Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Oceano grades C overall, 438th among California's 841 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 76% of U.S. towns. On the other side, FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 82% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. Oceano’s midsummer high is 65°F, below both California’s towns (89°F) and U.S. towns (85°F). Halcyon Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Where Oceano beats most towns.
Where Oceano’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Oceano is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,446 in 1950, 7,183 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 6 maps from 1897 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Oceano is unincorporated, so San Luis Obispo County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Oceano.
Oceano has fewer 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and has commutes shorter than most of California.
2 flood insurance claims have been paid in Oceano since 2010. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 62% come from inland flooding and 26% from earthquakes. Federal aid has come to Oceano households in 3 declared disasters; the latest was in 2023.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Its one school is below. The Lucia Mar Unified school district runs its public schools. Oceano’s only public school teaches 377 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oceano ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 377 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
The average commute for its 2,833 working residents takes 20.8 minutes, against 28.7 across California. Jobs based here grew from 614 in 2013 to 853.
For Oceano, the typical household income is $72,000. Jobs based in Oceano grew to 853 in 2023, 239 more than in 2013. Also worth knowing: in Oceano, 17% of residents live below the poverty line. The top destinations are San Luis Obispo (18%), Arroyo Grande (9%) and Santa Maria (8%).
| Oceano | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $72,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.4% | 6.6% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The Morro Bay Fire Dept weather station, 23 miles away, records that about 1 days a year reach 90°, fewer than in 96% of U.S. towns. January nights average 47.5°, milder than in 98% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 64.9°.
In Oceano, the January low is 48°F. Snow is a rarity.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
For adults in Oceano, the share who smoke cigarettes is 14%. Among adults here, 26% say their health is fair or poor and 16% report frequent physical distress.
| Oceano | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 71% | 72% | 79% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 22% | 19% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 9% | 8.1% |
| What stands out | Oceano | CA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 7.1% | 5.1% |
| More smokers | 14.1% | 10.9% |
| More uninsured adults | 13.4% | 10.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Among renter households in Oceano, 44% spend 30% or more of their income on rent. Typical home values rose 3.2% in the year to September 2026. For Oceano, the median rent is $1,584 a month.
| Oceano | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,584 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 44% | 55% | 48% |
| Households that own their home | 61% | 64% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The biggest park or preserve is Pismo State Beach, at 25 acres. Across 3 parks and preserves: 0.3 miles of trail. Oceano’s trail density stands at 0.2 miles per square mile.
| Oceano | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4.4% | 4.2% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pismo State Beach | — | 25 |
| 2. Pike Place | — | 6 |
| 3. Oceano Memorial Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Oceano. Close and well known come first.
13 mi MuseumMission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa24 mi LandmarkLanding of the first Filipinos
18 mi State parkMontaña de Oro State Park
7 mi MuseumDana Adobe
12 mi MuseumSan Luis Obispo Railroad Museum26 mi Zoo & aquariumCharles Paddock ZooMission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa: Stephen Lea, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Montaña de Oro State Park: BorisFromStockdale, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Dana Adobe: Ken Figlioli, CC BY-SA 2.0 · San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum: SLOGlen, CC BY-SA 4.0
2 within 15 miles of the center of Oceano
About 6 of every 100 Oceano residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
Census designated place in California, United States
Oceano (Spanish: Océano, meaning "Ocean") is a census-designated place (CDP) in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. The population was 7,183 at the 2020 census, down from 7,286 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with Oceano.
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oceano | #438 | C | C− | — | B+ | C+ |
| Arroyo Grande | #149 | B | D− | B− | B+ | A |
| Grover Beach | #355 | C | D− | B− | B+ | B− |
Oceano reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Oceano with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Oceano grades C overall, better than 26% of U.S. towns and #438 of 841 in California. It grades C+ for health and B+ for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D.
Yes. That is 7 years of the area's median household income ($97,446 across the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA metro area).
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