Bend OR vs Oceanside CA — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Bend, OR

Oregon · Population: 97,502

  • Median HH Income$94,279
  • Median Home Price$735,193
  • Unemployment4.2%
  • Bachelor's+49.3%

Oceanside, CA

California · Population: 172,542

  • Median HH Income$93,724
  • Median Home Price$877,452
  • Unemployment5.4%
  • Bachelor's+34.3%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Bend
97,502
Oceanside
172,542
Oceanside +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Bend
N/A
Oceanside
N/A
Median Age
Bend
37.6
Bend +
Oceanside
38.1
Foreign Born
Bend
17.6%
Oceanside
20.9%
Oceanside +
White
Bend
65.5%
Bend +
Oceanside
52.9%
Black
Bend
2.8%
Oceanside
4.2%
Oceanside +
Asian
Bend
11.4%
Bend +
Oceanside
7.4%
Hispanic
Bend
17.3%
Oceanside
38.5%
Oceanside +
Spanish at Home
Bend
N/A
Oceanside
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Bend
$94,279
Bend +
Oceanside
$93,724
Per Capita Income
Bend
$51,659
Bend +
Oceanside
$43,094
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Bend
$63,691
Oceanside
$77,230
Oceanside +
Unemployment Rate
Bend
4.2%
Bend +
Oceanside
5.4%
Poverty Rate
Bend
9.9%
Oceanside
8.1%
Oceanside +
Bachelor's Degree+
Bend
49.3%
Bend +
Oceanside
34.3%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Bend
$735,193
Bend +
Oceanside
$877,452
Homeownership Rate
Bend
49.8%
Oceanside
58.5%
Oceanside +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Bend
355
Bend +
Oceanside
503
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Bend
3001
Oceanside
2388
Oceanside +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Bend
26.5%
Oceanside
26.1%
Oceanside +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Bend
8.9%
Bend +
Oceanside
10.4%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Bend
16.0%
Bend +
Oceanside
16.9%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Bend
6.5%
Bend +
Oceanside
9.7%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Bend
17.7%
Oceanside
16.5%
Oceanside +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Bend
10.0%
Bend +
Oceanside
10.6%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Bend
46.6°F
Bend +
Oceanside
55.3°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Bend
11.4 in
Bend +
Oceanside
20.7 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Bend
9.0 µg/m³
Oceanside
7.9 µg/m³
Oceanside +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Bend
55.0%
Oceanside
75.0%
Oceanside +

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Bend
26.1 min
Bend +
Oceanside
31.8 min

Which City is Right for You?

Bend leads in median household income at $94,279, while bend offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $735,193. On public safety, Bend is safer with a violent crime rate of 355 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Oceanside. Bend has a lower unemployment rate at 4.2%, and Oceanside has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.9 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Oceanside scores better with a lower obesity rate of 26.1%.

Compare More Cities

About Bend & Oceanside