Chula Vista, CA vs Escondido, CA: Crime Rate Comparison (2025)
A side-by-side look at reported crime in Chula Vista and Escondido, on the FBI-based Crime Index (0–100, higher = safer) for 2025.
Chula Vista is the safer city
Chula Vista scores 74/100 (grade C) versus 73/100 (grade C) for Escondido — a 1-point gap. Escondido's violent-crime rate is -8% vs Chula Vista. Across the 8 offense categories, Chula Vista has the lower rate in 4.
Chula Vista, CA
SaferCrime Index
- Population
- 279,237
- Violent / 100k
- 365
- Property / 100k
- 1,060
- In California
- #71 of 175
Escondido, CA
Crime Index
- Population
- 148,303
- Violent / 100k
- 336
- Property / 100k
- 1,442
- In California
- #73 of 175
Crime rates head-to-head
| Metric | Chula Vista | Escondido | US average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Index (higher = safer) | 74C | 73C | 73C |
| Violent crime /100k | 365 | 336 | 315 |
| Property crime /100k | 1,060 | 1,442 | 1,487 |
| Homicide /100k | 2.5 | 1.4 | 4.1 |
| Total reported /100k | 1,426 | 1,777 | 1,802 |
Grade shown per index band (88–100 = A … 0–29 = F). Rates are reported offenses per 100,000 residents.
By offense
Rate per 100,000 residents — the lower (safer) city is highlighted.
| Offense | Chula Vista | Escondido |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 2.5 | 1.3 |
| Rape | 17.2 | 23.6 |
| Robbery | 66.6 | 65.4 |
| Aggravated assault | 279 | 245 |
| Burglary | 125 | 150 |
| Larceny-theft | 706 | 1,102 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 217 | 156 |
| Arson | 12.5 | 33 |
Crime trends
Chula Vista
Escondido
Frequently asked questions
Is Chula Vista or Escondido safer?
Which has more violent crime, Chula Vista or Escondido?
What are the odds of violent crime in Chula Vista vs Escondido?
No area has zero risk
A high Crime Index score means lower reported crime relative to other US cities — it is not a guarantee of safety. Reported crime is not the same as actual crime. Research on the gap between crime that occurs and crime that gets reported to police — often called the "dark figure" of crime — estimates that roughly 40% of violent crime and about a third of property crime go unreported each year. Every index built on official statistics, including this one, necessarily undercounts real crime. That gap is exactly why homicide — the offense with the smallest dark figure — anchors the calculation instead of a more commonly reported but less reliable category like theft.
Scores on this page reflect FBI-reported data for 2025. See the full methodology →
Protecting yourself in Chula Vista & Escondido
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