Murrieta CA vs Oxnard CA — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

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

Murrieta, CA

California · Population: 84,304

  • Median HH Income$158,461
  • Median Home Price$690,322
  • Unemployment4.4%
  • Bachelor's+69.6%

Oxnard, CA

California · Population: 201,014

  • Median HH Income$93,372
  • Median Home Price$765,773
  • Unemployment6.6%
  • Bachelor's+19.6%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Murrieta
84,304
Oxnard
201,014
Oxnard +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Murrieta
N/A
Oxnard
N/A
Median Age
Murrieta
46.0
Oxnard
34.0
Oxnard +
Foreign Born
Murrieta
15.9%
Oxnard
33.8%
Oxnard +
White
Murrieta
79.2%
Murrieta +
Oxnard
36.9%
Black
Murrieta
0.7%
Oxnard
1.8%
Oxnard +
Asian
Murrieta
8.1%
Murrieta +
Oxnard
6.6%
Hispanic
Murrieta
10.1%
Oxnard
77.0%
Oxnard +
Spanish at Home
Murrieta
N/A
Oxnard
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Murrieta
$158,461
Murrieta +
Oxnard
$93,372
Per Capita Income
Murrieta
$113,918
Murrieta +
Oxnard
$30,413
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Murrieta
$77,230
Oxnard
$77,230
Tie
Unemployment Rate
Murrieta
4.4%
Murrieta +
Oxnard
6.6%
Poverty Rate
Murrieta
7.3%
Murrieta +
Oxnard
10.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
Murrieta
69.6%
Murrieta +
Oxnard
19.6%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Murrieta
$690,322
Murrieta +
Oxnard
$765,773
Homeownership Rate
Murrieta
53.1%
Oxnard
53.9%
Oxnard +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Murrieta
503
Oxnard
503
Tie
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Murrieta
2388
Oxnard
2388
Tie

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Murrieta
33.4%
Oxnard
28.4%
Oxnard +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Murrieta
10.0%
Murrieta +
Oxnard
12.8%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Murrieta
17.0%
Murrieta +
Oxnard
17.9%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Murrieta
7.5%
Murrieta +
Oxnard
19.2%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Murrieta
15.6%
Oxnard
15.6%
Tie
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Murrieta
10.0%
Murrieta +
Oxnard
12.0%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Murrieta
N/A
Oxnard
61.2°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Murrieta
N/A
Oxnard
15.3 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Murrieta
7.9 µg/m³
Oxnard
7.9 µg/m³
Tie
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Murrieta
75.0%
Oxnard
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Murrieta
24.9 min
Murrieta +
Oxnard
27.1 min

Which City is Right for You?

Murrieta leads in median household income at $158,461, while murrieta offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $690,322. On public safety, Oxnard is safer with a violent crime rate of 503 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Murrieta. Murrieta has a lower unemployment rate at 4.4%, and Oxnard has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.9 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Oxnard scores better with a lower obesity rate of 28.4%.

Compare More Cities

About Murrieta & Oxnard