The Town FilesVista, California
City in San Diego County · population 98,381 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $762,400
- Household income
- $94,975
- Jan low / Jul high
- 46° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 35.9
Vista is a city of 98,381 people in San Diego County, California. The median home is worth $762,400, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more vibrant than 87% of California towns, better for first-time buyers than 86% of California towns, more of a college town than 83% of California towns.
How Vista 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.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Vista is worth $762,400, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.0 times the median household income of $94,975, which is more affordable than 28% of California towns. Median rent is $2,249 a month. 51.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Vista | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $762,400 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,249 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $94,975 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.0× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 51.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Vista
| People | Vista | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.9 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.0% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.3% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 6.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 22.5% | — |
| Work from home | 16.2% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 26.7 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.2% | 93.3% |
Weather in Vista
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 45.7°F. About 13.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 19 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Vista since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on March 27, 1991 about 4.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 17, 2004.
Severe weather in San Diego County since 1996
San Diego County has been included in 51 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 19, 2024 | Flood | DR-4758: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| October 16, 2020 | Fire | DR-4569: Wildfires |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in San Diego County
San Diego County had 1,536,541 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $82,854 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Vista itself the ACS puts it at 6.6%.
Public schools in Vista
28 public schools with 15,811 students, about 21.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rancho Buena Vista High | 9-12 | 1,962 | 20.7 |
| Vista High | 9-12 | 1,896 | 19.0 |
| Guajome Park Academy Charter (charter) | K-12 | 1,353 | 18.8 |
| Vista Magnet Middle School of Technology Science and Math | 6-8 | 805 | 19.6 |
| Vista Innovation and Design Academy | 6-8 | 804 | 19.6 |
| Breeze Hill Elementary | K-5 | 762 | 26.3 |
| Grapevine Elementary | K-5 | 724 | 23.4 |
| Vista Academy of Visual and Performing Arts | K-5 | 718 | 24.8 |
| Casita Center for Science/Math/Technology | K-5 | 707 | 27.2 |
| Classical Academy Vista (charter) | K-8 | 616 | 26.8 |
| Joli Ann Leichtag Elementary | K-5 | 600 | 23.1 |
| Monte Vista Elementary | K-5 | 504 | 25.2 |
Towns near Vista
- Oceanside, CA4.6 mi · 174,068 people · home $770,300
- Carlsbad, CA4.9 mi · 114,746 people · home $1,257,000
- Lake San Marcos, CA5.0 mi · 5,328 people · home $917,000
- San Marcos, CA5.6 mi · 94,833 people · home $868,000
- Bonsall, CA6.5 mi · 4,546 people · home $958,700
- Hidden Meadows, CA7.3 mi · 4,484 people · home $851,100
- Camp Pendleton South, CA9.3 mi · 12,468 people · home —
- Encinitas, CA9.7 mi · 62,007 people · home $1,646,800
Vista questions
Is Vista, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Vista scores better for retirees than 32% of California towns and quieter than 16%. 13.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.9).
How much does a house cost in Vista?
The median owner-occupied home in Vista is valued at $762,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $94,975, so homes cost about 8.0 times income. Median rent is $2,249 a month.
What is the weather like in Vista?
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 45.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 13.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Vista get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Vista since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on March 27, 1991. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)