Is Rio Oso, CA a Good Place to Live?
Rio Oso is a small town of 368 in California, with a median household income of $174,583 and a 2.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.
Strengths: Rio Oso stands out for solid school ratings (B-).
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Rio Oso is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Rio Oso 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: 103.6Rio Oso's overall cost of living index is 103.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Rio Oso costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Rio Oso, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $500,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,375 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.9% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $174,583 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageRio Oso's violent crime rate is 298.0 per 100,000 residents — 22% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Rio Oso is served primarily by Browns Elementary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.3:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Rio Oso, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Browns Elementary | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 14.3:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.8% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 90.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Rio Oso sees average highs of 55.5°F in January and 96.2°F in July, with 18.8 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Rio Oso, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 55.5°F |
| Average High — July | 96.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Rio Oso, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 368 | — |
| Median Age | 36.4 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 28.7 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 81.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.9% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.2% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 8.7% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 37.0% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 19.8% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Rio Oso
Rio Oso, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: