2022 Best Places to Live in Ventura County

• Suburb of Los Angeles, CA

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  Rating 4.14 out of 5  64 reviews

Current Resident: Oak Park is a very welcoming and open suburban space with recreational opportunities, such as a community center and hiking trails. There is also a good school district, OPUSD, that consists of three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. The community is relatively small, but it is perfect for people who like to stay active and live in a quieter space close in proximity to Los Angeles, the beach, and the mountains. Although, it is quite expensive to live in Oak Park, with houses ranging from $600K-$1M.... Read 64 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 13,561

• City in California

• •
  Rating 4.15 out of 5  361 reviews

Current Resident: Not only was I born and raised in Thousand Oaks (husband as well), I’ve raised my 5 kids here! The schools are excellent, sports programs are top notch, great training facilities such as Mamba Academy, tons of community events organized Conejo Parks and Rec, a teen center, a senior center and a large city library. Surrounded by the beautiful Santa Monica mountains, there’s plenty of hiking trails that are especially beautiful in the late winter/early spring and close to the beach. The weather is nearly perfect! Not nearly as hot as the San Fernando Valley, yet you get nice cool ocean breezes in the afternoon. It was lacking diversity when I was growing up but that has changed in recent years. It’s still very safe although some LA crime is starting to creep in. Luckily we have a very proactive police department that takes crime and homelessness seriously. We absolutely love it here!... Read 361 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 127,274

• Suburb of Los Angeles, CA

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  Rating 3.88 out of 5  147 reviews

Former Resident: My hometown of Moorpark is a small, quiet suburb in Ventura County. I attended Campus Canyon Elementary, Mesa Verde Middle School, and Moorpark High School here, all of which were well-rounded and had an excellent music program, various school sports, and extracurricular activities to participate in. There are enough grocery stores and restaurants, but as I mentioned, it's a quiet city, so there is no nightlife to speak of nor many daytime attractions. Many residents will travel to the neighbouring cities of Thousand Oaks or Simi Valley for their malls, cinemas, etc. We are proud of the Underwood Family Farms, which hosts the annual Fall Harvest Festival, attended over the years by some celebrities, including Jennifer Garner and Gwen Stefani. America's Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College is also a highlight and the place for many field trips. And we have the best bakery in the area called Carrara's, featured on TV. Overall, it's the #3 safest city in California and great for families.... Read 147 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A

• Population 36,201

• Town in California

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  Rating 4.06 out of 5  257 reviews

Current Resident: PERFECT CLIMATE. It's only seven miles to the Pacific Ocean (12-miles to Malibu): it's cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter than nearby Westlake Village or the town of Calabasas of NW Los Angeles. It has amazing infrastructure: two large city parks within two blocks, 40 dining choices + a cinema arts house + Trader Joe's + CVS within 1/2 mile, a huge luxury brands outlet center is within two miles + Target +Home Depot, etc. A library that equals Beverly Hills and a state-of-the-art hospital are 5-minutes to my door. The best beaches are 15-minutes as is the trendy, popular Main Street of the town of Ventura. Roads are clean and tree lined, and it's very safe! Okay, it's not cheap. Mediocre homes are +/-$700k and "nice" areas over a million. But nice areas of Los Angeles (30-45 minutes away) are 50% to 300% more costly. So, it's a secret bargain compared to other Cali coastal areas, as evidenced by local equestrian & tennis celeb Kaley Cuoco, of Big Bang Theory.... Read 257 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B+

• Population 70,593

• City in California

• •
  Rating 4.24 out of 5  176 reviews

Current Resident: The beach is five minutes away from midtown, who doesn't love the beach? The weather is on average around the 70's during the spring and early summer. The temperature rarely goes above 85 degrees. But when it does, the beach is a few minutes away to help cool off and relax. There are a lot of other fun places to visit. Such as Grant Park Cross, where there is a view of the city along with the ocean, a great place to have a picnic while watching the sun set or to take nice pictures! The city is clean and has a lot of trees and greenery. Downtown is also a good place to get good food, I recommend Rice by Mama, which is Thai food. There are also cute boutiques downtown as well as thrift stores. There is also an art museum downtown. Overall, Ventura is a beautiful small city for a beach vacation.... Read 176 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A minus

• Population 110,572

• Suburb of Los Angeles, CA

• •
  Rating 4.11 out of 5  9 reviews

Niche User: It is a great atmosphere, beautiful weather, and friendly people. I would definitely live here again and is one of the safest towns in the country. I see a lot of successful people coming from Newbury Park.... Read 9 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A+

• Population 2,961

Current Resident: I always love attending the Lavender festival, MLK Day festival the Ojai Day festival. The town always gets together and really gets people involved in the community.... Read 16 reviews

• grade B

• grade A minus

• Population 7,640

• Suburb of Los Angeles, CA

• •
  Rating 3.79 out of 5  378 reviews

Current Resident: Simi Valley has changed a lot since I was a child. I would still say it is a relatively safe town. Super close to the big city of Los Angeles where there are night clubs and Hollywood and premium shopping opportunities. About the same distance north you can go visit the state beaches. Beautiful sandy beaches, delicious seafood restaurants that are right on the pier! It is a small town with not much to do, but very close to a lot of fun adventures.... Read 378 reviews

