Chula Vista CA vs Laredo TX — 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%

Laredo, TX

Texas · Population: 255,949

  • Median HH Income$63,264
  • Median Home Price$221,806
  • Unemployment5.5%
  • Bachelor's+21.5%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Chula Vista
8,933
Laredo
255,949
Laredo +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Chula Vista
N/A
Laredo
N/A
Median Age
Chula Vista
42.9
Laredo
29.7
Laredo +
Foreign Born
Chula Vista
20.0%
Laredo
25.4%
Laredo +
White
Chula Vista
65.7%
Chula Vista +
Laredo
37.6%
Black
Chula Vista
0.7%
Chula Vista +
Laredo
0.5%
Asian
Chula Vista
0.7%
Chula Vista +
Laredo
0.5%
Hispanic
Chula Vista
36.5%
Laredo
95.2%
Laredo +
Spanish at Home
Chula Vista
N/A
Laredo
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Chula Vista
$104,238
Chula Vista +
Laredo
$63,264
Per Capita Income
Chula Vista
$49,562
Chula Vista +
Laredo
$24,584
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Chula Vista
$77,230
Chula Vista +
Laredo
$63,758
Unemployment Rate
Chula Vista
2.2%
Chula Vista +
Laredo
5.5%
Poverty Rate
Chula Vista
4.5%
Chula Vista +
Laredo
20.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
Chula Vista
26.9%
Chula Vista +
Laredo
21.5%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Chula Vista
$849,245
Laredo
$221,806
Laredo +
Homeownership Rate
Chula Vista
71.4%
Chula Vista +
Laredo
63.3%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Chula Vista
503
Laredo
442
Laredo +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Chula Vista
2388
Laredo
2339
Laredo +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
26.6%
Chula Vista +
Laredo
42.2%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
11.4%
Chula Vista +
Laredo
16.4%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Chula Vista
16.0%
Chula Vista +
Laredo
17.3%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
12.4%
Chula Vista +
Laredo
35.7%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
15.7%
Chula Vista +
Laredo
16.2%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
9.6%
Chula Vista +
Laredo
13.1%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Chula Vista
63.5°F
Chula Vista +
Laredo
74.2°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Chula Vista
9.8 in
Chula Vista +
Laredo
20.2 in

Air Quality

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

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Chula Vista
26.9 min
Laredo
22.7 min
Laredo +

Which City is Right for You?

Chula Vista leads in median household income at $104,238, while laredo offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $221,806. On public safety, Laredo is safer with a violent crime rate of 442 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 & Laredo