Oceanside CA vs St. Charles MO — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

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

Oceanside, CA

California · Population: 172,542

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

St. Charles, MO

Missouri · Population: 71,542

  • Median HH Income$55,578
  • Median Home Price$144,200
  • Unemployment4.7%
  • Bachelor's+22.7%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Oceanside
172,542
Oceanside +
St. Charles
71,542
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Oceanside
N/A
St. Charles
N/A
Median Age
Oceanside
38.1
St. Charles
37.9
St. Charles +
Foreign Born
Oceanside
20.9%
Oceanside +
St. Charles
4.2%
White
Oceanside
52.9%
St. Charles
80.4%
St. Charles +
Black
Oceanside
4.2%
St. Charles
6.7%
St. Charles +
Asian
Oceanside
7.4%
Oceanside +
St. Charles
1.4%
Hispanic
Oceanside
38.5%
Oceanside +
St. Charles
7.7%
Spanish at Home
Oceanside
N/A
St. Charles
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Oceanside
$93,724
Oceanside +
St. Charles
$55,578
Per Capita Income
Oceanside
$43,094
Oceanside +
St. Charles
$31,499
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Oceanside
$77,230
Oceanside +
St. Charles
$58,527
Unemployment Rate
Oceanside
5.4%
St. Charles
4.7%
St. Charles +
Poverty Rate
Oceanside
8.1%
Oceanside +
St. Charles
18.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
Oceanside
34.3%
Oceanside +
St. Charles
22.7%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Oceanside
$877,452
St. Charles
$144,200
St. Charles +
Homeownership Rate
Oceanside
58.5%
St. Charles
61.4%
St. Charles +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Oceanside
503
St. Charles
501
St. Charles +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Oceanside
2388
Oceanside +
St. Charles
2418

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Oceanside
26.1%
Oceanside +
St. Charles
35.9%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Oceanside
10.4%
St. Charles
10.4%
Tie
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Oceanside
16.9%
St. Charles
16.0%
St. Charles +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Oceanside
9.7%
St. Charles
7.1%
St. Charles +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Oceanside
16.5%
Oceanside +
St. Charles
18.4%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Oceanside
10.6%
Oceanside +
St. Charles
12.5%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Oceanside
55.3°F
St. Charles
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Oceanside
20.7 in
St. Charles
N/A

Air Quality

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

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Oceanside
31.8 min
St. Charles
18.3 min
St. Charles +

Which City is Right for You?

Oceanside leads in median household income at $93,724, while st. Charles offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $144,200. On public safety, St. Charles is safer with a violent crime rate of 501 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Oceanside. St. Charles has a lower unemployment rate at 4.7%, 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 Oceanside & St. Charles