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Living In Oxnard In Depth Pros and Cons
Is Oxnard a Good Place To Live?
Oxnard is a fantastic place to live. It was recently picked as the 4th friendliest city in the U.S.. Oxnard is one of the most affordable coastal cities in Southern California. It has a gorgeous harbor with 11 miles of uncrowded beaches and a canals area with over 5 miles of walking trails.
Video on Living In Oxnard
Location
Oxnard with a population around 200,000, is located in Western Ventura County right off Highway 101. It is a short drive to to the neighboring small cities of Ventura, Camarillo and Port Hueneme.
What Are The Best Places To Live In Oxnard?
Oxnard is a tale of two cities. If you prefer a downtown area with more shopping centers, restaurants and people, you'll prefer the eastern side of Oxnard. The western, coastal side of Oxnard has more of a spread out, sleepier, small town feel. There is less traffic and 11 miles of gorgeous, uncrowded beaches.
Homes and Neighborhood Diversity
Oxnard has a diversity of neighborhoods and homes and two main sections.
A) As mentioned, Oxnard is slower paced as you get closer to the wester side with the beach and ocean. These neighborhoods are mixed in with large tracts of agricultural land as well. They include for example:
- A golf community (northwest).
- Beach condos and townhomes (southwest).
- Canal condos and dock homes.(southwest).
- The beachside communities of Silver Strand, Oxnard Shores and Hollywood Beach. (southwest).
Oxnard Neighborhoods Map
B) The central, north and eastern sections of Oxnard have more urban and densely populated neighborhoods with farms, commercial and industrial areas mixed in. These include:
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- The historic downtown neighborhood (Central, light green).
- Newer neighborhoods like Riverpark and Wagon Wheel which are close to the Collection Shopping area and Highway 101. (Del Norte area, hot pink).
- Large sections of suburban style neighborhoods with tract homes ranging from the 1950's to 2000's.
Pros
Cons
- Housing prices have been increasing dramatically over the last couple years.
- Multi-generational families often live together just so they can afford to keep their house. They are forced to rent out a room. This makes it harder on parking.
- Increased costs results in more homelessness.
- There's roughly a two-year wait for subsidized housing.
- The city is slow with services like trimming trees. There can be a 2 year wait.
- If there's a break in the sewer line in the middle of the street then the neighbors who live in that area will be charged by the city to fix that sewer line break.
Video On Buying A Home In Oxnard
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Is Oxnard A Beautiful Place To Live?
Oxnard's coastline and Channel Islands Harbor are some of the most beautiful areas in southern California. There are 11 miles of wide, uncrowded beaches including a large, grassy state beach park. You'll marvel at all of the of sea life including dolphins, sea lions in the harbor, seals and a wide variety of waterfowl.
Ocean Access
Pros
- Therre are FOUR free parking lots and street parking with access to the beaches. Most southern California beach towns charge for beach parking and are not nearly as accessible.
- The beaches have very few people on weekdays. They are not nearly as crowded in the Summer as the beaches in nearby Ventura.
- Beaches are dog-friendly (with leashes and some time restrictions during the day).
We love taking our dogs for long walks on all three beach areas, with amazing sunsets and views of the Channel Islands.
- Silver Strand Beach- There's an outdoor shower, restrooms and lifeguard tower. The beach is walking distance to a protected swim beach with no waves and funky little local shops.
- Hollywood Beach- Even on the busiest days this beach is way less crowded than Silver Strand. There's a protected cove....great for swimming and snorkeling.
- The Rudder Room(with a Key West vibe) backs up to Hollywood beach with cocktails, lounge chairs, volleyball courts and ocean views.
- Oxnard Shores- Has a LARGE grassy park, boardwalk and trail system through the sand dunes (handicap accessible). There's a large free parking lot south of the park! Includes playgrounds, barbecue, exercise/yoga classes, dogs allowed, concerts and a handy cap accessible boardwalk.
Cons
- Many parking lots fill up quickly on the weekends and summer holidays.
- Sometimes people bring their dog to the beach off-leash.
