Residential comparison · 13 facts
San Marcos, 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 San Marcos needs about $83,000 in Vista to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Vista, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $87,000 in San Marcos.
A few differences
- San Marcos is higher on median household income ($109,377 vs $94,975).
- Vista is lower on cost of living index (142 vs 149).
- Vista is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,253/mo vs $2,331/mo).
San Marcos vs Vista · facet by facet
| Facet | San Marcos, CA | Vista, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $868,000 | $762,400 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,331/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 | 149 | 142 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $109,377 | $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: San Marcos, CA · Vista, CA
Questions & answers
- Is San Marcos cheaper than Vista?
- Vista has the lower day-to-day cost index (142 vs 149 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Vista equals $85,000 in San Marcos?
- A household earning $85,000 in San Marcos needs about $83,000 in Vista to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Vista lifestyle costs about $87,000 in San Marcos.