Vista vs San Marcos
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $762,400 in Vista and $868,000 in San Marcos.
- Households earn more in San Marcos ($109,377 vs $94,975 median).
Side by side
| Vista, CA | San Marcos, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 98,274 | 94,908 |
| Growth since 2020 | -0.5% | +0.1% |
| People per square mile | 5,180 | 3,863 |
| Median age | 35.9 | 36.8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29% | 44% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $94,975 | $109,377 |
| Median home value | $762,400 | $868,000 |
| Home value to income | 8.0× | 7.9× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $2,249 | $2,348 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 111.9 | 111.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 179.3 | 179.3 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $83,900 | $83,900 |
| Homeowners | 52% | 64% |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | 13.3% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.03% | 9.03% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 26.7 | 26.5 |
| Work from home | 16% | 21% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.6% | 4.6% |
| Poverty rate | 10.5% | 9.2% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 65° / 48° | 65° / 48° |
| July high / low | 74° / 64° | 74° / 64° |
| Precipitation per year | 11 in | 11 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 3 | 3 |
| Nights below freezing | 0 | 0 |
| Comfortable months | 12 | 12 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.7 | 99.7 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 18% | 18% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.5% | +2.5% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +40.8% | +40.8% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Vista: January to December. San Marcos: January to December.
Full monthly tables: Vista weather by month and San Marcos weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $83,900 in Vista and $83,900 in San Marcos. Moving from Vista to San Marcos, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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