Buyers looking at Ventura County almost always land on the same question: what’s it like to live in Camarillo, CA? The city sits between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, which sounds convenient until you’re on the 101 at 7 a.m. If you are buying a home in Camarillo, CA, deciding whether to relocate here means looking at the real numbers – housing costs, crime statistics, everyday expenses – not the sales pitch.
The median home price recently hit roughly $825,000. That one figure tells you a lot about what you’re getting into, and it’s a reasonable place to start before you go any further.
The Quick Verdict on Camarillo, CA
Moving to this part of Ventura County means accepting specific tradeoffs. The highway access is real and useful, but so is the cost of entry. You’ll find shopping centers, healthcare facilities, and public parks spread throughout the city. Homes have been spending about 49 days on the market recently, which gives you a little more breathing room than you’d get in closer-in parts of Southern California – though not unlimited time.
The city’s published crime rate runs about 37.7% below the national average. Buyers relocating from denser urban areas cite that figure regularly, and it’s worth knowing what it represents before you lean on it too hard.
Pros of Moving to Camarillo
The location works well if your job is somewhere between Los Angeles and Ventura – you’re positioned to go either direction on Highway 101 without starting from the end of the line. Municipal infrastructure is solid: multiple public parks, large retail centers, accessible medical facilities. The coastal-adjacent climate means you can be outside comfortably for most of the year. And the published crime data does show lower incident rates compared to the national average.
Drawbacks of Moving to the City
The median price is above $820,000. Your down payment and monthly carrying costs will reflect that. If you’re commuting into Los Angeles during peak hours, the 101 is going to cost you time every single day – that’s not a maybe. Housing inventory is also limited; recent reports showed only about 194 active listings in the market.
Location and Ventura County Geography
Camarillo, CA covers approximately 19 to 19.7 square miles in the center of Ventura County. Highway 101 bisects the city and drives most of its traffic patterns – if you live here, your daily movement is organized around that corridor whether you want it to be or not.
Population density sits roughly between 3,549 and 3,692 people per square mile. You’re in suburban territory: distinct residential tracts connected by arterial roads, not a walkable urban grid.
Access to Los Angeles and Ventura
The city is positioned roughly 50 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles and about 15 miles east of Ventura. That placement lets you commute in either direction, depending on where the job is.
Drive times shift based on when you leave. If you’re heading into Los Angeles, build in real freeway delay time – the 101 doesn’t give that back to you.
Population and City Size
The 2020 Census counted approximately 70,741 residents. More recent estimates from 2023 and 2024 place that number between 69,514 and 71,814.
The median age runs around 41 to 42.9 years, higher than the national median of 39.2. About 26.8% of residents fall in the 25-to-44 bracket, and roughly 23% are 65 or older. It’s a population skewing older than many Southern California cities.
Cost of Living and Real Estate Prices
Housing is the dominant line item in the cost of living in Camarillo. Everything else is secondary to what you’ll pay to own or rent.
Recent market data shows 226 homes sold over a recent period, with a median sale price of $824,954. Homes are closing at about 99.2% of list price, which means sellers are largely getting what they’re asking. That’s not a buyer’s market.
Current Home Prices
Median property value estimates range from $827,300 to roughly $879,500 depending on the source and month. Zillow’s Home Value Index recently reported an average home value of around $847,145. With 2.6 months of supply on hand, the market tilts slightly toward sellers – not dramatically, but enough to matter. About 26% of homes have recently sold above asking, so competitive offers aren’t optional if you want a house you like.
Median Household Income
The median household income in Camarillo, CA was $113,428 in 2024, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Some Census Reporter estimates place that figure between $112,301 and $118,913 depending on the specific geographic boundary used.
Run your own household income against those numbers before you run the mortgage calculation. The math has to work for you, not for the median.
Crime Statistics for Camarillo, CA
The overall crime rate in Camarillo is about 13.47 to 13.5 crimes per 1,000 residents, which translates to roughly 1,319.5 per 100,000 people. That figure comes from 2024 FBI Uniform Crime Report data, and it places the city around 118th out of 460 California cities in terms of reported crimes.
That’s the citywide picture. Here’s what it doesn’t tell you.
Understanding the Published Crime Rate
The 13.5 per 1,000 figure represents all reported incidents aggregated across the city’s entire boundary – it’s a macro number. Across the city as a whole, that rate runs roughly 37.7% below the national average.
What it won’t show you is what’s happening on a specific block or in a specific subdivision. Aggregate statistics and your future street are two different things.
Researching Specific Areas
If you’re serious about a property, pull the address-level data yourself. The Camarillo Police Services crime map, the Ventura County Sheriff’s office, and the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System all offer searchable databases. That’s the only way to see what types of incidents have been reported near a home you’re considering buying.
Community Amenities and Things to Do
You will find plenty of things to do in Camarillo. The lifestyle here centers on outdoor activity and retail access. The mild coastal-adjacent climate makes being outside year-round genuinely feasible, not aspirational. Municipal facilities cover a range of age groups and uses.
Parks, Shopping, and Dining
You’ll find multiple municipal parks with sports fields, walking paths, and picnic areas distributed across the city. The Camarillo Premium Outlets function as a major regional retail destination – people drive in from across Ventura County to shop there. Dining runs from fast-casual chains along the freeway corridor to independent restaurants in the older commercial districts. Movie theaters and community events round out the local calendar.
Healthcare Access
Routine care and outpatient services are available within the city limits – clinics and specialized medical offices are accessible without a long drive. For major emergencies or specialized treatment, larger hospital systems in nearby Ventura and Thousand Oaks handle what the local network can’t. It’s a reasonable tier of coverage for a suburban city this size.
Comparing Camarillo to Nearby Ventura
Buyers often weigh Camarillo vs. Ventura. Both cities are in Ventura County, both attract buyers relocating to the region, and that’s roughly where the similarities end. The practical differences come down to where you work and how much the ocean matters to you in your daily life.
Ventura sits directly on the coast. Camarillo sits further inland.
Housing and Commute Differences
Ventura’s coastal location translates to different housing styles and price points that shift depending on proximity to the water. Camarillo offers more traditional suburban subdivisions and larger master-planned tracts. If you’re commuting to Los Angeles County, starting from Ventura adds about 15 miles each way compared to starting from Camarillo. That’s a real number to put into your daily schedule before you decide.
Specialized Housing Options
Beyond standard single-family homes, Camarillo’s market includes properties designed for specific care and lifestyle needs. These facilities are regulated and offer different levels of support depending on what a resident requires.
Senior and Assisted Living
Senior living options in Camarillo, CA include independent 55+ communities and full-service assisted living facilities. Amenities vary by facility and can include meal services, transportation, and 24-hour medical monitoring. Costs shift based on the level of care and the floor plan – touring several facilities directly is the only way to make a meaningful comparison.
Sober Living Facilities
The city also has several sober living environments for individuals in recovery. These homes operate with structured, substance-free house rules and peer support built into the model. Each facility runs its own intake process and monthly fee structure, so what you’ll pay and how entry works depends on the specific house.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Camarillo, CA a good place to live?
That comes down to whether the numbers work for you. The published crime rate is about 37.7% below the national average, the climate is mild year-round, and the infrastructure is solid. The median home price sits around $825,000, which requires a substantial household income to manage. Review those factors against your own budget before drawing a conclusion.
What are the cons of living in Camarillo?
High housing costs and 101 freeway traffic for anyone commuting toward Los Angeles are the two biggest friction points. Limited inventory adds to the pressure – only about 194 homes were recently listed in the market.
Is Camarillo expensive to live in?
Yes. Real estate drives the cost of living here. With a median household income of $113,428 in 2024 and homes routinely selling above $820,000, the math requires a strong income to make it work comfortably.
What do the crime statistics show for Camarillo, CA?
The city’s overall crime rate is approximately 13.5 crimes per 1,000 residents based on 2024 FBI UCR data. That places Camarillo around 118th out of 460 California cities in reported crimes.
Is Camarillo or Ventura a better fit to live in?
It depends on your commute and what you want out of daily life. Camarillo is closer to Los Angeles and offers more traditional suburban housing tracts. Ventura puts you on the coast with different neighborhood layouts. Neither is objectively better – it’s a question of what you’re optimizing for.
What specialized housing options, like senior or assisted living, are available in Camarillo, CA?
The city has independent 55+ communities, full-service assisted living centers, and structured sober living homes. Each category covers a different level of care and support, and costs vary by facility and individual need.
How does Camarillo compare to Westlake Village?
Buyers frequently look for a comparison between Camarillo and Westlake Village when evaluating Southern California suburbs. The final choice usually comes down to your budget for housing costs and how far you are willing to commute along the Highway 101 corridor. Both locations require a strong household income to manage local real estate prices.
What should buyers expect before a move to Camarillo?
A relocation to Camarillo, CA requires preparing for a competitive housing market with limited inventory and median prices above $820,000. Buyers will also need to factor in daily traffic delays if their job involves commuting into Los Angeles on the 101.
For more on this topic, see: Living in Bella Vista: A Guide to Homes and Costs in Camarillo, CA.
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