State
County
Land Area
41.3 sq mi
Density
4,259.1/sq mi
2020 Growth Rate
-0.01%
Growth Since 2010
5.16%
Rank in State
Rank in Country
Oceanside is a city located in California. With a 2020 population of 175,710, it is the 29th largest city in California and the 152nd largest city in the United States. Oceanside is currently declining at a rate of -0.01% annually but its population has increased by 5.16% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 167,086 in 2010. Oceanside reached it's highest population of 175,884 in 2017. Spanning over 42 miles, Oceanside has a population density of 4,259 people per square mile.
The average household income in Oceanside is $91,604 with a poverty rate of 10.25%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to $1,753 per month, and the median house value is $492,600. The median age in Oceanside is 37.7 years, 36.1 years for males, and 39.4 years for females. For every 100 females there are 97.0 males.
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.
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.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Oceanside was:
Race | Population | Percentage |
---|---|---|
White | 129,765 | 73.89% |
Asian | 12,940 | 7.37% |
Two or More Races | 11,392 | 6.49% |
Some Other Race | 10,673 | 6.08% |
Black or African American | 7,933 | 4.52% |
American Indian and Alaska Native | 1,530 | 0.87% |
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 1,389 | 0.79% |
Type | Count | Average Size | Owned |
---|---|---|---|
All | 61,600 | 2.84 | 57.6 |
Married | 31,615 | 3.5 | 69.3 |
Non Family | 19,933 | 1.37 | 48.8 |
Female | 6,733 | 3.62 | 38.4 |
Male | 3,319 | 3.75 | 38.1 |
3.4
Average Family Size
2.84
Average Household Size
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 9,355 | 7.69% |
9th to 12th Grade | 6,841 | 5.63% |
High School Graduate | 24,738 | 20.35% |
Some College | 31,628 | 26.01% |
Associates Degree | 11,266 | 9.27% |
Bachelors Degree | 25,272 | 20.78% |
Graduate Degree | 12,492 | 10.27% |
Name | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
White | 64,522 | 61,943 | 25,474 |
Hispanic | 36,936 | 24,852 | 5,051 |
Asian | 10,103 | 9,215 | 4,346 |
Other Race | 6,797 | 4,433 | 850 |
Black | 5,424 | 5,081 | 1,693 |
Multiple Races | 5,238 | 4,760 | 1,163 |
Native American | 1,068 | 871 | 156 |
Islander | 844 | 742 | 311 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 96.00%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 43.02%.
$39,959
Average Earnings
$46,181
Average Male
$32,084
Average Female
66.78% of Oceanside residents speak only English, while 33.22% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 25.37% of the population.
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
Hispanic | 63,188 | 8,729 | 13.81% |
White | 81,748 | 5,937 | 7.26% |
Asian | 12,880 | 1,298 | 10.08% |
Multiple | 11,293 | 1,268 | 11.23% |
Other | 10,670 | 1,229 | 11.52% |
Black | 7,916 | 946 | 11.95% |
Native | 1,477 | 298 | 20.18% |
Islander | 1,385 | 273 | 19.71% |
10.25%
Overall Poverty Rate
9.72%
Male Poverty Rate
10.76%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Oceanside is Native, with 20.18% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Oceanside is White, with 7.26% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.25%. Among those working part-time, it was 11.25%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 16.67%.
49.5%
Overall Marriage Rate
50.7%
Male Marriage Rate
48.2%
Female Marriage Rate
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 35-44.
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
White | 12,017 | 11.84% |
Hispanic | 2,598 | 5.92% |
Black | 1,566 | 25.58% |
2 or More | 664 | 10.59% |
Asian | 657 | 6.03% |
Other | 528 | 6.43% |
Hawaiian | 153 | 16.40% |
Indian | 104 | 8.84% |
5.68%
Veteran Poverty Rate
26.30%
Veteran Disability Rate
66.2%
Labor Force Participation
60.5%
Employment Rate
6%
Unemployment Rate
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
80.20%
Native Born
19.80%
Foreign Born
9.11%
Non Citizen
10.69%
Naturalized
80.20% of Oceanside residents were born in the United States, with 49.70% having been born in California. 9.11% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | 175,710 | -16 | -0.01% |
2020 | 175,726 | -16 | -0.01% |
2019 | 175,742 | -16 | -0.01% |
2018 | 175,758 | -126 | -0.07% |
2017 | 175,884 | 433 | 0.25% |
2016 | 175,451 | 262 | 0.15% |
2015 | 175,189 | 871 | 0.50% |
2014 | 174,318 | 1,143 | 0.66% |
2013 | 173,175 | 1,585 | 0.92% |
2012 | 171,590 | 1,582 | 0.93% |
2011 | 170,008 | 1,929 | 1.15% |
2010 | 168,079 | 7,050 | 0.43% |
2000 | 161,029 | 32,631 | 2.29% |
1990 | 128,398 | 51,700 | 5.29% |
1980 | 76,698 | 36,204 | 6.60% |
1970 | 40,494 | 15,523 | 4.95% |
1960 | 24,971 | 12,090 | 6.84% |
1950 | 12,881 | 8,230 | 10.72% |
1940 | 4,651 | 1,143 | 2.86% |
1930 | 3,508 | 2,347 | 11.69% |
1920 | 1,161 | 488 | 5.60% |
1910 | 673 | 343 | 7.39% |
1900 | 330 | 0.00% |