Vista, CA

Census place 0682996 · pop 99,114

D−37/ 100
🫤 Rough
D
in CA
📍 California ranks #49 of 50 states →
🏆 Obesity27.5% · top 15%
🚽 Air71 AQI · bottom 5%
Taxes
0.65% property · US 0.99%8.99% sales · US 7.00%up to 13.30% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Air quality (AQI)County-level71 AQI5

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

71 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level100/1006

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

100/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level52 days6

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

52 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Housing cost$762,4008

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$762,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Rent$2,660/mo13

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$2,660/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Homeownership51.7%18

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

51.7% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Population growth (5yr)-1.6%21

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-1.6% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Uninsured adults12.8%27

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

12.8% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Violent crime rate327/100k32

U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities

327 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Commute time27 min32

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

27 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Unemployment rateCounty-level4.1%32

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

4.1% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Poor mental health18.0%36

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

18.0% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Income inequality0.4443

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.44 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Bachelor's degree or higher29.3%48

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

29.3% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Poverty rate10.5%55

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

10.5% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Physical inactivity23.2%60

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

23.2% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Property crime rate892/100k67

U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities

892 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Adult smoking11.4%69

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

11.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Median household income$94,97571

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$94,975 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Property-tax burden0.65%79

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.65% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Broadband access95.2%80

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

95.2% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Adult obesity27.5%85

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

27.5% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Frequently asked

Is Vista, CA a good place to live?
By the numbers, Vista scores 37/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is adult obesity and its weakest is air quality (aqi). California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Vista, CA?
Vista reports 327 violent crimes per 100k and 892 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Vista, CA expensive to live in?
Vista has a median home value of $762,400 and typical rent around $2,660/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Vista, CA?
Its weakest measured area is air quality (aqi) (71 AQI) — 5/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
What is Vista, CA best at?
Its strongest measured area is adult obesity (27.5%) — 85/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.