01 · the cities
Oxnard
Oxnard is California's strawberry capital, where the fields literally run up to the beach. Channel Islands Harbor is a quiet alternative to the busier Ventura and Santa Barbara, with great seafood and a chill Mexican food scene. The weather is the perfect 65-and-overcast that locals call 'June gloom' for most of summer. The Channel Islands themselves are a ferry ride away.
full dispatch→San Diego
San Diego is the city most Californians secretly wish they lived in: 70°F, sunny, and a beach for every mood. Fish tacos are religion, Balboa Park is bigger than Central Park and packed with museums, and the craft beer scene is one of the best in the country. The zoo is world-famous and the burritos are aggressively underrated. Even the freeways feel relaxed here.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,995/mo
$2,890/mo
$105/mo less than Oxnard (4%)
Median home price
Median home price
$923k
$1.0M
$88k more than Oxnard
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
9.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,563/mo
$4,668/mo
San Diego has $105/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
342 days
332 days
10 fewer than Oxnard
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Oxnard edges ahead on pleasant days, but both cities have comparable comfort overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
74 / 100
75 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
0 routes
55 routes
55 more direct routes than Oxnard
Metro size
Metro size
830k metro
3.3M metro
Oxnard has 7.3x fewer events per month than San Diego.
the verdict
2
Oxnard
categories won
3
San Diego
categories won
San Diego wins on money and lifestyle. Oxnard has the edge on weather.
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