Vista, California Income Statistics
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
Vista Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Vista | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $93,080 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $52,330 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.8% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 13.1% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 16.0% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Vista is about 6% lower than in California. Income has been growing faster in Vista (6.8%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 13% of adults in 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 Vista, California grew by 67.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $93,080 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.8% per year.
Vista has been above the U.S. median household income in most years since 2009, but dipped below it in 2011-2015 (as much as 8.8% lower). In 2024 its income was 16% higher.
Income Distribution in Vista
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 13,702 households (46.1% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 15.7% of households in Vista had an income under $35,000 and 27.2% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Vista has a larger share of households earning $200,000 or more (16.0% vs 13.2%) and a smaller share earning $15,000 to $24,999 (4.2% vs 6.4%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 916 | 3.1% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 510 | 1.7% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 1,248 | 4.2% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 1,989 | 6.7% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 2,671 | 9.0% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 4,498 | 15.1% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 4,188 | 14.1% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 5,629 | 18.9% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 3,316 | 11.2% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 4,757 | 16.0% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 29,722 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 9,678 residents (13.1% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 15.2% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 14.1% of Vista residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 26.1% had some income but less than $25,000, and 20.5% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Vista has a larger share of residents earning $25,000 to $34,999 (11.9% vs 9.5%) and a smaller share earning $1 to $9,999 (9.4% vs 11.2%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 10,416 | 14.1% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 6,921 | 9.4% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 4,923 | 6.7% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 7,485 | 10.1% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 8,787 | 11.9% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 10,423 | 14.1% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 9,851 | 13.3% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 5,443 | 7.4% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 9,678 | 13.1% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 73,927 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 14.1% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Vista
| Metric | Vista | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.549 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $63,717 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $52,908 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.0% | 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 Vista, it is 0.549, lower than California's 0.572, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 20% more than women's income in Vista, California. Over a 35-year career, a 20% wage gap accumulates to roughly $378,315 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Vista, California has widened from about 13% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 7% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,985 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Vista widened by 4.3 points while California's narrowed by 4.3 points.
Employment
| Metric | Vista | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 15.5% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 3,366 people are unemployed in Vista, California.
The average commute time in Vista is 23 minutes, about the same as in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Vista, California has fallen from 9.0% to 6.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 4.4% in 2020.
Vista was above the U.S. unemployment rate in 2011, slipped below it by 2012, falling as far as 2.1 points lower in 2014, then climbed back above it by 2021. In 2024 its rate was 1.6 points higher.
Vista, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
Vista, CA is the 3rd largest of the 4 cities compared here, 92,368 residents against a local median of 112,376. Vista, CA's unemployment, at 6.8%, runs 35% above the 5.0% typical of the cities around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The cities themselves sit within 0.6% of each other on unemployment, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Vista, CA, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vista, CA | 92,368 | $93,080 #4/4 | 6.8%/yr #2/4 | 6.8% #4/4 | 0.549 #3/4 |
| Oceanside, CA | 169,882 | $98,361 | 6.7%/yr | 5.0% | 0.537 |
| Carlsbad, CA | 112,376 | $145,720 | 5.1%/yr | 5.4% | 0.523 |
| San Marcos, CA | 89,459 | $108,916 | 7.6%/yr | 4.8% | 0.572 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, 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 Vista, California.
How Rich Is Vista, California?
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 $93,080, about 6% lower than the California average of $99,161.
How fast is household income rising in Vista, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Vista, California rose 68%, from $55,440 to $93,080. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +68% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Vista in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Vista, California was $88,982, up 2% from $87,601 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Vista in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Vista, California was $72,783. By 2024 it had risen 28% to $93,080.
What is the Gini coefficient in Vista, California?
The Gini coefficient in Vista is 0.549. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Vista, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Vista, California has widened from about 13% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 7% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,985 since 2009.
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