• grade B

• grade A minus

• Population 126,809

Niche User: I would describe it as a great place to love... Read 2 reviews

• grade B

• grade A minus

• Population 4,065

Parent: Ojai is an excellent place to raise a family. The schools are very good. Everyone knows and looks out for your children. Lots of activities for young children, and quiet for teenagers, almost like a bubble. The down side is that it is expensive.... Read 2 reviews

• grade B minus

• grade A minus

• Population 6,893

Current Resident: Overall, a very nice community. Backs up to hills that are golden in the summer and bright green in the spring. Lake Casitas is beautiful, especially during the sunrise. The weather is perfect for vineyards, and I have a view of some from my house. The weather can be hot at times, but Oak View's proximity to Carpinteria/Santa Barbara and Ventura gives you a lot of access to the beach, without the expense of living by it. The people are very nice and laid back, and its a quiet, sleepy little town that isn't too expensive to live in. Great place to raise kids, as there is little crime here.... Read 1 review

• grade B minus

• grade A

• Population 6,169

• Suburb of Oxnard, CA

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  Rating 3.73 out of 5  55 reviews

Current Resident: Growing up in Port Hueneme I would say that one of its most unique features is the local naval base. This base houses multiple residents, some of whom I have become great friends with and the necessities for the navy troops who are waiting on standby. Although the base is one of the more popular sites in Port Hueneme, there is also the local beach where many fishermen and locals gather to cherish in the commodities of the pier and the sea. But, these attractions are not exactly the heart and soul of Port Hueneme, for that title is given to the local people of the area. In Port Hueneme, many people are working day and night to ensure the prosperity and safety of the suburb, by innovating and creating through their respective businesses and by the local communities organizing events such as festivals and fundraisers. These areas and the people are the reason as to why I continue living in Port Hueneme.... Read 55 reviews

• grade C+

• grade C

• Population 21,954

• Suburb of Oxnard, CA

• grade C+

• grade C+

• Population 2,391

• City in California

• •
  Rating 3.74 out of 5  587 reviews

Current Resident: Lovely beaches, great food, farms, established financial institutions, multiple businesses, churches, and military bases. Local Seabees, students, and a great mixture of general public make up this diverse city. What I would like to see improve in Oxnard is the condition of roads and streets. The main roads got replaced but many side streets need a lot of repairs. The sales tax is okay compared to neighboring cities. This famous city is home to the Strawberry Festival. Nearby is a government center and San Buenaventura mission. I earned my Associate of Science in Business Administration from Oxnard College & transferred to CSU Channel Islands nearby. The actual islands are only 5-6 miles off the coast. This is a great area to live. The residents of Oxnard, Ventura County, California are truly fortunate to have so much within close proximity.... Read 587 reviews

• grade C

• grade C+

• Population 202,981

• Town in California

• •
  Rating 3.89 out of 5  36 reviews

Current Resident: Fillmore is a small town where almost everyone knows each other. The great thing about this is that it is very community driven where people look out for one another making it a lot more safe. You can go for jogs, bike rides, or be outdoors with much worry. This might be a small town, but it is full of sports opportunities and parks which in my opinion allows kids to spend their free time especially in the summer being active and healthy. We have a few nice local restaurants that are really good, but I wish we had more shopping centers since our closest Target is about 30 minutes away. I would say that is the negative part about living in Fillmore. We have to drive at least 30-40 minutes just to go to a mall or even to work. I would like to see them re-open our small movie theater that has been closed for many years, and add a few local attractions for the weekends.... Read 36 reviews

• grade C minus

• grade C minus

• Population 16,373

• Town in California

• •
  Rating 3.69 out of 5  84 reviews

Former Resident: Santa Paula is by no means a fantastic town, it's not all that clean and a lot of the roads suck. However, many of the people here are genuinely great people and some of them will become lifelong friends. It's a small town with a giant spirit. Many of the teachers in the schools care for the students and work hard to help the students, they are like friends to the students. In summary, Santa Paula isn't all that great but the people there are truly great and you'll love the town if you love the small town vibe.... Read 84 reviews

• grade C minus

• grade C

• Population 30,741

• Suburb of Oxnard, CA

• •
  Rating 3 out of 5  2 reviews

Current Resident: All the people are close, and friendly. The weather is great, and the shop in town are good like Yetos, and 3 Amigos, and the food like B&J's drive in corn burrito's are delicious.... Read 2 reviews

• grade C minus

• grade A minus

• Population 1,818

• Suburb of Oxnard, CA

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  2 reviews

Niche User: Oxnard is the best place to live. We are so close to the beach and close to our neighboring cities that makes everything so easily accesible. The weather never goes below 40 degrees and it usually stays within the 70's. The homes are big and the living is well. There is a lot to do around us and it will never be boring.... Read 2 reviews

• grade C minus

• grade B minus

• Population 6,447

• Town in California

• •
  Rating 4.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Current Resident: Small Community with great friendly people. This small community has approximately 1,500 people, maybe less. We have one elementary with less than 300 students. The crime rates are extremely low, considering we practically know each other, so there’s literally nothing to hide in the small community I live in. There’s one active church, Catholic, that many of the townspeople attend throughout the week, but mainly on Sunday morning. When it's time for the holidays we have a traditional Piru Parade that the town can participate ate to show our Holiday spirit and signify unity as a town. We are a proud small community.... Read 2 reviews

• grade D minus

• grade C

• Population 2,203