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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Chula Vista, CA has a Safety Score of 56/100 — safer than 56% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 1,508.2 per 100,000 residents, ranking #1,294 of 2,957 US cities and #66 of 264 in California.
Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Chula Vista, CA?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Chula Vista, California Safe?
Chula Vista, "beautiful view" in Spanish, is San Diego County's second-largest city. It's home to the Olympic Training Center and sits just north of the Mexican border, reflecting a vibrant binational culture.
Chula Vista has a safety score of 56/100 (Near National Average). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 1,508.2 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Chula Vista ranks #66 out of 264 cities in California and #1294 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 56th percentile for safety — safer than 56% of US cities.
Year over year, Chula Vista's total crime rate decreased by 7.1%, with violent crime rising 8.5%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Chula Vista Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 1,029 | 375.8 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 3 | 1.1 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 53 | 19.4 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 225 | 82.2 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 748 | 273.2 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 3,101 | 1,132.4 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 368 | 134.4 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 1,825 | 666.4 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 908 | 331.6 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Chula Vista vs California Average
How does Chula Vista's crime rate compare to the California state average?
| Metric | Chula Vista | California Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 375.8 | 518.0 | -27.5% |
| Property Crime Rate | 1,132.4 | 2,161.3 | -47.6% |
| Murder Rate | 1.1 | 4.4 | -75.0% |
| Total Crime Rate | 1,508.2 | 2,679.3 | -43.7% |
Chula Vista Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Chula Vista, California.
Between 2019 and 2024, Chula Vista's total crime rate is down 12% (1,715 → 1,508 per 100,000). Violent crime is up 14% and property crime down 18% over the same period.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 273,843 | 1,508.2 | 375.8 | 1,132.4 |
| 2023 | 280,748 | 1,622.8 | 346.2 | 1,276.6 |
| 2022 | 277,976 | 1,634.0 | 353.3 | 1,280.7 |
| 2021 | 275,978 | 1,586.7 | 341.7 | 1,245.0 |
| 2020 | 278,027 | 1,500.9 | 329.5 | 1,171.5 |
| 2019 | 275,230 | 1,714.9 | 328.5 | 1,386.5 |
Chula Vista Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Chula Vista and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: California crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chula Vista, California safe?
Chula Vista has a safety score of 56/100, meaning it has less crime than about 56% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 1,508.2 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Chula Vista is about average for a US city.
What is the crime rate in Chula Vista, California?
According to FBI data for 2024, Chula Vista has a violent crime rate of 375.8 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 1,132.4 per 100,000 residents.
How does Chula Vista compare to the national average?
Chula Vista's total crime rate of 1,508.2 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 273,843 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Chula Vista?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Chula Vista are larceny-theft (1,825 reported incidents) and motor vehicle theft (908 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 3.0x in the city.
How many murders were reported in Chula Vista in 2024?
3 murders were reported to the FBI for Chula Vista in 2024 — a homicide rate of 1.1 per 100,000 residents.
Is crime in Chula Vista going up or down?
Chula Vista's total crime rate is falling: 12% lower in 2024 than in 2019 (1,508 vs 1,715 per 100,000, FBI data).
Is Chula Vista safe to visit?
Like any city, Chula Vista has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 56/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.