Are you thinking of moving to Oxnard or want to know about the city? Then you should know what makes this city a great place to live and what to expect. So, what’re the pros and cons of living in Oxnard?
Living in Oxnard comes with lots of advantages. It means you get to enjoy its qualities, including comfortable weather, safety, location, and opportunity for outdoor activities. Also, there are drawbacks to living here such as the cost of living, limited public transport options, and high taxes.
Despite its drawbacks, Oxnard might still be an excellent place for you. It’s the biggest city in Ventura County which means it’s the hub of the region. That is why we take a closer look at the pros and cons to see if it’s a livable place.
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Pros of Living in Oxnard
If you choose to live in Oxnard, there are several things you’ll benefit from. They include
1. Comfortable Weather
The weather in Oxnard is comfortable. This is one of the benefits that come with living in California generally. But for a place like Oxnard, the weather is way better than what you’ll get in most California cities. The weather has a comfort rating of 9.1, which shows that the weather is comfortable throughout the year.
Unlike some places in California, where the weather can get scorching in the summer, Oxnard weather is warm throughout the year. Even in months like September, which is the hottest month, the average high temperature here is 73.9°F which makes it very cool. It’s rare for snow to fall in the city, and the only weather issue is the few occasions in summer when the humidity can be uncomfortable.
2. Safety
Another positive for this city is the low crime rate. This makes it a relatively safe place to live and raise a family. The total crime rate is 6% below the national average, and property crime is 5% lower. More importantly, the crime rate here is 20% below the California average, making it a relatively safe place to live.
Furthermore, the rate of violent crimes in Oxnard is 10% below the national average. As a resident here, you have a 1 in 43 chance of being a crime victim. This is pretty low for a city its size. In addition, the city is safer than 33% of US cities, and crime is still on the decrease. So, if you’re looking for a safe city in California, Oxnard should be on your list.
3. Ideal location
Oxnard is ideally located close to several wonderful cities and communities. Los Angeles is an hour away from the city, which means you can live here and enjoy all the benefits of LA. However, it isn’t only LA that is near Oxnard. Other communities such as Ventura, Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Moorpark, Simi Valley, etc., are close to Oxnard. Some of these communities are even more appealing to live in than Oxnard.
The economic benefit of living in Oxnard is that you can have more job opportunities available due to the city’s location. In addition, you can work in the city and neighboring places.
4. Outdoor Activities
Oxnard has the ideal weather and the Environment for you to spend your time outdoors. There are several beaches in the city so that you can enjoy swimming, surfing, paddle boarding, fishing, kayaking, and other water sports and activities. The winds are usually strong here, so all kinds of wind-related activities are common, from kiting to sailing.
Cons of Living in Oxnard
Living in Oxnard isn’t completely perfect. However, there are certain issues that you’ll have to deal with as a resident in this city. They include:
1. High Living Costs
The cost of living in Oxnard is lower than the California average, but it’s still high enough to be problematic for some residents. It’s 38.5% above the national average, which means you need to be earning well to afford a good quality of life in this city. In addition, every basic in this city costs more than the California average apart from utilities and transportation. Utilities cost less in Oxnard than the national average.
Housing here is also costly while still staying below the national average. The average price of a house in the city is $645,986. This is almost double the average cost in the United States. So if you’re buying a home here, you must be ready to spend a fortune. Even if you’re renting an apartment, you need to spend a considerable amount.
However, given that the cost of living here is still lower than the average in California, it might not be a bad idea to move to Oxnard as long as you can afford it.
2. High Tax Rates
Living in Oxnard means being subject to multiple taxes. First, you’ll have to pay the state income tax, which is an average of 9.3%. Sometimes, it might even reach 12.3%, depending on your income. Then you also have to pay the local taxes such as the sales tax. The sales tax in Oxnard is relatively high at 9.25%. But that’s not the end of your tax burden. There is also the property tax. For Ventura County, which Oxnard is part of, the tax rate is 1.095%.
With all the taxes you have to pay when living here, the taxes can be burdensome. That’ll be the case especially for those who earn on the low side of the tax bracket, as they’ll be paying the same taxes as those making on the high side of the tax bracket—for example, those earning $58,635 pay the same 9.3% tax as those earning $299,508.
3. Limited Public Transport
When it comes to options for public transportation, there are only a few options in this city. According to WalkScore, it has a transit score of only 32. So, if you’ll be commuting regularly, you might need a car to get around. Fortunately, the city has a walk score of 55 and a Bike Score of 52. This suggests that it has neighborhoods that are walkable and bikeable. In addition, you’ll find bike trails, paths, and infrastructure there. So, if you’re thinking of biking to work, it might be possible to do so here.
In Conclusion
Oxnard is a lovely city in several ways. It has one of the best weather in California and is the perfect location to access opportunities from various areas. But it has some drawbacks too. However, with this information, you can better decide if Oxnard is a good move for you.
