If you are seeking to determine whether or not Oxnard is a suitable location for you to call home, this summary will help you make your decision.
Oxnard, California, is the most populous city in Ventura County. Located 60 miles northwest of Los Angeles and 35 miles south of Santa Barbara, the town is proud of its vast cultural diversity.
This town features miles of golden-duned beaches, exciting nightlife, some of the best taquerias in the state, Victorian-era architecture, the California Strawberry Festival, and a harbor that provides the closest access to Channel Islands National Park.
The location is, without a doubt, one of the states of California’s most well-kept secrets. However, if you choose to live in Oxnard, there are various pros and cons. Look at this summary to better understand what the area has to offer.
List of Contents
Is Oxnard a Good Place To Live In? – The City That Cares
The Good Side
The City’s Position Is Ideal
The proximity of Oxnard to several other excellent cities and communities makes it a perfect location. You can reside in this city and still be close enough to Los Angeles to take advantage of all its offers because it is only an hour away.
However, Los Angeles is not the only city close to this area. Other nearby communities include Ventura, Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Moorpark, and Simi Valley.
If you live here, you can easily travel to each of these cities whenever you like.
Oxnard Is a Paradise for Auto Aficionados
As one of the top places for motorheads in California, Oxnard is gaining prominence.
The Port of Hueneme is the west coast’s auto import and export hub just south of the city. It is one of the primary explanations why it is a sanctuary for automobile enthusiasts.
Living in this city gives you access to many possibilities for civic engagement and car club membership.
Oxnard auto clubs are known for their passion for lowriders and historic cars and their strong ties to family, community, and local fundraising, dating back to the 1970s.
One of these clubs is City Life Oxnard, co-founded by Ramon Lopez in 1977 and uses its public platform to raise awareness about domestic violence.
Pachuco Car Club of Ventura County, another local organization, has members ranging in age from 25 to 75. Their club considers the driver to be more important than the vehicle.
Besides car clubs, the city also has museums dedicated to automobiles!
The city contains not one but TWO excellent automobile museums. The Mullin Automotive Museum is home to one of the world’s finest collections of French automobiles and highlights French cars’ style and decorative arts.
The Murphy Auto Museum, on the other hand, features more than fifty classic automobiles as well as one of the largest vintage trailer collections in the west.
If you have a passion for autos and want to experience various automotive-related activities, Oxnard is the place to go.
The Place Features a Mediterranean Climate
The climate is one of the advantages of living in California in general. However, compared to most California cities, the weather here is far more comfortable.
With a comfort rating of 9.1, this is one of the most comfortable locations in California. It has an average of 276 sunny days yearly, more than the national average of 205 bright days.
Unlike some locations in California, where summers can be scorching, the weather here is pleasant year-round. Even during the hottest months, such as September, the average high temperature is only 73°F, making the atmosphere relatively comfortable for residents.
If you live in this city, the weather is a benefit since it allows you to accomplish everything you want without being hindered by the fact that it is uncomfortable outside.
It Offers a Variety of Outdoor Pursuits
The climate and environment of Oxnard make it a wonderful place to spend time outside enjoying the fresh air.
The city’s beaches offer breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean’s coastline and give access to such activities as swimming, surfing, paddle boarding, fishing, kayaking, and other water sports.
Because the winds are typically quite strong in this area, a wide variety of activities, including kiteboarding and sailing, can be experienced here.
Living here will also increase your appreciation for the stunning vistas and unspoiled beauty in Channel Islands National Park.
Embark on an expedition to one of the Channel Islands, eleven miles off the coast of Oxnard, to experience an unspoiled environment in “North America’s Galapagos.”
Living in Oxnard guarantees that you will never be at a loss for exciting things to do.
The City Has a Rich Boxing Heritage
Due to Oxnard’s extensive boxing history, the city is sometimes referred to by its boxing-inspired nickname, “Boxnard.”
The city serves as a center for boxing on a national level and is home to a large number of amateur and professional boxers. Some boxers like Fernando Vargas and Hugo Centeno Jr. were born and nurtured inside the city limits.
Also, as a result, many boxers relocated to the region specifically to improve their skills.
This location is perfect for you if you have a passion for the sport of boxing and want to improve your skills.
The Bad Side
Oxnard Has Inadequate Public Transport
There are only a few choices available regarding public transit, although there are many ways to navigate one’s way around the city. If you commute frequently, you will need a car to get around.
On the bright side, if you want to make this city your home, you won’t have trouble finding bike lanes, walkways, or other cycling-friendly infrastructure there. Therefore, if you contemplate riding a bicycle to work, you should know that doing so could be feasible in this location.
The City Is Dealing With Homelessness Issue
The growing number of homeless is one of the challenges Oxnard, along with many other cities in Southern California, is currently experiencing.
Approximately 700 homeless people live in the city, making it the highest homeless population in the county.
While the government is taking action to address this problem, there is a shortage of financial and other assistance to help address the homelessness crisis, which is why it is taking so long.
