Ochaco has been described by other students as "the most laidback girl" among her class, being very bubbly and kind of an airhead at times. She is often incredibly blunt without being aware of it. Similar to Izuku Midoriya, Ochaco's reactions tend to be exaggerated and humorous: She often becomes amused at certain personality traits and quirks others exhibit, bursting into laughter at times, which she tries to suppress. 

Ochaco is a very warm, lively individual who thinks about everything positively, though she is objective enough to see flaws and virtues. She is empathetic in general, friendly to those she meets, and will try to help or defend anyone who is kind to her or who needs assistance. Ochaco seems to be very good at reading people, understanding the reasons for Izuku and Katsuki Bakugo’s rivalry and being the first to notice when the usually collected Tsuyu Asui was upset. Her empathy and kindness are also seen in how well she gets along with her classmates. She is on good terms with everyone, and is particularly close friends with several members of the class, including Izuku, Tenya, Tsuyu, and so on.

Despite her usually cheery and sometimes ditzy demeanor, Ochaco can take on an extremely determined, focused, and somewhat intimidating attitude when the situation calls for it. This side can come as a surprise to those who are used to her bubbly nature, and it tends to appear during competitive situations like the Sports Festival. While she is shown to be surprisingly strategic, she isn't above making some impulsive or reckless decisions. When it comes to her chosen path as a hero, Ochaco is unwavering and dislikes being underestimated, even in the face of overwhelming force.

Coming from a poor household, Ochaco becomes easily excited or surprised over little things, even losing her composure when faced with actual luxury, to the point of nearly fainting. Bonus materials have depicted her as frugal and occasional stingy, since she goes to extreme lengths to save money, including sleeping so she doesn't waste oxygen or skipping meals in order to save food. Ochaco's parents are her main drive to becoming a hero, and she desires above all else to earn money in order to give them a comfortable life. She is brazenly honest about her priorities, and doesn't hide her pursuit of heroism being in large part due to money, despite her embarrassment over admitting so. While money was a deciding factor in her decision to become a hero, Ochaco dreamed of becoming one prior to realizing the extent of her parent's monetary struggles, as she admired their capacity to bring smiles to people's faces.

In terms of heroism, Ochaco has shown more preference towards rescue, being a fan of Thirteen for their expertise in the area. She is aware of her physical limitations, deciding to choose the combat-oriented hero Gunhead for her internship in order to increase her fighting repertoire. Consequently, Ochaco developed a new sense of battle awareness, and has become a more instinctive fighter.

Ochaco is also greatly inspired by her classmates, in particular Izuku Midoriya, who she finds to be greatly admirable for both his strength and compassion. Ochaco has a crush on him due to this and their close friendship, resulting in her attempts to follow his example, for better or for worse. While he inspires her, Ochaco also acknowledges that heroism takes priority over her romantic feelings, and does her best to continue to grow while keeping them in check. Izuku has also caused her to consider the question of who protects heroes when they are in need, since he continually throws himself into dangerous situations; this prominently shows how deeply Ochaco cares for him and others.