Residential comparison · 13 facts
Carlsbad, CA vs Vista, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Carlsbad needs about $79,500 in Vista to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Vista, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $90,500 in Carlsbad.
A few differences
- Carlsbad is higher on median household income ($142,748 vs $94,975).
- Vista is lower on cost of living index (142 vs 177).
- Vista is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,253/mo vs $2,805/mo).
Carlsbad vs Vista · facet by facet
| Facet | Carlsbad, CA | Vista, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,257,000 | $762,400 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,805/mo | $2,253/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Cost of living index | 177 | 142 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $142,748 | $94,975 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 260 days | 260 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Carlsbad, CA · Vista, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Carlsbad cheaper than Vista?
- Vista has the lower day-to-day cost index (142 vs 177 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Vista equals $85,000 in Carlsbad?
- A household earning $85,000 in Carlsbad needs about $79,500 in Vista to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Vista lifestyle costs about $90,500 in Carlsbad.