Chula Vista is a city located in San Diego County California. Chula Vista has a 2024 population of 273,841. Chula Vista is currently declining at a rate of -0.18% annually and its population has decreased by -0.71% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 275,809 in 2020.
The average household income in Chula Vista is $120,845 with a poverty rate of 8.78%. The median age in Chula Vista is 36.1 years: 35.2 years for males, and 37.2 years for females.
Chula Vista is located in San Diego County, where it is the second largest city by population. Chula Vista is located just over seven miles from San Diego, and it’s only over seven miles from the border of Mexico.
Chula Vista has seen significant population growth because of its thriving economy and the support that is offered for small businesses. The small business sector accounts for most of the companies in Chula Vista. The city is also a popular tourist destination, attracting many visitors while also boosting the local economy. Chula Vista has seen significant population growth throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. A population of just over 1,700 in 1920 expanded to nearly 16,000 at the time of the 1950 census. The population has continued to post growth in the double-digit percentages every ten years. Current estimates show that the population is up 9.5% from the last census in 2010, indicating that this thriving city with over a quarter-million resident is only going to continue to grow larger.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Chula Vista was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 112,825 | 40.86% |
| Two or more races | 64,044 | 23.2% |
| Asian | 42,844 | 15.52% |
| Other race | 38,832 | 14.06% |
| Black or African American | 14,315 | 5.18% |
| Native American | 2,251 | 0.82% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 992 | 0.36% |
White
Two or more races
Asian
Other race
Black or African American
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 83,074 | 3.3 | 59.9 | 40.1 |
| Married | 48,048 | 3.85 | 70.1 | 29.9 |
| Non Family | 17,026 | 1.34 | 49.2 | 50.8 |
| Female | 12,750 | 3.75 | 41.1 | 58.9 |
| Male | 5,250 | 3.45 | 48 | 52 |
3.69
Average Family Size
3.3
Average Household Size
59.9%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 14,396 | 7.89% |
| Associates Degree | 18,159 | 9.95% |
| Bachelors Degree | 38,313 | 20.99% |
| Graduate Degree | 18,645 | 10.21% |
| High School Graduate | 38,869 | 21.29% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 12,355 | 6.77% |
| Some College | 41,800 | 22.9% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 103,597 | 81,316 | 24,614 |
| 2+ Races | 38,436 | 31,154 | 9,839 |
| White | 35,602 | 34,050 | 13,482 |
| Asian | 29,627 | 27,614 | 14,682 |
| Other Race | 25,404 | 19,626 | 5,417 |
| Black | 9,826 | 9,052 | 2,610 |
| Native American | 1,589 | 1,159 | 251 |
| Islander | 688 | 629 | 147 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 95.64%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 49.56%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $69,349 | $79,682 | $62,354 |
| Graduate Degree | $91,036 | $99,156 | $83,734 |
| High School Graduate | $40,508 | $47,448 | $31,896 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $31,984 | $40,146 | $24,722 |
| Overall | $50,724 | $57,449 | $41,768 |
| Some College | $47,275 | $55,945 | $38,737 |
$50,724
Average Earnings
$57,449
Average Male
$41,768
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
43.88% of Chula Vista residents speak only English, while 56.12% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 45.57% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 165,326 | 17,465 | 10.56% |
| Multiple | 63,873 | 5,781 | 9.05% |
| Other | 38,563 | 4,875 | 12.64% |
| White | 43,689 | 3,438 | 7.87% |
| Asian | 42,783 | 1,723 | 4.03% |
| Black | 13,780 | 1,383 | 10.04% |
| Native | 2,235 | 445 | 19.91% |
| Islander | 989 | 100 | 10.11% |
8.78%
Overall Poverty Rate
7.34%
Male Poverty Rate
10.23%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Chula Vista is Native, with 19.91% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Chula Vista is Asian, with 4.03% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.04%. Among those working part-time, it was 7.64%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 16.54%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 15.8% |
| High School | 9.41% |
| Some College | 7.87% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 3.65% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 21.27% |
| Male Unemployed | 18.38% |
| Female Employed | 4.63% |
| Male Employed | 2.77% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $112,818 | $128,828 |
| Households | $101,984 | $120,845 |
| Married Families | $130,656 | $146,784 |
| Non Families | $48,453 | $73,375 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
49.9%
Overall Marriage Rate
52.0%
Male Marriage Rate
47.8%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
17,496
Number of Veterans
15,425
Male Veterans
2,071
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| First Gulf War | 7,947 |
| Second Gulf War | 7,287 |
| Vietnam | 3,352 |
| Korea | 481 |
| World War II | 270 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 35 to 54 | 6,949 |
| 55 to 64 | 3,645 |
| 65 to 74 | 2,840 |
| 75+ | 2,228 |
| 18 to 34 | 1,834 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 8,197 | 9.68% |
| Hispanic | 4,513 | 3.79% |
| Asian | 3,882 | 12.05% |
| Black | 2,221 | 22.5% |
| 2+ Races | 1,840 | 4.13% |
| Other Race | 1,183 | 4.09% |
| Native American | 102 | 5.7% |
| Islander | 71 | 8.07% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
4.51%
Veteran Poverty Rate
22.19%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
66.9%
Labor Force Participation
58.9%
Employment Rate
8.8%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
53.93%
Born in Chula Vista
70.66%
Native Born
29.34%
Foreign Born
11.37%
Non Citizen
17.98%
Naturalized
70.66% of Chula Vista residents were born in the United States, with 53.93% having been born in California. 11.37% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 271,381 | -492 | -0.18% |
| 2028 | 271,873 | -492 | -0.18% |
| 2027 | 272,365 | -492 | -0.18% |
| 2026 | 272,857 | -492 | -0.18% |
| 2025 | 273,349 | -492 | -0.18% |
| 2024 | 273,841 | -492 | -0.18% |
| 2023 | 274,333 | -490 | -0.18% |
| 2022 | 274,823 | -951 | -0.34% |
| 2021 | 275,774 | -35 | -0.01% |
| 2020 | 275,809 | 4,977 | 1.84% |
| 2019 | 270,832 | 2,134 | 0.79% |
| 2018 | 268,698 | 2,071 | 0.78% |
| 2017 | 266,627 | 1,847 | 0.7% |
| 2016 | 264,780 | 1,916 | 0.73% |
| 2015 | 262,864 | 2,159 | 0.83% |
| 2014 | 260,705 | 3,438 | 1.34% |
| 2013 | 257,267 | 4,413 | 1.75% |
| 2012 | 252,854 | 4,371 | 1.76% |
| 2011 | 248,483 | 3,739 | 1.53% |
| 2010 | 244,744 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 173,556 | 38,393 | 28.4% |
| 1990 | 135,163 | 51,236 | 61.05% |
| 1980 | 83,927 | 16,026 | 23.6% |
| 1970 | 67,901 | 25,867 | 61.54% |
| 1960 | 42,034 | 26,107 | 163.92% |
| 1950 | 15,927 | 10,789 | 209.98% |
| 1940 | 5,138 | 1,269 | 32.8% |
| 1930 | 3,869 | 2,151 | 125.2% |
| 1920 | 1,718 | -269,663 | -99.37% |