13 Pros and Cons of Living in Oxnard, CA

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Oxnard, California, is a city in Ventura on the South Coast of California.

It’s the most populous city in Ventura County and the 22nd most populous city in California.

If you’re considering moving to Oxnard, you should know the pros and cons of living there to make a well-informed decision.

Some of the pros could make you want to move there, and some of the cons could be deal breakers, so you’ll need to know more about the city.

Pros of Living in Oxnard, California

There are several great things about living in Oxnard, which is why residents love their city.

1. Comfortable Weather

If you live in a part of the country where summers are blistering hot and want a change, Oxnard will be a welcome change.

The same is true if you live in a part of the country where the winters are freezing and it snows often.

The weather in Oxnard is very comfortable all year long.

The high temperature during the winter is around 64 degrees, and the average low is between 47 and 48 degrees.

You won’t have to worry about freezing during the winter, and you can usually leave the house in a light jacket.

Summers in Oxnard are also comfortable.

The average high during the summer is 72 to 73 degrees, and the average low is in the high 50s and low 60s.

With summer temperatures this low, you can have fun outdoors without getting too hot.

It rains an average of 36 days in Oxnard, and the average rainfall is 15.65 inches.

The wettest months are in the winter, and it doesn’t rain from April 29th to October 12th.

If you move to Oxnard, you won’t have to worry about rain ruining your outdoor events as long as you plan accordingly.

2. Oxnard Is a Safe Place to Live

If you want to move to a safe place where you can raise your family without worrying about their safety daily, Oxnard could be an excellent place to move.

The crime rate in Oxnard is 6 percent lower than the national average and 20 percent lower than the average crime rate in California.

The property crime rate is 5 percent lower than the national average, and violent crimes are 10 percent lower than the national average, which should put your mind at ease.

If you move to Oxnard, you’ll have a 1 in 43 chance of being a victim of a violent crime, which is low for Oxnard’s size.

Overall, Oxnard is safer than 33 percent of all cities in the United States, and crime has decreased over the last few years.

3. Oxnard’s Location Is Ideal

If you’re looking for an ideal location for your move, Oxnard is it.

Los Angeles is just an hour away from Oxnard, so you can live in Oxnard and commute to work in Los Angeles, where there are many more job opportunities.

Also, you can go to Los Angeles to see a show or enjoy the nightlife and return to your safe community at the end of the night.

Oxnard is also close to excellent communities, such as Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, and Camarillo, which are all gorgeous and safe.

4. Job Opportunities

You’ll have many job opportunities living in Oxnard, as it’s home to several companies with 1,100 to 3,870 employees, including:

• Oxnard School District
• Reiter
• The City of Oxnard
• CommonSpirit Health
• Proctor & Gamble
• St. John’s Regional Medical Center
• Haas Automation
• Oxnard Union High School District
• Spatz Laboratories

If you can’t find a job in your chosen field in Modesto, you can commute to Los Angeles, where the job market is much larger and diverse.

5. Oxnard Is Great for Outdoor Activities

If you love spending your free time outside, Oxnard would be an excellent place for you to live.

The weather is mild all year so you can enjoy the outdoors all year.

Oxnard is home to several beaches, so you can go swimming, kayaking, surfing, and paddle boarding.

Also, the wind is often strong in Oxnard, so you can have fun flying a kite or sailing.

You can spend time with your family outdoors without worrying about your plans being ruined by the weather.

6. Walkability and Bikeability

According to WalkScore, Oxnard has a walk score of 55, meaning that you can easily walk to certain destinations.

The bike score is 52, and there are plenty of bike paths and trails.

If you live and work in Oxnard, you might be able to ride your bike to work, depending on the distance between your home and workplace.

7. The City’s Economy Is Growing

Oxnard’s economy is thriving and is delving deeper into agricultural, foreign trade, defense, manufacturing, and tourism, which will continue to improve the city’s financial success.

Cons of Living in Oxnard, California 

While there are many great things about living in Oxnard, there are some downsides.

This is to be expected because there is no perfect place to live anywhere in the world.

1. High Cost of Living

One thing that deters people from moving to Oxnard is the cost of living because California is a costly place to live.

The cost of living in Oxnard is lower than the California average, but it’s still high enough to cause problems for some residents.

Oxnard’s cost of living is 38.5 percent higher than the national average, so you’ll need a good job if you plan to move to Oxnard.

2. High Housing Costs

If you’re looking for a place to live where the homes are affordable, Oxnard isn’t the place for you.

The average price of a house in the city is $645,986, which is almost double the national average.

If you plan to move to Oxnard, you’ll need to save quite a bit of money for your house.

If the cost of homes is too expensive and you decide to rent, you won’t find much financial relief.

The cost of rent is also very high, so whether you choose to buy or rent, you’ll have to spend a fortune on housing.

3. High Tax Rates

The tax rates in Oxnard are very high, and the high cost of housing can make it difficult to afford the taxes, too.

You have to pay state income tax, which is 9.3 percent, and some people pay 12.3 percent, depending on your income.

The sales tax is also high in Oxnard, at 9.25 percent.

Finally, you have to worry about paying 1.095 percent in property taxes, which is higher than the national average.

If you find a job in Oxnard and your income will be on the lower side, you must pay the same amount in taxes as those making much more, which can be challenging to afford.

For example, a person who makes $58,635 per year will pay the same amount in taxes as someone who makes $299,508, which isn’t fair if your income is closer to $58,000.

4. Limited Public Transportation

Oxnard doesn’t have the best public transportation system, so you can’t rely on it to get around daily.

You’ll need a car to get around in Oxnard, and a car will come in handy if you go to Los Angeles often.

5. There Is a Large Homeless Population

The number of homeless people in Oxnard gets higher all the time, and the same is true in other cities in Southern California.

With around 700 homeless people living in Oxnard, it has the highest homeless population in the United States.

Although the government is trying to solve the problem, there isn’t enough money right now to provide assistance to get the homeless residents off the streets.

6. The City Is Prone to Earthquakes

Oxnard lies directly in the middle of the Oak Ridge Fault, and the San Andreas Fault isn’t far either, putting the city at risk for earthquakes.

Projections made by the United States Geological 

Surveys show that there is a 92.6 percent chance that a large earthquake will occur within 31 miles of Oxnard in the next 50 years.

If you decide to move to Oxnard, make sure you’re prepared.

Pros and Cons of Living in Oxnard, CA – Summary Table

Oxnard Safety Overview

READ THE FULL REPORT: Oxnard Safety Review

Safety Index:

63

• OVERALL RISK: LOW
• TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
• PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW
• NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
• MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
• TERRORISM RISK: LOW
• SCAMS RISK: LOW
• WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: MEDIUM