Median Income
$86,701
household / year
Median Home Value
$644,600
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$2,078
gross / month
Cost of Living
112
national avg = 100

Is Oceanside, CA a Good Place to Live?

Oceanside is a mid-sized city of 173,722 in California, with a median household income of $86,701 and a 5.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.

Strengths: Oceanside's profile is close to national averages across most measures.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Oceanside is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Oceanside city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 111.5

Oceanside's overall cost of living index is 111.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Oceanside costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.

Metric Oceanside, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $644,600 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $2,078 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 57.9% 65.9%
Median Household Income $86,701 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Oceanside's violent crime rate is 458.7 per 100,000 residents — 21% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
458.7 /100k
Property Crime
1672.0 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Oceanside is served primarily by Scholarship Prep - Oceanside District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 27.3:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Oceanside, CA National Avg
School District Scholarship Prep - Oceanside District —
Elementary Schools 1 —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio 27.3:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 33.6% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 86.7% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Oceanside sees average highs of 66.7°F in January and 76.5°F in July, with 11.9 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricOceanside, CA
Average High — January66.7°F
Average High — July76.5°F
Annual Precipitation11.9"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricOceanside, CANational Avg
Population173,722—
Median Age37.538.9
Unemployment Rate5.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time29.8 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)58.4%59.3%
Black or African American4.3%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino22.1%18.9%
Asian7.2%6.3%
Under 1821.3%22.2%
65 and over15.7%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Vista, CA 5 mi Camp Pendleton South, CA 5 mi Camp Pendleton Mainside, CA 6 mi Carlsbad, CA 7 mi Bonsall, CA 7 mi

ZIP Codes in Oceanside

Oceanside, CA is covered by 3 ZIP codes:

92057 92056 92054

Oceanside vs Other Cities

Oceanside, CA vs Vista, CA Oceanside, CA vs Camp Pendleton South, CA Oceanside, CA vs Camp Pendleton Mainside, CA Oceanside, CA vs Carlsbad, CA Oceanside, CA vs Bonsall, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Oceanside's cost of living index is 112, where 100 is the national average. That puts Oceanside roughly 12% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $644,600 and median rent is $2,078/month.
Oceanside's violent crime rate is 458.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1672.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Oceanside are operated by Scholarship Prep - Oceanside District. The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and several high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 27.3:1. 33.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Oceanside, CA has a population of 173,722, a median household income of $86,701, and an unemployment rate of 5.9%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Oceanside averages 66.7°F in January and 76.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 11.9 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Oceanside, CA is covered by 3 ZIP codes: 92057, 92056, 92054.
The population of Oceanside, California is 173,722 with a median age of 37.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Oceanside: cost of living index 112 (100 = US average), median home $644,600, median household income $86,701, crime index 104 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Oceanside side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.