Oak View's housing stock is a mix of older single-family homes and newer construction, set along the Ventura River valley's narrow floor and lower hillsides. Homes tend to be detached single-family residences on modest lots, with some properties offering larger parcels and views as the terrain rises toward the surrounding foothills. The community is less expensive than neighboring Ojai while sharing much of the same natural setting, which has made it a practical choice for buyers seeking proximity to the Ojai Valley and the coast. Development is low- to mid-density, with a suburban-rural blend rather than a single uniform character.

Oak View is a linear community strung along Highway 33 and the Ventura River, rather than a place of distinct named subdivisions. Its central area clusters around the school, small commercial strip, and community facilities, while residential streets extend into the side canyons and foothills. The community blends southward into Casitas Springs and northward into Mira Monte and Ojai, making the boundaries between these unincorporated settlements fluid. The result is a continuous valley community where residents identify with the Ventura-to-Ojai corridor as a whole, and where homes are spread along the river valley rather than organized into conventional neighborhoods.

Oak View offers a relaxed, semi-rural lifestyle in one of Southern California's most scenic corridors. The community is small and unincorporated, with a quieter pace than nearby Ventura and a more modest, practical character than the resort-oriented town of Ojai to the north. Life here is tied to the outdoors: the Ventura River runs through the valley, and the mountains, Lake Casitas, and the coast are all minutes away. Local businesses cluster along Highway 33, while larger shopping and services are a short drive south to Ventura. For residents, Oak View provides an affordable foothold between the ocean and the Ojai Valley, with a genuinely small-town, nature-centered feel.

Public school students in Oak View attend schools in the Ventura Unified School District, even though the community is geographically part of the Ojai Valley. Oak View Elementary School serves the community's younger students within the district, while older students are assigned to Ventura Unified middle and high schools. The district's coverage of this unincorporated area reflects county school boundaries rather than the Ojai Valley's geography, so families should confirm specific school assignments by address. The arrangement connects Oak View residents to a larger, established district serving the city of Ventura and surrounding areas.

Oak View is built along Highway 33, the principal transportation corridor through the Ojai Valley. The highway links the community south to Ventura and the U.S. Route 101 freeway, and north to Ojai and the Los Padres National Forest. This single-corridor layout makes Oak View convenient for commuters heading toward Ventura and the broader coastal region, while also providing direct access to the Ojai Valley. There is no passenger rail within the community, and transit service is limited, so most travel is by car. For air travel, residents use regional airports along the coast.

Recreation in Oak View is centered on the surrounding landscape. Lake Casitas, immediately west of the community, is a regional destination for fishing, boating, camping, and picnicking. The Los Padres National Forest, accessible via Highway 33, offers extensive hiking, mountain biking, and scenic drives into the backcountry, while the Ventura River corridor supports walking and wildlife viewing. The beaches of Ventura and the coastal parks of Ventura County lie a short drive to the south. Ojai's trail network, parks, and recreational facilities are equally close to the north, giving Oak View residents an unusually broad range of outdoor options.