- Tar collects on the beach at different times, so you may need a little dawn soap and water to clean your feet.
- The water can be cold! There's only a few Summer/early Fall months where you'll see people (mostly kids) swimming without wetsuits.
- It can be windy in Oxnard in the Winter and Spring. This creates lots of drifting sand and paint damaged houses.
- The beach areas are in a tsunami danger zone.
- There is a disabled power plant on the north end and a naval base on the very southern end of Oxnard's beaches. However, there's around 10 miles of beaches in between that are wide and gorgeous.
Channel Islands Harbor And Canals
Pros
- The harbor (with over 2000 boat slips) has lots of sea lions, seals, dolphins, birds and fish.
- There are 4 free parking lots and a public boat launch.
- The harbor has it all (sports fishing, whale watching, Channel Islands tours..... jet ski, paddle board, kayak and sailboat rentals.
The Mystic Whaler and American Tall Ship Institute provide non profit youth education. More info at https://www.channelislandsharbor.org/
The harbor connects to a large canals area.......with dock homes, shops, walking trails, grassy park, benches and town square. You can rent a guided Venetian gondola for a tour.
Con
Because the Kiddie Swim Beach gets heavily used in the Summer, somtimes it can get a little trashy. However, it is common to see local residents out picking up the trash.
Lifestyle And Non Beach Activities
Pros
There is an abundance of cheap and free, community activities. This includes:
- Classes, concerts and plays at the Performing Art Center.
- Traditional music, dance and drama at the Cultural Arts Center.
- A comedy club, winery, museums, car shows and an arts walk near the beach
- Festivals- Salsa, Multicultural, Steampunk and Jazz.
- Commuity college classes, concerts, plays and performances.
- 3 different shopping and restaurant areas near the harbor, a farmers market, music festivals, swap meets, museums, art and car shows.
Cons
- Oxnard closes down on the earlier side as compared to larger cities. There's a lack of overall nightlife. If you're looking for a coastal city with more nightlife, check out....the Pros and Cons of Ventura, CA.
- Residents tend to have loud kids and adult parties at home. Some parties go late into evening. Many residents complain about this and often call the police to shut the party down.
- There's also fireworks year-round. It can be May or September and somebody shoots off a few loud fireworks.
- Some shopping areas in town are run down. This includes the Fisherman's Wharf area next to the harbor.
Weather and Air Quality
Oxnard is rated ideal for weather by the National Climatic Data Center. The average temp is in the mid 50’s to mid 70’s throughout the year., so most homes will not have air conditioning. It's hardly ever too hot, even when other parts of the state are baking.
In recent years there have been lots of fires unfortunately in California. Despite that, there were only five red days for air quality in the Oxnard area.
Cons
- Oxnard feels noticeably colder than Ventura (neighbor to the north). That's because it is windier in Oxnard. When it is a cloudy, cooler day you will feel it combined with the dampness from the ocean.
Cost of Living
Shopping and Downtown
In 2022 Oxnard was ranked as the 11th most affordable city in California.
Cons
- Oxnard's cost of living is considerably higher than the rest of the country.
- The average entry-level home in Oxnard is $650,000, with pockets that are slightly lower.
- Food, childcare, gas, water, electricity and taxes are all considerably higher compared to the rest of the country.
Pros
- Oxnards downtown is a modern urban center that includes an Historic Plaza, park and farmers market. There are over 40 mom and pop resturants, eclectic boutiques, thrift stores, antique shops, restaurants, bars, and historical sites.
- The newly built -Collection Shopping Center- is close to the downtown as well. It features a Whole Foods, REI and many other chain stores. It is an incredibly popular shopping and entertainment area.
Cons
The sales tax is higher in Oxnard than Ventura, so many residents will actually go to Ventura to shop.
Traffic and Travel
Oxnard has an Amtrak station in the downtown for travel to coastal cities north and south.
Traffic is far less than other nearby cities like Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles.
Cons
- Most of Oxnard is further off of Highway 101, which can make commuting more difficult to other cities.
- Victoria and Harbor Roads have become increasingly busy and high speed. Sometimes bicyclists and pedestrians have been hit. There is not sufficient police patrolling these areas to slow the traffic down.
