La Mesa vs Vista
A side-by-side comparison of La Mesa and Vista: population, income, housing, and more.
La Mesa and Vista are places in California. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Vista has the higher population (98,646 vs 60,835 in La Mesa). Vista has the higher median household income ($91,854 vs $84,337 in La Mesa). La Mesa has the higher median home value ($738,800 vs $674,400 in Vista).
Population, income & housing
| La Mesa | Vista | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 60,835 | 98,646 |
| Median age | 37.1 yrs | 34.9 yrs |
| Median household income | $84,337 | $91,854 |
| Median home value | $738,800 | $674,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,958 | $2,148 |
| Housing units | 26,420 | 32,589 |
| Homeownership rate | 46.0% | 49.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.4% | 27.2% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.3% | 6.4% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| La Mesa | Vista | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 59,556 → 60,835 (+2.1%) | 100,686 → 98,646 (-2.0%) |
| Median household income | $66,051 → $84,337 (+27.7%) | $72,125 → $91,854 (+27.4%) |
| Median home value | $530,400 → $738,800 (+39.3%) | $480,900 → $674,400 (+40.2%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,547 → $1,958 (+26.6%) | $1,669 → $2,148 (+28.7%) |
La Mesa
59,55660,835
$66,051$84,337
$530,400$738,800
$1,547$1,958
Vista
100,68698,646
$72,125$91,854
$480,900$674,400
$1,669$2,148
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| La Mesa | Vista | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.5% | 6.2% |
| 5 to 17 | 14.5% | 18.4% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.1% | 9.9% |
| 25 to 34 | 18.2% | 15.6% |
| 35 to 44 | 16.1% | 15.1% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.4% | 12.7% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.6% | 9.6% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.3% | 7.6% |
| 75 and over | 6.3% | 4.9% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| La Mesa | Vista | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 51.9% | 36.7% |
| Black or African American | 8.1% | 2.7% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| Asian | 6.0% | 4.9% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| Some other race | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Two or more races | 5.6% | 4.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 27.9% | 49.7% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| La Mesa | Vista | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 5.8% | 18.7% |
| High school graduate | 17.1% | 22.1% |
| Some college or associate's | 38.7% | 32.0% |
| Bachelor's degree | 24.3% | 18.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 14.1% | 8.9% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| La Mesa | Vista | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 71.4% | 75.7% |
| Carpooled | 7.3% | 7.4% |
| Public transit | 2.4% | 1.0% |
| Walked | 2.1% | 1.0% |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Worked from home | 14.9% | 13.2% |
| Other means | 1.8% | 1.8% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| La Mesa | Vista | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 44.5% | 48.9% |
| 1-unit, attached | 7.2% | 8.0% |
| 2 to 4 units | 9.0% | 5.5% |
| 5 to 19 units | 13.3% | 20.2% |
| 20 or more units | 24.7% | 11.4% |
| Mobile home & other | 1.3% | 5.9% |
Poverty & households
| La Mesa | Vista | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 10.2% |
| Average household size | 2.38 | 3.07 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 25 | 27 |
| Median year structure built | 1970 | 1984 |
Full profiles
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