Poverty and living standards in Chula Vista, California: official figures
8.7% of residents of Chula Vista (24,042 people) had incomes below the federal poverty line in the 2020-2024 American Community Survey, 234th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 12.5%; California: 12.0%).
How many children live in poverty in Chula Vista?
10.0% of children under 18 in Chula Vista lived below the poverty line in 2020-2024 (6,666 children), 237th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 16.1%; California: 15.0%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate for older people in Chula Vista?
By age, the poverty rate in Chula Vista was 11.8% for children under 6 and 9.9% for residents aged 60 and over in 2020-2024 (US: 17.2% and 11.0%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in Chula Vista live in deep poverty?
11,665 people in Chula Vista, 4.2% of residents, had incomes below half the poverty line in 2020-2024, 239th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 6.0%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many renters in Chula Vista are cost-burdened?
62.2% of renting households in Chula Vista spent 30% or more of their income on rent and utilities in 2020-2024 (20,390 households), 77th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 51.1%; California: 55.3%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many households in Chula Vista spend half their income on rent?
33.5% of renting households in Chula Vista spent half or more of their income on rent and utilities, 94th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 25.9%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in Chula Vista are food insecure?
An estimated 19.7% of adults in Chula Vista experienced food insecurity in the past year, joint 231st highest of 592 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate, and 17.6% housing insecurity (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow Chula Vista compares with other cities in the United States
Residents below the poverty line (2020-2024)
Chula Vista ranks 590 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents below the poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 587 | Broken Arrow | 8.8% |
| 588 | Murfreesboro | 8.8% |
| 589 | Gaithersburg | 8.8% |
| 590 | Chula Vista | 8.7% |
| 591 | Cheyenne | 8.7% |
| 592 | Lawrence | 8.7% |
| 593 | Corona | 8.7% |
Children under 18 below the poverty line (2020-2024)
Chula Vista ranks 587 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Children under 18 below the poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 584 | Thousand Oaks | 10.1% |
| 585 | Sandy Springs | 10.1% |
| 586 | West Des Moines | 10.0% |
| 587 | Chula Vista | 10.0% |
| 588 | Evanston | 10.0% |
| 589 | Daly City | 10.0% |
| 590 | Chandler | 10.0% |
Residents with incomes below half the poverty line (2020-2024)
Chula Vista ranks 585 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents with incomes below half the poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 582 | Bellevue | 4.3% |
| 583 | Daly City | 4.3% |
| 584 | Virginia Beach | 4.3% |
| 585 | Chula Vista | 4.2% |
| 586 | Barnstable Town | 4.2% |
| 587 | Temecula | 4.2% |
| 588 | St. Charles | 4.2% |
Renting households spending 30% or more of income on rent (2020-2024)
Chula Vista ranks 77 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Renting households spending 30% or more of income on rent |
|---|---|---|
| 74 | Winter Haven | 62.3% |
| 75 | Pompano Beach | 62.3% |
| 76 | Lake Forest | 62.3% |
| 77 | Chula Vista | 62.2% |
| 78 | Hemet | 62.2% |
| 79 | Chico | 62.2% |
| 80 | Sarasota | 62.2% |
Adults experiencing food insecurity (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)
Chula Vista ranks 232 of 592, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults experiencing food insecurity (age-adjusted model estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 229 | Hayward | 19.8% |
| 230 | Whittier | 19.8% |
| 231 | Columbus | 19.7% |
| 232 | Chula Vista | 19.7% |
| 233 | Fort Wayne | 19.7% |
| 234 | Vista | 19.7% |
| 235 | Alhambra | 19.6% |
More on Chula Vista: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · all cities in the United States
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: PLACES: Place Data (GIS Friendly Format), 2025 release: model-based age-adjusted prevalence among adults, for every place (data.cdc.gov API, columns used), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b2174bcc660f…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B17020: Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months by Age (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 e79a292f34605560506b7f4b5c8ea242c9d6e203c8e95ba675565ddb7758571e), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 41bab025d213…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table C17002: Ratio of Income to Poverty Level in the Past 12 Months (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 dc3dc675113683ec3ff2a0e29a840f43e03268151d7f14b922658d7306da5187), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 31aa364bfddf…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B25070: Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income in the Past 12 Months (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 862ccc17d913305d11e6f802ce4518d76b30585ea0b05b251cd8cf21f8661386), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4f8d499d9e95…)
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