Oceanside, California Population 2024

170,484

Oceanside is a city located in San Diego County California. Oceanside has a 2024 population of 170,484. Oceanside is currently declining at a rate of -0.5% annually and its population has decreased by -1.97% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 173,914 in 2020.

The average household income in Oceanside is $109,818 with a poverty rate of 9.2%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Oceanside is 37.5 years, 36.1 years for males, and 39 years for females.

Oceanside is located on the South Coast of California in San Diego County. This coastal city is about 38 miles north of San Diego and it's part of a tri-city area along with nearby cities Vista and Carlsbad.

Population Growth

Oceanside remains one of the most affordable San Diego beach communities although this is changing rapidly as demand grows and the city's population continues to rise. Oceanside has transformed from a small military town to a thriving scene for art and food. Oceanside is expected to continue its modest population growth over the next decade.

Oceanside was first explored by Europeans in 1769 under Father Junipero Serra who founded the Spanish Mission San Luis Rey de Francia along the San Luis Rey River. By the early 19th century, present-day Oceanside was a farming community. The region remained under Spanish rule until 1821 before it passed to Mexico and then the United States in 1848.

In 1834, secularization of California land occurred and all Mission properties were confiscated and sold. A small township called San Luis Rey west of the Mission was established in the 1870s and inhabited by English settlers. The community had a post office, hotel, and stores. By 1882, a railroad extended from Los Angeles to San Diego down the coast and through the region.

In the 1880s, Andrew Jackson Myers moved to the area from Illinois and applied for a Homestead Grant on the Oceanside property and received 160 acres. The new townsite was surveyed and lots were sold. Myers, who owned the first land and first home, is considered Oceanside's founder. Oceanside was incorporated in 1888 with a population of 1,000.

Throughout the 20th century, Oceanside was a popular beach town with a residential downtown. The population has grown steadily since the 1920s with the strongest growth in the 1940s and 1950s after the establishment of the nearby Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.

Oceanside Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Oceanside was:

  • White: 58.43%
  • Two or more races: 19.11%
  • Other race: 9.18%
  • Asian: 7.17%
  • Black or African American: 4.33%
  • Native American: 1.18%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.61%
Land Area (mi²)
41.3 sq mi
Density (mi²)
4,132.40/sq mi
Growth Since 2020
-1.97% (-3,430)
The current population of Oceanside, California is 170,484 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 173,914.

Oceanside, California Population 2024

Population by Race

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White101,50858.43%
Two or more races33,20019.11%
Other race15,9409.18%
Asian12,4587.17%
Black or African American7,5174.33%
Native American2,0451.18%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander1,0540.61%

White

Two or more races

Other race

Asian

Black or African American

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Oceanside Population by Race

Oceanside Population Pyramid 2024

Oceanside Median Age

37.5

Total

36.1

Male

39

Female

Oceanside Adults

There are 136,713 adults, (27,298 of whom are seniors) in Oceanside.

Oceanside Age Dependency

58.8

Age Dependency Ratio

24.9

Old Age Dependency Ratio

33.8

Child Dependency Ratio

Oceanside Sex Ratio

Female87,00950.09%
Male86,71349.91%

Oceanside Population by Age

Oceanside Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All61,6362.857.942.1
Married31,6873.3969.530.5
Non Family19,7911.3948.151.9
Female6,3813.7641.258.8
Male3,7773.6340.159.9

3.31

Average Family Size

2.8

Average Household Size

57.9%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Oceanside Households and Families

Male

Female

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Oceanside Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Oceanside Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 96.56%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 43.28%.

Oceanside Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

$47,238

Average Earnings

$55,947

Average Male

$40,052

Average Female

Oceanside Earnings by Educational Attainment

Oceanside Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Oceanside Language

66.35% of Oceanside residents speak only English, while 33.65% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 25.37% of the population.

Oceanside Language

Oceanside Poverty by Race

rate

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
Hispanic64,9806,80610.47%
White76,5106,0117.86%
Multiple32,8253,1309.54%
Other15,7491,5329.73%
Black7,4801,31817.62%
Asian12,4418606.91%
Islander1,05332030.39%
Native2,0441808.81%

9.2%

Overall Poverty Rate

7.92%

Male Poverty Rate

10.47%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Oceanside

The race most likely to be in poverty in Oceanside is Islander, with 30.39% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Oceanside is Asian, with 6.91% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.18%. Among those working part-time, it was 8.92%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 16.68%.

Oceanside Poverty

rate

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade12.66%
High School10.23%
Some College7.79%
Bachelors or Greater5.11%

Oceanside Poverty Rate by Education

rate

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Rate
Poverty
Female Unemployed21.01%
Male Unemployed17.08%
Female Employed4.94%
Male Employed3.79%

Oceanside Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Oceanside Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Oceanside Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

49.7%

Overall Marriage Rate

52.2%

Male Marriage Rate

47.3%

Female Marriage Rate

Oceanside Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Oceanside Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.

Oceanside Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Oceanside Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

12,825

Number of Veterans

10,993

Male Veterans

1,832

Female Veterans

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Oceanside Veterans by War

count

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Oceanside Veterans by Age

count

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Oceanside Veterans by Race

Oceanside Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

6.13%

Veteran Poverty Rate

25.52%

Veteran Disability Rate

Oceanside Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

67.1%

Labor Force Participation

60.7%

Employment Rate

5.9%

Unemployment Rate

Oceanside Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Oceanside Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Oceanside Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

51.74%

Born in Oceanside

79.57%

Native Born

20.43%

Foreign Born

9.25%

Non Citizen

11.18%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

79.57% of Oceanside residents were born in the United States, with 51.74% having been born in California. 9.25% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Oceanside Place of Birth

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Year
Population
Growth
Growth Rate
2029166,196-858-0.51%
2028167,054-857-0.51%
2027167,911-858-0.51%
2026168,769-857-0.51%
2025169,626-858-0.5%
2024170,484-857-0.5%
2023171,341-858-0.5%
2022172,199-720-0.42%
2021172,919-995-0.57%
2020173,914-1,802-1.03%
2019175,716-365-0.21%
2018176,0811240.07%
2017175,957340.02%
2016175,9235990.34%
2015175,3249760.56%
2014174,3481,3270.77%
2013173,0211,6360.95%
2012171,3851,7351.02%
2011169,6501,7061.02%
2010167,94400%
2000161,02932,63125.41%
1990128,39851,70067.41%
198076,69836,20489.41%
197040,49415,52362.16%
196024,97112,09093.86%
195012,8818,230176.95%
19404,6511,14332.58%
19303,5082,347202.15%
19201,16148872.51%
1910673343103.94%
1900330-165,866-99.8%
showing: 31 rows

Oceanside Population by Year