NAICS 446110

Independent Pharmacies in Chula Vista, CA

The 2 ZIP codes assigned to Chula Vista contained 15 Pharmacy establishments in 2023, of which 8 employed 10 or more people.

Establishments (2023)
15
2 ZIP codes
10 or more employees
8
Practical financing floor
Share of county
5%
San Diego County
City population
275,533
2025 estimate

Figures cover the ZIP codes the U.S. Postal Service assigns to Chula Vista (91910, 91911). ZIP areas are not municipal boundaries: they can extend beyond city limits and are shared between neighbouring places. This is a count of establishments in Chula Vista's ZIP codes, not a count of businesses inside its city limits.

Establishments by size

Employee-count distribution. For most buyers the businesses worth pursuing sit in the 5 to 49 range: large enough to have a manager and real systems, small enough to be owner-operated.

EmployeesEstablishmentsShareDistribution
20-49853.3%

How this market compares

Chula Vista against every other city in California on the same measure. City figures cover the ZIP codes assigned to the place rather than its municipal boundary, so they are compared as a share of the businesses in those same ZIP codes rather than per resident. Cities with fewer than 500 businesses in total are left unranked.

Typical0.31% of local businesses, against 0.35% statewide

About the same slice of the local business base as the industry holds statewide.

Vs state share
-13%
Share of local businesses
Rank by count
#39
of 293 cities
Rank by share
#183
of 266 ranked
Since 2020
-25%
Change in establishments

This compares how much of Chula Vista’s business base is independent pharmacies, against the California figure. Base: 4,885 establishments across all industries in the same ZIP codes, 2023. It does not measure revenue, profitability or whether a market is worth entering.

Business size mix

Chula Vista is more consolidated than California as a whole: fewer micro-operators and a larger share of businesses with real headcount. Fewer targets, but the ones that exist are more likely to be financeable.

Share of establishmentsChula VistaCaliforniaDifference
Under 5 employeesOwner-operated, often no management layer0.0%10.8%-10.8%
5 to 49 employeesThe range most individual buyers target53.3%38.9%+14.4%
10 or more employeesPractical floor for acquisition financing53.3%27.7%+25.6%

Nearest comparable markets

The closest places to Chula Vista that also have Pharmacy establishments on record. Useful for spotting a gap next door, or realising the market you are looking at is already served from the town over.

MarketEstablishmentsVs state share
National City7+44%
Lemon Grove4+112%
La Mesa9+12%
El Cajon17+18%
San Diego92-38%

The wider San Diego County market

Employment and payroll are reported at county level only, so the figures below describe the county Chula Vista sits in.

County establishments (2023)
291
San Diego County
County employees
4,668
Mid-March employment
County annual payroll
$311M
All establishments
Full Pharmacy data for San Diego County

What acquirers look at

PBM reimbursement pressure has compressed margins for a decade. Compounding, long-term-care contracts and clinical services are what make one viable.

Other industries in Chula Vista

Nearby cities

Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ZIP Code Business Patterns. Establishment counts and size distribution by ZIP code and NAICS, aggregated over the ZIP codes assigned to each city. Retrieved 2026-09-08.
  2. U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 County Business Patterns. Establishment counts, employment and annual payroll by NAICS. Retrieved 2026-09-08.
  3. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (2026Q1). Quarterly establishment counts and employment for employers covered by unemployment insurance. Retrieved 2026-09-08.