Oceanside, California
Oceanside is a beach city in the North County area of San Diego County, California, United States. The city had a population of 174,068 at the 2020 United States census, making it the most populous city in the North County region of San Diego. The city is a popular tourist destination, owing to its historic landmarks, beaches, and architecture.
Oceanside's origins date to 1798, when the Spanish founded the village of San Luis Rey with the establishment of San Luis Rey de Francia">San Luis Rey, Oceanside, California">San Luis Rey de Francia by Fermín de Lasuén. During the Spanish period, Mission San Luis Rey grew to be the largest of all the Californian missions, but following the Mexican secularization act of 1833 the mission and its community declined. Following the U.S. conquest of California, the former mission lands were developed into an oceanfront resort and the community's name gradually changed to Oceanside.
History
Originally inhabited by Native Americans, Oceanside was first settled by the Luiseño peoples, or the Payomkawichum. The city of Oceanside sits on the locality on the San Luis Rey River that the Luiseño called Tacayme, which contained the villages of Qée'ish and 'ikáymay, in the San Luis Rey Mission area, Wiyóoya at the mouth of the river, and Wi'áasamay and Waxáwmay at Guajome.Spanish era
The first European explorers arrived in 1769. Spanish missionaries under Father Junípero Serra founded Mission San Luis Rey de Francia on a former site of a Luiseño Indian village on the banks of the San Luis Rey River called Keish according to the Portolà expedition who visited in the 1769.In the early 19th century, the introduction of farming and grazing changed the landscape of what would become Oceanside.
Mexican era
Following the Mexican secularization act of 1833, the Californian missions were nationalized, transferring their ownership from the Franciscan Order of the Catholic Church to the Mexican Government. A mission administrator was appointed to each mission to oversee the process of secularization, the removal of the priests, and the selling or granting of the mission lands to private citizens.At Mission San Luis Rey, Padre Antonio Peyrí had presided over the mission for 34 years when soldiers forced his removal in late 1833. Captain Pablo de la Portillà was appointed as administrator of San Luis Rey. Following the departure of Padre Peyrí, relations between the Luiseños and the new civilian administration hugely deteriorated, resulting in their famed refusal to work for Captain Portillà in 1835.
American era
In the late 1850s, Andrew Jackson Myers, an emigrant from Illinois, lived in San Joaquin County, but he returned in the late 1880s and lived in San Luis Rey. In 1882 Myers moved on the land that was the original townsite for Oceanside. A patent for the land was issued in 1883 by the federal government. It was incorporated on July 3, 1888. The city hall as of the early 21st century stands on the former Myers homestead.The town post office contains an oil-on-canvas mural, Air Mail, painted in 1937 by Elsie Seeds. Federally commissioned murals were produced from 1934 to 1943 in the United States through the Section of Painting and Sculpture, later called the Section of Fine Arts, of the Treasury Department.
Oceanside continues to be known as a vacation home market.
In the 2010s, several mid-rise and high-rise housing and lodging projects were completed in the downtown area, with more to come. In 2021, two large Hyatt resorts were completed, bringing more tourists to the city.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of, of which is land and, comprising 2.23%, is water.Traveling north on Interstate 5, Oceanside is the last city before Orange County. It is roughly the same distance from Aliso Viejo as it is to downtown San Diego.
Together with Carlsbad and Vista, it forms a tri-city area.
Climate
Oceanside experiences a mild semi-arid climate that is significantly tempered by maritime winds and the cool currents off the shoreline. The average high temperatures range from, while the average low temperatures range from.Coastal erosion
Beaches in Oceanside are subject to coastal erosion that in some places left only a small strip of sand between the ocean and main road. In 2025 efforts were made with the RE:BEACH program to add sand to the beach in a process known as beach nourishment.Demographics
| Race Group | Population | Percent |
| European | 67,845 | 39.0% |
| Mexican | 52,863 | 30.4% |
| Other White | 46,960 | 27.0% |
2020
The 2020 United States census reported that Oceanside had a population of 174,068. The population density was. The racial makeup of Oceanside was 51.5% White, 4.1% African American, 1.4% Native American, 7.6% Asian, 1.2% Pacific Islander, 18.0% from other races, and 16.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 36.4% of the population.The census reported that 99.1% of the population lived in households, 0.7% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.2% were institutionalized.
There were 63,032 households, out of which 29.8% included children under the age of 18, 49.4% were married-couple households, 7.0% were cohabiting couple households, 26.5% had a female householder with no partner present, and 17.2% had a male householder with no partner present. 23.2% of households were one person, and 11.3% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.74. There were 43,053 families.
The age distribution was 20.0% under the age of 18, 9.3% aged 18 to 24, 27.6% aged 25 to 44, 25.5% aged 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 39.3years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males.
There were 67,371 housing units at an average density of, of which 63,032 were occupied. Of these, 58.6% were owner-occupied, and 41.4% were occupied by renters.
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $93,724, and the per capita income was $43,094. About 4.5% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line.
2010
The 2010 United States census reported that Oceanside had a population of 167,086. The population density was. The racial makeup of Oceanside was 109,020 White, 7,873 African American, 1,385 Native American, 11,081 Asian, 2,144 Pacific Islander, 25,886 from other races, and 9,697 from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 59,947 persons.The Census reported that 166,150 people lived in households, 802 lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 134 were institutionalized.
