Chula Vista CA vs Little Rock AR — 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%

Little Rock, AR

Arkansas · Population: 202,739

  • Median HH Income$60,583
  • Median Home Price$216,863
  • Unemployment4.2%
  • Bachelor's+44.0%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Chula Vista
8,933
Little Rock
202,739
Little Rock +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Chula Vista
N/A
Little Rock
N/A
Median Age
Chula Vista
42.9
Little Rock
36.4
Little Rock +
Foreign Born
Chula Vista
20.0%
Chula Vista +
Little Rock
7.9%
White
Chula Vista
65.7%
Chula Vista +
Little Rock
46.4%
Black
Chula Vista
0.7%
Little Rock
39.4%
Little Rock +
Asian
Chula Vista
0.7%
Little Rock
3.0%
Little Rock +
Hispanic
Chula Vista
36.5%
Chula Vista +
Little Rock
10.4%
Spanish at Home
Chula Vista
N/A
Little Rock
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Chula Vista
$104,238
Chula Vista +
Little Rock
$60,583
Per Capita Income
Chula Vista
$49,562
Chula Vista +
Little Rock
$43,242
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Chula Vista
$77,230
Chula Vista +
Little Rock
$53,714
Unemployment Rate
Chula Vista
2.2%
Chula Vista +
Little Rock
4.2%
Poverty Rate
Chula Vista
4.5%
Chula Vista +
Little Rock
16.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
Chula Vista
26.9%
Little Rock
44.0%
Little Rock +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Chula Vista
$849,245
Little Rock
$216,863
Little Rock +
Homeownership Rate
Chula Vista
71.4%
Chula Vista +
Little Rock
54.2%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Chula Vista
503
Chula Vista +
Little Rock
660
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Chula Vista
2388
Chula Vista +
Little Rock
2507

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
26.6%
Chula Vista +
Little Rock
40.5%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
11.4%
Chula Vista +
Little Rock
13.1%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Chula Vista
16.0%
Chula Vista +
Little Rock
17.5%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
12.4%
Little Rock
11.4%
Little Rock +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
15.7%
Little Rock
14.3%
Little Rock +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
9.6%
Chula Vista +
Little Rock
13.3%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Chula Vista
63.5°F
Little Rock
62.7°F
Little Rock +
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Chula Vista
9.8 in
Chula Vista +
Little Rock
50.0 in

Air Quality

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

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Chula Vista
26.9 min
Little Rock
20.0 min
Little Rock +

Which City is Right for You?

Chula Vista leads in median household income at $104,238, while little Rock offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $216,863. On public safety, Chula Vista is safer with a violent crime rate of 503 per 100,000 residents, compared to 660 in Little Rock. 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 & Little Rock