Chula Vista, California Income Statistics
Chula Vista Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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C
Chula Vista Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Chula Vista | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $105,666 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $62,705 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.2% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 15.0% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 17.0% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Chula Vista is about 7% higher than in California. Income has been growing faster in Chula Vista (6.2%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 15% of adults in Chula Vista earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Chula Vista, California grew by 71.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $105,666 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Chula Vista
| Metric | Chula Vista | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.571 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $72,138 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $60,349 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 16.3% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Chula Vista, it is 0.571, about the same as California's 0.572, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 20% more than women's income in Chula Vista, California. Over a 35-year career, a 20% wage gap accumulates to roughly $412,615 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Chula Vista, California has narrowed from about 25% to 16% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2010, and was narrowest at 14% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $472 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Chula Vista | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.7% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 12.4% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 25 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 10,590 people are unemployed in Chula Vista, California.
The average commute time in Chula Vista is 25 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Chula Vista, California has fallen from 10.4% to 7.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.4% in 2013.
Chula Vista, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
Chula Vista, CA is the largest of the 4 cities compared here, 265,525 residents against a local median of 34,750. Chula Vista, CA's unemployment, at 7.7%, runs 28% above the 6.0% typical of the cities around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $105,666 against a local median of $89,238, 18% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: median household income runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Chula Vista, CA is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The cities themselves spread 1.6% on unemployment, so Chula Vista, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Chula Vista, CA has the 4th lowest unemployment of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chula Vista, CA | 265,525 | $105,666 #1/4 | 6.2%/yr #1/4 | 7.7% #4/4 | 0.571 #4/4 |
| La Presa, CA | 34,750 | $96,192 | 5.8%/yr | 7.5% | 0.559 |
| National City, CA | 57,784 | $67,172 | 6.1%/yr | 6.0% | 0.545 |
| Lemon Grove, CA | 28,050 | $89,238 | 5.4%/yr | 5.9% | 0.529 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Chula Vista, California has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with California, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Chula Vista, California.
How Rich Is Chula Vista, California?
Chula Vista has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $105,666, about 7% higher than the California average of $99,161.
How has median household income changed in Chula Vista, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Chula Vista, California rose 71%, from $61,743 to $105,666. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +71% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Chula Vista in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Chula Vista, California was $103,297, up 2% from $101,430 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Chula Vista in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Chula Vista, California was $85,732. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $105,666.
What is the Gini coefficient in Chula Vista, California?
The Gini coefficient in Chula Vista is 0.571. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Chula Vista, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Chula Vista, California has narrowed from about 25% to 16% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2010, and was narrowest at 14% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $472 since 2009.
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