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Compare towns

Vista vs Richmond

437 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (2.7× in Richmond) and street grid (2.1× in Vista).

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Vista, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 99,114 people
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Richmond, CAHometown of 63 notable peopleCalifornia · 115,505 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

VistaAn outdoors town
Outdoors#266 most walkable in CA25 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves Schools#211 for schools in CAof 574 towns HealthHealthier than 67%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Vista →
RichmondHometown of 63 notable people
Famous people63 notable peopleborn in Richmond Outdoors#122 most conserved land in CA67 miles of trails across 51 parks and preserves Health56% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Richmond →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Trails2.7×
Richmond has more miles of trail
Richmond 66.8 miVista 25.2 mi
Street grid2.1×
Vista has the more walkable street grid
Vista 96.0Richmond 44.9
Average commute8 min
Vista has the shorter commute
Richmond 34 minVista 27 min
Growth since 2010+7.5 pts
Richmond has grown faster since 2010
Richmond +12.3%Vista +4.8%
Property tax bill+28%
Tax bills are bigger in Richmond
Richmond $6,291Vista $4,929
Typical home built19 yrs
Richmond’s homes are older
Vista 1985Richmond 1966
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,450 more a month in Vista

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Vista$5,070/mo
Typical home $877K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.65% · or rent about $2,249/mo · Housing →
Richmond$3,630/mo
Typical home $602K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.94% · or rent about $1,960/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,450 a month, about $17,300 a year, between Vista and Richmond.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Vista places higher on 14 of 22 CA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
B−VistaSafer than 47% of U.S. towns DRichmondSafer than 5% of U.S. towns
Schools
BVistaBetter than 62% of districts in the state ARichmondBetter than 94% of districts in the state
Health
B+VistaHealthier than 67% of U.S. towns C+RichmondHealthier than 44% of U.S. towns
14Vista
8Richmond

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

SafestSafety · 411 towns #107#389 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #337#707 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #420#99 Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #266#585 Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #396#138 Most activeHealth · 844 towns #364#624 Lowest obesityHealth · 844 towns #346#594 Most conserved landOutdoors · 777 towns #315#122

Left end = #1 in California. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Vista’s rankings →

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
VistaRichmond
Snow a year0″0″
January low45°F44°F
July high87°F71°F
Growing season (days)365d365d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)52nd91st
Outdoors & history
VistaRichmond
Trails25 mi67 mi
Conserved land7.2%19.8%
Settled—1905
National Register places212
Archive photos412
Famous people born here1163
Community
VistaRichmond
Library hours a week51 hrs40 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

437 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

VistaCARichmondCA
Vista ↔ Richmond437 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

VistaRichmond
People
Population 99,114Lowest 115,505Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +4.8%Lowest CA: +6.1% +12.3%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 35.9±0.9Lowest 5% below CA 37.9±0.9Highest about the CA average
Kids under 18 24.3%±1.4Highest CA: 22% 20.8%±1.3Lowest CA: 22%
Age 65+ 13%±0.8Lowest CA: 15.7% 14.5%±0.9Highest CA: 15.7%
Richmond and Vista are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 29.3%Lowest CA: 37.1% 33%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.2%±0.7Lowest CA: 7.6% 7.2%±0.8Highest CA: 7.6%
Richmond and Vista are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $94,975±$5kLowest 4% below CA $95,391±$4kHighest 4% below CA
Richmond and Vista are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $762,400±$21kHighest 4% above CA $668,200±$12kLowest 9% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,249±$43Highest 10% above CA $1,960±$90Lowest 4% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,929Lowest 4% below CA $6,291Highest 23% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 59.6%±4.1Highest CA: 55.3% 56.1%±4.1Lowest CA: 55.3%
Vista and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 10.5%Lowest CA: 12% 13.5%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 51.7%Lowest CA: 55.9% 54.7%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1985Highest 9 yrs newer than CA 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minLowest 7% below CA 34 minHighest 19% above CA
Work from home 16.2%±1.5Highest CA: 17.2% 14%±1.3Lowest CA: 17.2%
Vista and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 12.9%Highest 10.5%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 10.8 miLowest 12.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.77Highest 0.73Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town San Diego (16%)San Francisco (18%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in RichmondFew work in Vista
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 7.2%Lowest 19.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 25.2 miLowest 66.8 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.3 mi 1.3 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 12Lowest 51Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 96.0Highest 44.9Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #211 of 574 in CA#325 of 574 in CA
School district Classical Academy Vista District · Bella Mente Montessori Academy DistrictMaking Waves Academy District · Aspire Richmond Technology Academy District
High school in town Rancho Buena Vista HighRichmond High
Students per teacherat that high school 19.0Lowest 22.4Highest
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Vista neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Vista’s Town Square.

Richmond neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Richmond’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Vista and Richmond

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Vista

+ Compare
Oceanside172,242 people · $770K homes
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San Marcos94,882 people · $868K homes
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Carlsbad114,373 people · $1.26M homes

Towns like Vista

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Downey110,939 people · $797K homes
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Buena Park82,871 people · $839K homes
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Escondido149,668 people · $715K homes
W
+ Compare
Whittier86,165 people · $823K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks California towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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