It Is Prone to Earthquakes
Even if the city is safe from a criminal standpoint, you should know that all Southern California is prone to earthquakes. Still, the problem is especially prevalent in Oxnard.
The city lies directly in the middle of the Oak Ridge Fault and is not far from the San Andreas Fault either.
According to projections made by the United States Geological Survey, there is a 92.62% chance that a large earthquake will occur within 31 miles of the location in the next 50 years.
Be sure that you are ready for “the big one” and don’t make the same mistake as the rest of its residents by putting off the purchase of those earthquake kits.
What Is the Cost of Living in Oxnard? – A Cheap City To Live the California Dream
The Good Side
Oxnard Is a Cheap California City
Many people in California have problems finding places to reside in the state that are within their price range. According to Livability’s Five Most Affordable Cities in California, four of the most affordable cities in California are in Ventura County.
Oxnard is one of these cities that maintains a reasonable cost of living while maintaining a high standard of living for its residents.
The city is one of the least expensive in all of California and is only an hour’s drive from Los Angeles. Many people there can lead quite comfortable lives thanks to the area’s relatively high median household income of approximately $64,000.
Living in this city, where utilities and transportation costs are lower than the national average, makes it easy to get by without much credit.
It Is a Cheaper Alternative To Los Angeles
Oxnard is considerably more affordable than Los Angeles, with a cost of living that is 25.1% higher than the city.
Although health-related expenditures are 10.3% lower in Los Angeles than in this city, housing costs in Los Angeles are 37.0% higher.
Oxnard is the most excellent place to live in California if you want to avoid paying a hefty price tag. Since Los Angeles is only an hour away from the city, you can live here and still enjoy all of the city’s benefits.
The Bad Side
It Has High Living Expenses
Although the cost of living in Oxnard is lower than the average for the state of California, it is nevertheless high enough to present difficulties for some of the city’s citizens.
It is 38.5% higher than the average for the nation, which indicates that you need to be earning well to afford a good standard of living in this city.
The town is also known for its expensive housing offerings while remaining below the national average.
The city’s average home price is $461,787, which is twice the US average. Therefore, if you plan on purchasing a house in this area, you had better be prepared to spend a fortune.
Even if you rent, you will still need to invest a significant amount as the average monthly rent for a property with one bedroom is $2,000.
On the other hand, considering that the cost of living in this area is far cheaper than the state average, relocating to Oxnard would not be a wrong decision if you can afford it.
The City Is Known for Its High Tax Burdens
When you call Oxnard home, you should expect to pay various taxes. Initially, you should pay the state income tax, which averages 9.3%. Depending on how much money you make, it might exceed 12.3% at times.
After that, you are responsible for paying applicable local taxes, such as the sales tax. Its sales tax is relatively high at 7.8%.
However, it is not the end of your tax burden because you still have the property tax to pay. Oxnard, which lies within Ventura County, has a tax rate of 1.095%, while the county as a whole has that same rate.
Considering all the taxes you must pay to call this place home, the cost of living here can be pretty burdensome, especially for lower-income earners, who will pay the same taxes as those with higher incomes.
Why Work in Oxnard? – A Business-friendly Community
The Good Side
The City’s Economy Is Expanding
Oxnard’s economy is thriving, with agricultural, defense, foreign trade, manufacturing, and especially tourism playing a significant role in the city’s financial success.
Its economic pillars are local agricultural enterprises, the Channel Islands Harbor, and tourism attractions such as Heritage Square, the Oxnard Performing and Convention Center, and the Henry T. Oxnard Historic District.
These locations serve as the community’s defining features and offer jobs and numerous possibilities to the populace.
Other important sectors include the energy industry, the financial sector, the technological sector, and transportation.
It Is an Excellent Workplace
Oxnard is a terrific area to work, and regardless of your preferred industry, you can easily find a job here. Between international trade, tourism, agriculture, and defense, the city offers an abundance of work prospects and career options.
As the leading employer in the area, St. John’s Regional Medical Center, with 1,994 employees, should be your first choice if you’re interested in the healthcare industry.
If education is your passion, you should submit your application to the Oxnard Union High School District. If education isn’t for you, check the Ventura County Star classifieds for alternative employment options.
If you are unsuccessful in obtaining work through the newspaper, you can ask for aid in finding a job from any of the many employment businesses in the city.
The Bad Side
The City’s Unemployment Rate Is High
Even though Oxnard offers a wide variety of opportunities, the 7.6% unemployment rate—higher than the 6.0% national average—can make it challenging to find the ideal position.
The city also has a stagnant job market, with only 1.0% job growth throughout the previous year. It is also anticipating an increase in employment of only 27.2% over the next ten years, which is lower than the average growth of 33.5% in the United States.
But if you look hard enough, you can find employment within the boundaries of Oxnard, which is necessary if you want to call those areas home.
In many respects, Oxnard is an attractive choice for a city. It offers some of the most pleasant weather in California and is an ideal location to access opportunities in various other parts of the state.
However, like any other city, there are a few drawbacks to it as well.
Now that you have this information, you can make a more informed decision on whether or not moving to Oxnard would benefit you.