Chula Vista CA vs Utica 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%

Utica, NY

New York · Population: 51,054

  • Median HH Income$57,688
  • Median Home Price$205,924
  • Unemployment9.4%
  • Bachelor's+36.8%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Chula Vista
8,933
Utica
51,054
Utica +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Chula Vista
N/A
Utica
N/A
Median Age
Chula Vista
42.9
Utica
33.0
Utica +
Foreign Born
Chula Vista
20.0%
Chula Vista +
Utica
9.7%
White
Chula Vista
65.7%
Chula Vista +
Utica
64.8%
Black
Chula Vista
0.7%
Utica
16.9%
Utica +
Asian
Chula Vista
0.7%
Utica
4.3%
Utica +
Hispanic
Chula Vista
36.5%
Chula Vista +
Utica
9.8%
Spanish at Home
Chula Vista
N/A
Utica
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Chula Vista
$104,238
Chula Vista +
Utica
$57,688
Per Capita Income
Chula Vista
$49,562
Chula Vista +
Utica
$35,780
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Chula Vista
$77,230
Utica
$77,425
Utica +
Unemployment Rate
Chula Vista
2.2%
Chula Vista +
Utica
9.4%
Poverty Rate
Chula Vista
4.5%
Chula Vista +
Utica
23.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
Chula Vista
26.9%
Utica
36.8%
Utica +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Chula Vista
$849,245
Utica
$205,924
Utica +
Homeownership Rate
Chula Vista
71.4%
Chula Vista +
Utica
36.8%

Safety

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

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
26.6%
Chula Vista +
Utica
39.6%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
11.4%
Chula Vista +
Utica
14.1%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Chula Vista
16.0%
Chula Vista +
Utica
19.4%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
12.4%
Utica
11.1%
Utica +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
15.7%
Utica
15.2%
Utica +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Chula Vista
9.6%
Chula Vista +
Utica
18.7%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Chula Vista
63.5°F
Utica
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Chula Vista
9.8 in
Utica
N/A

Air Quality

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

Commute

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

Which City is Right for You?

Chula Vista leads in median household income at $104,238, while utica offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $205,924. On public safety, Utica 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 & Utica