Vista and San Buenaventura (Ventura) receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Vista | San Buenaventura (Ventura) | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 99,114 | 109,857 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $94,975 | $103,069 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,149 | $50,005 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,225/sq mi | 5,022/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $762,400 | $827,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,249 | $2,198 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.7% | 55.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.3% | 41.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.5% | 10.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 113 | 52 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 0.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -35.4% | -41.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 74°F | 73°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 48°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.4" | 12.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 61 mi | 44 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.0 min | 26.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.9 | 41.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 25 | 27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.33 | 24.46 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 71.1% | 57.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Vista
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
San Buenaventura (Ventura)
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
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Full profiles: Vista, CA · San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA · How this is calculated: methodology