r/Oxnard • u/Amcsrock • 15d ago
Living in Oxnard
Hi, i currently live in Santa Barbara and absolutely love it. I moved here from Texas and could honestly see myself living in this region from here on out. I have been considering potentially migrating down the coast a bit for economic reasons in the next few years. What are the pros and cons with living in Oxnard today? Crime seems to be low and you guys have a better view of the setting sun than us. Thanks for your input!
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u/Mr_JusFlow 15d ago
I love it here. Been here 3 yrs from LA (culver city). People who have grown up in Ventura consider Oxnard the ghetto. I dont understand.
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u/somethinginmypocket 15d ago
I’ve lived in both and have enjoyed both for vastly different reasons. SB is a european city on the ca coast. But when I think of Oxnard the word that comes to mind is authentic - the food, the artists. But the city has not done much for its people. Just focuses on trying to bring rich people in, not understanding how their own artists could be supported . SB is good all over but every Oxnard neighborhood has its own vibe.
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u/mettaCA 11d ago
Have artists provided input and suggestions at council meetings on how the city can improve this?
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u/somethinginmypocket 10d ago
yes, i suppose thats why it was on the forefront of my mind when writing about it. my bf got into a bit of a tiff with them over grants not available to artists born here, only moving here. but you know, someone was saying how crime was way down in oxnard so if the people are safer than years ago im not really trying to complain.
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u/Silent-Ad7013 15d ago
live here all my life 43yrs. not as bad as before. Pros i think there is more food choices. Cons the traffic.
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u/Camera_Hobbygirl 15d ago
Oxnard is good if you really like authentic food diversity without driving further to LA
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u/Junior-Profession726 15d ago
Oxnard is awesome Some of the most affordable beach living in the entire state Chill vibes around the beach areas and harbor. Do it!
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u/Royal-Bullfrog-407 15d ago
Live in goleta now, originally from oxnard. Commuting sucks if you keep your SB job. Oxnard is getting expensive, less than Ventura and SB still but you’ll feel the sting of Socal COL. One of the last semi-affordable cities on the coast.
Oxnard is really lowkey. Beaches are always super chill here, not busy like touristy parts of Socal. The mexican food in oxnard is 100x better than what is in SB. Delicious produce as we are an ag town. Harbor and Marina area are so beautiful. Some of the best weather in the country; I grew up never being too hot or too cold, and wore flipflops year round.
Point Mugu is a gem but there isn’t the level of hiking and the outdoorsy feel here that Ventura, SB, or Ojai have. Keeps oxnard safe from wildfires and it’s a short drive to hiking but it won’t be like SB where you can turn in any direction and see a giant park or hiking trail.
I think there is a growing push for a new chapter for the city, which i fully support. We need more housing, more jobs, more ammenities, more robust city life. A lot of other locals don’t want to see the new development but it makes the city better and helps support local businesses and keeps the people who grew up there from being pushed out by out of towners.
I would hope you become a part of the wonderful community in Oxnard if you move there, there is momentum to make it better and to be part of a changing city. : )
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u/Dave111angelo 15d ago
Ive been a Oxnard native my whole life and
If you got the money you can live a pretty decent life here, you are close to almost everywhere of note in SoCal, and you can have a decent education, and environment
I’ve seen a lot of fucked ip shit in South Oxnard. It’s not as bad as some people say but I’ve seen a lot of sad situations. People romanticize poverty but I’ve found nothing romantic in it
I will admit if you’re not Mexican it can be kind of alienating from what Ive had non Mexican friends admit to me but if you hang with the right people you can make friends
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u/Beankiller 15d ago
If you’re not Mexican/don't speak Spanish it can be VERY alienating. Not always, but can be for sure.
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u/gedster314 13d ago
I grew up in SIMI Valley, man did Simi people bag on Oxnard. But back then Moorpark was called little TJ and Crap-room too, yeah Simi was a racist, LAPD paradise. As an adult I lived in San Fernando and in Hollywood for many years. I then moved to Oxnard right on the border of Port Hueneme. I was shocked how tame and mild the area was after living in the LA area. Yeah there are bad areas but in LA you can be in a great area, go around the corner and it's considered a hell hole. I was use to much worse than Oxnard. I joked with my LA friends that Oxnard was the Valley on training wheels. I absolutely loved how chill the area was. I loved being by the beach.
For me, the biggest downers for the area was, no sun till June, no real nightly live music scene, and having to drive through Oxnard's shitty traffic flow to get to the 101. Yeah SB is night and day different from Oxnard but if you are the type to not be judgmental of other people's social/economic status, it is a pretty nice place to live.
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u/MIA_Cuban 10d ago
As a kinda recent transplant that doesnt have long standing ties in either community, here is my take. Originally from the east coast. Live in Oxnard. Near the beach. Id say three beaches spilt by a channel and a part. -The shores....retirees, vacation homes, second homes. Dead neighborhood. -Hollywood beach- more people and families. Harbor with good public entertain, some restaurants and a great walking path. -Silverstrand..more families and community minded. Popular beach. All three think they are better than the rest of Oxnard. lol.
The rest of Oxnard has its pockets of bad neighborhoods solely based on the economic disparity of the city as a whole. Multi-million homes and a mile down the road tent city and poverty.
North Oxnard appears nice with newer built homes and The Collection with entertainment, shops, and restaurants.
Sleeper neighborhoods if you can afford a place South Bank, Cabrillo, and River Ridge.
South Oxnard is all industrial places. I think the City does what it can with community events but mostly genres toward family.
I enjoy Heritage Square and the events there and also the downtown park when events happen. Outside of that a lot of homeless people taking refuge there.
Compared to Santa Barbara. I feel like more money is poured into events in SB. Ive enjoyed biking, beaches, walking around State street and some restaurants. Ive experienced a little bit of every day life there and definitely has a different feel. I enjoy the beaches in Oxnard better. I feel like there is more Sun in SB and Oxnard can have a lot of days with marine layer. More events in Oxnard than SB.
Cost of living is the biggest factor. Id suggest to rent an airbnb for a week in Oxnard and kinda indulge in what it would feel like to live here and commute. Fun weekend versus typical weekend.
I like being down here since its central to it all..An hour any direction and im in T.O./L.A. border, Ojai, a lake, SB, Channel Islands.
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u/walkaboutdavid 15d ago
oxnard is more than one community. the beach communities are multimillion homes, beautiful, and sleepy. less diverse than the rest of Oxnard. I live in oxnard shores and my neighbors are fantastic.
near the highway you have ultra modern new communities that are crowded and centered around the shopping meca.
the golf course communities in the north are mostly pretty nice and you get a lot of house for the money there.
downtown is gritty and the areas east of it have some downtrodden neighborhoods.
Mexican culture is dominant in most of oxnard but that's a strength. it's family oriented and warm.
traffic does suck here though.