Chula Vista CA vs Columbus GA — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Chula Vista, CA

California · Population: 8,933

  • Median HH Income$104,238
  • Median Home Price$849,245
  • Unemployment2.2%
  • Bachelor's+26.9%

Columbus, GA

Georgia · Population: 204,383

  • Median HH Income$56,622
  • Median Home Price$175,194
  • Unemployment6.5%
  • Bachelor's+29.7%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Chula Vista
8,933
Columbus
204,383
Columbus +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Chula Vista
N/A
Columbus
N/A
Median Age
Chula Vista
42.9
Columbus
35.1
Columbus +
Foreign Born
Chula Vista
20.0%
Chula Vista +
Columbus
5.3%
White
Chula Vista
65.7%
Chula Vista +
Columbus
39.3%
Black
Chula Vista
0.7%
Columbus
46.7%
Columbus +
Asian
Chula Vista
0.7%
Columbus
2.6%
Columbus +
Hispanic
Chula Vista
36.5%
Chula Vista +
Columbus
8.3%
Spanish at Home
Chula Vista
N/A
Columbus
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Chula Vista
$104,238
Chula Vista +
Columbus
$56,622
Per Capita Income
Chula Vista
$49,562
Chula Vista +
Columbus
$32,811
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Chula Vista
$77,230
Chula Vista +
Columbus
$57,405
Unemployment Rate
Chula Vista
2.2%
Chula Vista +
Columbus
6.5%
Poverty Rate
Chula Vista
4.5%
Chula Vista +
Columbus
18.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
Chula Vista
26.9%
Columbus
29.7%
Columbus +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Chula Vista
$849,245
Columbus
$175,194
Columbus +
Homeownership Rate
Chula Vista
71.4%
Chula Vista +
Columbus
50.2%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Chula Vista
503
Columbus
392
Columbus +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Chula Vista
2388
Columbus
1752
Columbus +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
26.6%
Chula Vista +
Columbus
40.3%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
11.4%
Chula Vista +
Columbus
15.5%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Chula Vista
16.0%
Chula Vista +
Columbus
19.1%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
12.4%
Chula Vista +
Columbus
14.8%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
15.7%
Columbus
13.9%
Columbus +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
9.6%
Chula Vista +
Columbus
16.1%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Chula Vista
63.5°F
Chula Vista +
Columbus
64.4°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Chula Vista
9.8 in
Chula Vista +
Columbus
49.6 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Chula Vista
7.9 µg/m³
Chula Vista +
Columbus
9.8 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Chula Vista
75.0%
Chula Vista +
Columbus
55.0%

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Chula Vista
26.9 min
Columbus
21.6 min
Columbus +

Which City is Right for You?

Chula Vista leads in median household income at $104,238, while columbus offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $175,194. On public safety, Columbus is safer with a violent crime rate of 392 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Chula Vista. Chula Vista has a lower unemployment rate at 2.2%, and Chula Vista has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.9 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Chula Vista scores better with a lower obesity rate of 26.6%.

Compare More Cities

About Chula Vista & Columbus