Chula Vista CA vs Syracuse NY — 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%

Syracuse, NY

New York · Population: 146,211

  • Median HH Income$45,845
  • Median Home Price$215,134
  • Unemployment7.4%
  • Bachelor's+30.5%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Chula Vista
8,933
Syracuse
146,211
Syracuse +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Chula Vista
N/A
Syracuse
N/A
Median Age
Chula Vista
42.9
Syracuse
31.9
Syracuse +
Foreign Born
Chula Vista
20.0%
Chula Vista +
Syracuse
12.1%
White
Chula Vista
65.7%
Chula Vista +
Syracuse
51.9%
Black
Chula Vista
0.7%
Syracuse
27.6%
Syracuse +
Asian
Chula Vista
0.7%
Syracuse
6.8%
Syracuse +
Hispanic
Chula Vista
36.5%
Chula Vista +
Syracuse
10.3%
Spanish at Home
Chula Vista
N/A
Syracuse
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Chula Vista
$104,238
Chula Vista +
Syracuse
$45,845
Per Capita Income
Chula Vista
$49,562
Chula Vista +
Syracuse
$27,570
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Chula Vista
$77,230
Syracuse
$77,425
Syracuse +
Unemployment Rate
Chula Vista
2.2%
Chula Vista +
Syracuse
7.4%
Poverty Rate
Chula Vista
4.5%
Chula Vista +
Syracuse
29.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
Chula Vista
26.9%
Syracuse
30.5%
Syracuse +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Chula Vista
$849,245
Syracuse
$215,134
Syracuse +
Homeownership Rate
Chula Vista
71.4%
Chula Vista +
Syracuse
41.3%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Chula Vista
503
Syracuse
434
Syracuse +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Chula Vista
2388
Syracuse
1736
Syracuse +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
26.6%
Chula Vista +
Syracuse
41.5%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
11.4%
Chula Vista +
Syracuse
12.7%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Chula Vista
16.0%
Chula Vista +
Syracuse
20.8%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
12.4%
Syracuse
9.7%
Syracuse +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
15.7%
Syracuse
15.3%
Syracuse +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
9.6%
Chula Vista +
Syracuse
16.1%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Chula Vista
63.5°F
Syracuse
49.0°F
Syracuse +
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Chula Vista
9.8 in
Chula Vista +
Syracuse
41.5 in

Air Quality

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

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Chula Vista
26.9 min
Syracuse
19.3 min
Syracuse +

Which City is Right for You?

Chula Vista leads in median household income at $104,238, while syracuse offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $215,134. On public safety, Syracuse is safer with a violent crime rate of 434 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 & Syracuse