Oceanside, CA
Census place 0653322 · pop 172,242
Beach city adjacent to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, with a historic 1888 wooden pier.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
71 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
100/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
52 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$770,300 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,931/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-1.9% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
463 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
29 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.1% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
58.3% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
1705 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
9.7% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
16.9% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
36.2% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.42 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
8.3% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
21.4% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$97,737 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
10.6% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.62% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
95.4% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
26.1% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
Frequently asked
- Is Oceanside, CA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Oceanside scores 38/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is adult obesity and its weakest is air quality (aqi). California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Oceanside, CA?
- Oceanside reports 463 violent crimes per 100k and 1705 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Oceanside, CA expensive to live in?
- Oceanside has a median home value of $770,300 and typical rent around $2,931/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Oceanside, CA?
- Its weakest measured area is air quality (aqi) (71 AQI) — 5/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
- What is Oceanside, CA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is adult obesity (26.1%) — 89/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Beach city adjacent to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, with a historic 1888 wooden pier.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.