Chula Vista vs Imperial Beach
Chula Vista, California versus Imperial Beach, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Chula Vista and Imperial Beach score about the same overall (43 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Chula Vista | Imperial Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $102k | $76k |
| Cost of Living | $78k | $78k |
| Home Value | $647k | $744k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.88% | 0.52% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 21.82% | 21.32% |
| Unemployment | 8.8% | 7.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 57°F | 57°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 69°F | 69°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.0 in | 8.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 228 days | 228 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 288 days | 296 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 24.9 | 53.9 |
| Air Quality | 57 AQI | 59 AQI |
| School Quality | 56.9 | 71.9 |
| Violent Crime | 846/100k | 1215/100k |
| Property Crime | 1281/100k | 1057/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 276,103 | 26,157 |
| Median Age | 36.1 | 33.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.73 | 0.64 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 1.04 |
| Political Leaning | D+23 | D+23 |
| White (%) | 16.1% | 32.4% |
| Black (%) | 4.9% | 4.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 60.2% | 52.8% |
| Asian (%) | 14.9% | 6.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.0% | 4.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 11.6/20 | 13.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 13 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.4% | 91.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 17.24 | 116.60 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Chula Vista or Imperial Beach more affordable?
- Imperial Beach has the lower cost of living: its index is $78k, compared with Chula Vista's $78k and Imperial Beach's $78k. Median rent is $2k in Chula Vista versus $2k in Imperial Beach.
- Is Chula Vista or Imperial Beach safer?
- Chula Vista has the lower violent crime rate. Chula Vista reports 846/100k and Imperial Beach reports 1215/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Chula Vista or Imperial Beach?
- The median home value is $647k in Chula Vista and $744k in Imperial Beach, so homes are more affordable in Chula Vista.