There were 59,238 households, out of which 20,486 had children under the age of 18 living in them, 30,201 were opposite-sex married couples living together, 6,947 had a female householder with no husband present, 3,111 had a male householder with no wife present. There were 3,504 unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 472 same-sex married couples or partnerships. Of the households 14,117 were made up of individuals, and 6,161 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80. There were 40,259 families ; the average family size was 3.32.
The population was spread out, with 39,817 people under the age of 18, 19,028 people aged 18 to 24, 45,797 people aged 25 to 44, 40,943 people aged 45 to 64, and 21,501 people who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.0 males.
There were 64,435 housing units at an average density of, of which 34,986 were owner-occupied, and 24,252 were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.2%. Of the population 97,645 people lived in owner-occupied housing units and 68,505 people lived in rental housing units.
Economy
According to the city's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
| 1 | Oceanside Unified School District | 2,957 |
| 2 | Tri-City Hospital District | 2,423 |
| 3 | Mira Costa College | 1,605 |
| 4 | City of Oceanside | 1,029 |
| 5 | West Coast Tomato Growers | 751 |
| 6 | North County Transit District | 737 |
| 7 | Genentech, Inc. | 462 |
| 8 | TE Connectivity | 426 |
| 9 | Hydranautics | 358 |
| 10 | Oceans Eleven Casino | 344 |
Arts and culture
- The Oceanside Pier, first built in 1888, is one of the longest wooden piers on the western United States coastline, at.
- Oceanside Museum of Art is located in the cultural district section of downtown Oceanside.
- The historic district of Mount Ecclesia, home to the Rosicrucian Fellowship, is noted for its singular architecture and the preservation of nature grounds and gardens.
- Oceanside is one of the 14 designated cultural districts in California. This designation by the California Arts Council acknowledges the city's vibrant arts scene and its commitment to cultural enrichment. The Oceanside Cultural District encompasses a walkable area in the downtown center, boasting a concentration of museums and theaters, like the historic .
- The California Surf Museum is located in downtown Oceanside.
- Oceanside is home to the world's largest surf competition, the Super Girl Pro Festival, which has been held yearly since 2007.
- Each Thursday evening, downtown Oceanside hosts the Sunset Market, a gathering of local vendors, hot food and live entertainment.
- Founded in 2006, the Frontwave Credit Union O'side Turkey Trot hosts approximately 9,000 runners and walkers from 46 states and 8 countries and has been voted one of the top trots in the country several times.
- Since 2006, Oceanside has played host to the official start of the annual bicycle race, Race Across America, which is usually held during the second week of June.
- Oceanside has hosted the Beach Soccer Championships since 2007. The festival is the largest on the west coast and takes place the third weekend in May.
- The Oceanside International Film Festival was founded in 2009 by the Oceanside Cultural Arts Foundation.
- The house from the film Top Gun, commonly called the Top Gun House, is located near the pier. In 2019, the house was moved from its original site and extensively restored.
- Oceanside is home to a harbor which contains a lighthouse, several shops and restaurants, the Oceanside Sign, and hundreds of boats.
- The TV series Animal Kingdom, based on the 2010 film of the same name, is set and filmed in Oceanside.
- The 2023 Disney animated TV series Hailey's On It! is set on Oceanside.
- Frontwave Arena, a 7,500 seat multi-use arena, opened in 2024.
Government
The city operates under the council-manager form of government. The city council consists of four members elected from districts and one mayor elected at large. The current council is composed of: Esther Sanchez, Jimmy Figueroa, Peter Weiss, Eric Joyce, and Rick Robinson.The current city treasurer is Phyllis Dominguez. The current city clerk is Zeb Navarro.
The City of Oceanside is a full-service city. It provides police and fire safety, water and sewer services. The city has a municipal airport, a small craft harbor, one of the longest wooden piers in the west, golf courses, swimming pools, numerous parks, community centers, and extensive palm-lined beaches. Oceanside Public Library is the city's public library system, with the main branch located in the civic center.
State and federal representation
In the California State Legislature, Oceanside is in, and in.In the United States House of Representatives, Oceanside is in.
Education
Most of Oceanside is in the Oceanside Unified School District, while some portions are in the Carlsbad Unified School District, the Bonsall Union School District, and the Vista Unified School District,. Some residents with Oceanside postal addresses that are outside of the city limits in the Fallbrook Union [Elementary School District] and the Fallbrook Union High School District. The Oceanside Unified School District provides instrumental music programs in grades 4–12.The Oceanside Unified School District has two comprehensive high schools: El Camino High School and Oceanside High School. High school students are also served by Ocean Shores Continuation High School and Clair Burgener Academy. OUSD has 24 schools plus three charter schools, including the School of Business and Technology, and two brand new schools, Louise Foussat Elementary School and Cesar Chavez Middle School, that opened in the Fall of 2007.
The other school, Louise Foussat Elementary School, located on Pala Road, is built on of land with 35 classrooms totaling and can accommodate 800 students.
A free, independent public charter school, Scholarship Prep, is a new TK-8th grade school which was authorized to open in August 2017 and is sited at the historic San Luis Rey Mission. It offers a full educational experience for Oceanside students.
Transportation
Rail and air
The Oceanside Transit Center is a major railway interchange for long distance and commuter rail services. Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner provides service to San Luis Obispo via Los Angeles and San Diego. Metrolink's commuter rail service connects Oceanside to many parts of Greater Los Angeles, while Coaster commuter rail serves northern and central San Diego County. The Sprinter hybrid rail service connects Oceanside to Escondido.Oceanside Municipal Airport is mainly used as a general aviation field. The nearest international airport is San Diego International Airport, connected to Oceanside via Amtrak and Coaster rail services.