Is Oxnard a Safe City To Live In?
For more information on crime, there are statistics at Neighborhood Scout and other online sources.
The city provides an effective app called Oxnard 311 so residents can report graffiti and other issues for city services as well.
Schools
Oxnard Schools have a graduation rate of 96% compared to the California average of 84%.
For more information on Oxnard school statistics, you can check out Great Schools and other online sources.
Oxnard also has a 2 year community college that gives incredible support to students. The classes are very affordable and the school has great reviews online.
The college offers a two-year associate's degree and degrees and certificates in 26 fields.
Homeless Population
Pros
- A tiny home development is planned for south Oxnard. These homes are for the homeless and for seniors and lower income earners such as teachers. They're also building a five-story homeless shelter.
- Oxnard residents are very giving and committed to providing services and helping the homeless.
Cons
- Homelessness has increased since the pandemic.
- There were around 400 homeless prior to the pandemic. That number has increased. It is common to see homelessness in Oxnard.
Economy
Pros
- Oxnard's economy is a mixture of defense, international trade, manufacturing, tourism and agriculture. There are lots of farms and in particular strawberry fields.
- There is a busy private airport and a thriving international port nearby in Port Hueneme. It is the only deep water port in between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
- There is tons of local produce that you can buy at roadside stands including wonderful juicy strawberries, mangoes oranges and lemons.
Cons
- Oxnard has a slower job growth and higher unemployment than the national average.
- It's difficult to commute from Oxnard to other cities as most neighborhoods are further from Highway 101.
- Many neighborhoods are close to the flight path of the airport. So if you don't like the sound of smaller planes, you would want to avoid those neighborhoods.
- The abundant agriculture provides dust and possibly chemicals being put in the air.
What do you think, about Oxnard? Could You Live Here? We'd also love to hear about any other topics you would like us to cover. Please comment below and email us team@living-inventuracounty.com.
Hi there, we are Bart and Keziah
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Give us a call/text/email. Let’s have a short talk. Absolutely no pressure. Let's figure out if we will be a good fit to work together.
"When we looked at homes together, they took us out into local grocery stores and parks, and Keziah sparked conversations to introduce us to the locals and neighbors. This allowed us to ask questions about the area that could not be answered on a home-buying app or even by other realtors. We were getting honest responses from the actual people who lived there. That feedback was very valuable and helpful!" --Amanda Gurrola (google, Jan 2024)
My husband and I are looking to retire at least partially through the year if not all year in California. We have approximately 5 years until I can retire. We love California atmosphere and weather near the coast. We have resided in Iowa our whole life. We have been vacationing once or twice a year in California the last few years. What we spend on vacations we could probably spend on 6 months rent in California. Would love any advice you could give us. Thanks
Hi sounds great Michelle. We can relate as before moving here, we vacationed every year in California. Let’s talk over the phone or zoom, so we can answer all your questions. I’ll send you an email as well. Thanks, Bart
My husband and I are also looking to retire partially in California, and we are interested in learning more about Oxnard. Any additional insight would be most helpful.
Hello Ina, we have so much information on Oxnard to share with you and would love to answer any questions you may have.
I’ll send you an email so we can set up a time to talk.
Thanks,
Bart
Hi Bart,
My 22 year old son has been offered a job at Port Hueneme starting in February 2024. We are in San Diego. It will be his first time living on his own other than college roommates and being local. Do you have any suggestions on were he should look for an apartment? His closest friends will be in Simi Valley so he could probably use some social life! Thank you!
Hi Linda,
Sure thing. If you would like to give us a call or email, we could make some recommendations. You can reach us at 805-256-2813, or team@living-inventuracounty.com
Thanks,
Bart
I am a senior who lived in Oxnard for 7 years. I enjoyed the city tremendously especially in the neighborhood close to the ⛱️ beach. I had to move away because of Covid and not being able to continue working.
I’m living in Cuernavaca, México and just love the city. Ahhh, retirement is wonderful.
Glad you are enjoying it…..thanks for the comment!