Situated within San Diego County, Oceanside is presently the third biggest city in the area with an approximate population of 183,095. The city along with Carlsbad and Vista together form a tri-city area. The Marine Corps Base Cape Pendleton, is the busiest military base in the country and sits just north of the city. During 1970, the population was only 45,000. The huge increase in population caused the area to mostly concentrate on building single family home tracts between 1970 and 1990. Since then, however, the city has started to concentrate on increasing commercial and industrial development.
In Oceanside, there are many various industries and businesses that have built facilities here. The city provides incentive plans to be able to help encourage development, for people wishing start up a commercial, industrial, or office-type undertaking. Furthermore, the property tax is amongst the lowest in the county. One of the biggest sectors is the manufacturing of recreational and sporting equipment. Furthermore, medtech and biotech businesses are emerging and doing extremely well. Agriculture is really essential to the San Diego County area and thrives in the beautiful weather. Citrus fruits, flowers, avocados, tomatoes and nursery stock all grow extremely well here.
Oceanside is in an ideal location to raise a family or to build a business. It can maintain its natural beauty while still being very accessible to other major cities comprising San Diego, which is thirty five miles south of the city, and Los Angeles, which is eighty three miles north. There is an abundance of land available for a reasonable price and lots of resources left untapped.
Amongst the main highways, the Interstate 5, runs through the city. Highway 76 (that runs northeast) and Highway 78 (which runs southeast) both lead to Interstate 15.