Oceanside CA vs St. Petersburg FL — 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. Petersburg, FL

Florida · Population: 260,646

  • Median HH Income$73,118
  • Median Home Price$331,500
  • Unemployment4.9%
  • Bachelor's+41.3%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Oceanside
172,542
St. Petersburg
260,646
St. Petersburg +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Oceanside
N/A
St. Petersburg
N/A
Median Age
Oceanside
38.1
Oceanside +
St. Petersburg
43.1
Foreign Born
Oceanside
20.9%
Oceanside +
St. Petersburg
10.1%
White
Oceanside
52.9%
St. Petersburg
66.2%
St. Petersburg +
Black
Oceanside
4.2%
St. Petersburg
19.4%
St. Petersburg +
Asian
Oceanside
7.4%
Oceanside +
St. Petersburg
3.1%
Hispanic
Oceanside
38.5%
Oceanside +
St. Petersburg
9.3%
Spanish at Home
Oceanside
N/A
St. Petersburg
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Oceanside
$93,724
Oceanside +
St. Petersburg
$73,118
Per Capita Income
Oceanside
$43,094
St. Petersburg
$49,823
St. Petersburg +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Oceanside
$77,230
Oceanside +
St. Petersburg
$65,328
Unemployment Rate
Oceanside
5.4%
St. Petersburg
4.9%
St. Petersburg +
Poverty Rate
Oceanside
8.1%
Oceanside +
St. Petersburg
11.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
Oceanside
34.3%
St. Petersburg
41.3%
St. Petersburg +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Oceanside
$877,452
St. Petersburg
$331,500
St. Petersburg +
Homeownership Rate
Oceanside
58.5%
St. Petersburg
63.0%
St. Petersburg +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Oceanside
503
St. Petersburg
324
St. Petersburg +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Oceanside
2388
St. Petersburg
1453
St. Petersburg +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Oceanside
26.1%
Oceanside +
St. Petersburg
32.7%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Oceanside
10.4%
Oceanside +
St. Petersburg
12.2%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Oceanside
16.9%
St. Petersburg
16.6%
St. Petersburg +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Oceanside
9.7%
Oceanside +
St. Petersburg
11.1%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Oceanside
16.5%
Oceanside +
St. Petersburg
16.6%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Oceanside
10.6%
Oceanside +
St. Petersburg
12.4%

Climate

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

Air Quality

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

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Oceanside
31.8 min
St. Petersburg
26.8 min
St. Petersburg +

Which City is Right for You?

Oceanside leads in median household income at $93,724, while st. Petersburg offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $331,500. On public safety, St. Petersburg is safer with a violent crime rate of 324 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Oceanside. St. Petersburg has a lower unemployment rate at 4.9%, and St. Petersburg has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Oceanside scores better with a lower obesity rate of 26.1%.

Compare More Cities

About Oceanside & St. Petersburg