The Town Files

Vista Santa Rosa, California

Community in Riverside County · population 2,607 (2020 Census)

Map: where Vista Santa Rosa is in CaliforniaVista Santa Rosa
Median home
$427,700
Household income
$70,474
Jan low / Jul high
39° / 107°
Snow a year
0 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
1
Median age
40.4

Vista Santa Rosa is a community of 2,607 people in Riverside County, California. The median home is worth $427,700, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks quieter than 90% of California towns, better for a vacation home than 84% of California towns, better for cycling than 81% of California towns.

Vista Santa Rosa in our rankings:

How Vista Santa Rosa 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.

Vista Santa Rosa lifestyle rankings vs other California townsRetirement54th pctFamilies10th pctQuiet90th pctWalkability3rd pctFirst-time buyers55th pctYoung professionals3rd pctVibrancy37th pctHip & trendy41st pctCollege town1st pctUpscale26th pctVacation homes84th pctSeaside characterbottomCycling81st pctTransitbottomDriving80th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Vista Santa Rosa is worth $427,700, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.1 times the median household income of $70,474, which is more affordable than 56% of California towns. Median rent is $1,356 a month. 79.4% of households own their home.

Vista Santa Rosa vs Riverside County vs typical California townVista Santa RosaRiverside CountyTypical California townHome value$427,700$557,300$596,900Household income$70,474$93,074$91,557Monthly rent$1,356$1,901$1,827
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of California towns with 500+ people.
HousingVista Santa RosaTypical California town
Median home value$427,700$596,900
Median rent$1,356$1,827
Median household income$70,474$91,557
Home value ÷ income6.1×6.4×
Homeownership79.4%67.4%
Median year built19821977
Seasonal / vacation homes5.6%—

Who lives in Vista Santa Rosa

PeopleVista Santa RosaTypical California town
Median age40.440.2
Age 65 and over20.5%17.7%
Under 1825.2%—
Bachelor's degree or higher18.8%27.7%
Below the poverty line5.7%10.3%
Veterans1.4%—
Born outside the U.S.27.0%—
Work from home3.0%13.4%
Average commute26.8 min27.5 min
Homes with broadband92.0%93.3%

Weather in Vista Santa Rosa

July highs average 106.9°F and January lows 39.0°F. About 3.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 187 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 19 nights at or below freezing.

Vista Santa Rosa monthly temperatures and precipitation30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°110°32° freezing71°39°Jan74°43°Feb81°49°Mar87°55°Apr95°63°May103°69°Jun107°76°Jul106°75°Aug102°68°Sep91°57°Oct79°45°Nov69°38°DecPrecipitation (in)0.60.60.30.10.00.00.10.10.30.20.20.3
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Desert Resorts Rgnl Ap station (2.9 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Vista Santa Rosa since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on August 6, 2015 about 3.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 6, 2015.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Vista Santa Rosa by decade01950s01960s01970s01980s01990s02000s12010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on October 12, 2018.

Severe weather in Riverside County since 1996

Storm events in Riverside County since 1996 by typeHeat71Flood135Drought104Wildfire233High Wind661Dust Storm46Heavy Rain92Heavy Snow60
NOAA Storm Events Database, Riverside County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 54 deaths recorded.

Riverside County has been included in 66 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
May 20, 2026FireFM-5636: Bain Fire
September 11, 2024FireFM-5538: Airport Fire
July 21, 2024FireFM-5515: Hawarden Fire
November 21, 2023HurricaneDR-4750: Tropical Storm Hilary
January 9, 2023FloodEM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides

Jobs and pay in Riverside County

Riverside County had 840,433 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,734 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in Vista Santa Rosa itself the ACS puts it at 3.4%.

Largest industries in Riverside CountyHealth care & social assistan…132,092 jobs · $53,956Retail94,170 jobs · $44,156Hotels & restaurants90,357 jobs · $32,150Construction74,216 jobs · $73,089Transportation & warehousing73,962 jobs · $62,875Administrative & support50,769 jobs · $45,983
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Riverside County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023Riverside 4.8%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Vista Santa Rosa

Vista Santa Rosa questions

Is Vista Santa Rosa, California a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Vista Santa Rosa scores better for retirees than 54% of California towns and quieter than 90%. 20.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.4).

How much does a house cost in Vista Santa Rosa?

The median owner-occupied home in Vista Santa Rosa is valued at $427,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,474, so homes cost about 6.1 times income. Median rent is $1,356 a month.

What is the weather like in Vista Santa Rosa?

July highs average 106.9°F and January lows 39.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 3.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.

Does Vista Santa Rosa get tornadoes?

1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Vista Santa Rosa since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on August 6, 2015. The typical California town has had 2.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Vista Santa Rosa's Census boundary (GEOID 0683085). Comparisons use the median of California towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-12.