 59.8% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Chula Vista
| People | Chula Vista | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.2% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.7% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 8.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 29.4% | — |
| Work from home | 12.6% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.7% | 93.3% |
Weather in Chula Vista
July highs average 74.6°F and January lows 46.5°F. About 9.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chula Vista since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on March 19, 1991 about 9.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 23, 2005.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on February 25, 1958.
Severe weather in San Diego County since 1996
San Diego County has been included in 51 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 19, 2024 | Flood | DR-4758: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| October 16, 2020 | Fire | DR-4569: Wildfires |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in San Diego County
San Diego County had 1,536,541 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $82,854 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Chula Vista itself the ACS puts it at 8%.
Public schools in Chula Vista
75 public schools with 56,244 students, about 22.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastlake High | 9-12 | 2,710 | 24.9 |
| Otay Ranch Senior High | 9-12 | 2,546 | 24.7 |
| Olympian High | 9-12 | 2,324 | 24.2 |
| Bonita Vista Senior High | 9-12 | 2,049 | 23.0 |
| San Ysidro High | 9-12 | 2,017 | 21.9 |
| Chula Vista Senior High | 9-12 | 1,980 | 21.5 |
| Hilltop Senior High | 9-12 | 1,841 | 23.0 |
| Eastlake Middle | 7-8 | 1,691 | 26.0 |
| Rancho del Rey Middle | 7-8 | 1,625 | 24.6 |
| Mueller Charter (Robert L.) (charter) | K-12 | 1,555 | 22.5 |
| Chula Vista Learning Community Charter (charter) | K-12 | 1,458 | 20.8 |
| Castle Park Senior High | 9-12 | 1,381 | 21.2 |
Towns near Chula Vista
- Bonita, CA3.2 mi · 12,917 people · home $962,800
- National City, CA5.5 mi · 56,173 people · home $612,200
- La Presa, CA5.9 mi · 35,033 people · home $629,700
- Imperial Beach, CA7.2 mi · 26,137 people · home $857,000
- Lemon Grove, CA7.4 mi · 27,627 people · home $705,400
- Spring Valley, CA7.4 mi · 30,998 people · home $714,700
- Coronado, CA8.5 mi · 20,192 people · home $2,000,001
- Casa de Oro-Mount Helix, CA9.8 mi · 19,576 people · home $952,400
Chula Vista questions
Is Chula Vista, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chula Vista scores better for retirees than 27% of California towns and quieter than 11%. 13.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.1).
How much does a house cost in Chula Vista?
The median owner-occupied home in Chula Vista is valued at $758,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $108,032, so homes cost about 7.0 times income. Median rent is $2,229 a month.
What is the weather like in Chula Vista?
July highs average 74.6°F and January lows 46.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 9.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Chula Vista get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chula Vista since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on March 19, 1991. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)