Chula Vista CA vs Flint MI — 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%

Flint, MI

Michigan · Population: 80,835

  • Median HH Income$36,194
  • Median Home Price$65,949
  • Unemployment17.4%
  • Bachelor's+13.1%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Chula Vista
8,933
Flint
80,835
Flint +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Chula Vista
N/A
Flint
N/A
Median Age
Chula Vista
42.9
Flint
36.2
Flint +
Foreign Born
Chula Vista
20.0%
Chula Vista +
Flint
2.9%
White
Chula Vista
65.7%
Chula Vista +
Flint
34.4%
Black
Chula Vista
0.7%
Flint
56.6%
Flint +
Asian
Chula Vista
0.7%
Chula Vista +
Flint
0.6%
Hispanic
Chula Vista
36.5%
Chula Vista +
Flint
4.5%
Spanish at Home
Chula Vista
N/A
Flint
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Chula Vista
$104,238
Chula Vista +
Flint
$36,194
Per Capita Income
Chula Vista
$49,562
Chula Vista +
Flint
$20,799
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Chula Vista
$77,230
Chula Vista +
Flint
$58,052
Unemployment Rate
Chula Vista
2.2%
Chula Vista +
Flint
17.4%
Poverty Rate
Chula Vista
4.5%
Chula Vista +
Flint
34.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
Chula Vista
26.9%
Chula Vista +
Flint
13.1%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Chula Vista
$849,245
Flint
$65,949
Flint +
Homeownership Rate
Chula Vista
71.4%
Chula Vista +
Flint
54.9%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Chula Vista
503
Flint
471
Flint +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Chula Vista
2388
Flint
1590
Flint +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
26.6%
Chula Vista +
Flint
50.5%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
11.4%
Chula Vista +
Flint
19.3%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Chula Vista
16.0%
Chula Vista +
Flint
23.5%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
12.4%
Flint
11.7%
Flint +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
15.7%
Flint
12.2%
Flint +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
9.6%
Chula Vista +
Flint
25.3%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Chula Vista
63.5°F
Flint
47.0°F
Flint +
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Chula Vista
9.8 in
Chula Vista +
Flint
31.7 in

Air Quality

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

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Chula Vista
26.9 min
Flint
25.0 min
Flint +

Which City is Right for You?

Chula Vista leads in median household income at $104,238, while flint offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $65,949. On public safety, Flint is safer with a violent crime rate of 471 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 & Flint