San Luis Obispo County, CA

County

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2022 Population

281,712

0.375% 1-year decline

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

US Senator

Laphonza Butler

Democratic Party

2022 Median Age

0.756% 1-year increase

2022 Poverty Rate

12.6%

4.85% 1-year increase

2022 Median Household Income

$90,158

9.26% 1-year growth

2022 Median Property Value

$726,700

15.2% 1-year growth

2022 Employed Population

131,506

1.05% 1-year growth

About

In 2022, San Luis Obispo County, CA had a population of 282k people with a median age of 40 and a median household income of $90,158. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of San Luis Obispo County, CA declined from 282,771 to 281,712, a −0.375% decrease and its median household income grew from $82,514 to $90,158, a 9.26% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in San Luis Obispo County, CA are White (Non-Hispanic) (66.9%), White (Hispanic) (9.95%), Two+ (Hispanic) (7.57%), Other (Hispanic) (4.81%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (4.32%).

None of the households in San Luis Obispo County, CA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

95.5% of the residents in San Luis Obispo County, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in San Luis Obispo County, CA are California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (5,619 degrees awarded in 2022), Cuesta College (4,702 degrees), and Laurus College (171 degrees).

In 2022, the median property value in San Luis Obispo County, CA was $726,700, and the homeownership rate was 62%.

Most people in San Luis Obispo County, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.6 minutes. The average car ownership in San Luis Obispo County, CA was 2 cars per household.

San Luis Obispo County, CA borders Kern County, CA, Kings County, CA, Monterey County, CA, and Santa Barbara County, CA.

About the photo: Sunset on Morro Bay

Photo by Linda Tanner

United States California San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA

Population & Diversity

San Luis Obispo County, CA is home to a population of 282k people, from which 95.5% are citizens. As of 2022, 9.55% of San Luis Obispo County, CA residents were born outside of the country (26.9k people).

In 2022, there were 6.72 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (188k people) in San Luis Obispo County, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 28k White (Hispanic) and 21.3k Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.5%

2022 Citizenship

95.2%

2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 95.5% of San Luis Obispo County, CA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in San Luis Obispo County, CA was 95.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in San Luis Obispo County, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in San Luis Obispo County, CA

White (Non-Hispanic)
188k ± 734
White (Hispanic)
28k ± 1.93k
Two+ (Hispanic)
21.3k ± 1.67k

23.4%

Hispanic Population

65.9k people

23.4% of the people in San Luis Obispo County, CA are hispanic (65.9k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in San Luis Obispo County, CA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for California.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
3,899,021 ± 46,015 people
Philippines
824,230 ± 22,055 people
China
685,370 ± 20,148 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,899,021 California residents, followed by Philippines with 824,230 and China with 685,370.

Foreign-Born Population

9.55%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

26.9k people

9.72%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

27.5k people

As of 2022, 9.55% of San Luis Obispo County, CA residents (26.9k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in San Luis Obispo County, CA was 9.72%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in San Luis Obispo County, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
6,952 ± 569
Gulf War (2001-)
2,983 ± 505
Gulf War (1990s)
1,483 ± 340

San Luis Obispo County, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.33 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of San Luis Obispo County, CA employs 132k people. The largest industries in San Luis Obispo County, CA are Health Care & Social Assistance (15,795 people), Retail Trade (14,193 people), and Educational Services (13,289 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($143,739), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($128,750), and Public Administration ($81,935).

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $75,777. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.498, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

132k

2022 Value

± 3,152

1.05%

1 Year growth

± 3.34%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in San Luis Obispo County, CA grew at a rate of 1.05%, from 130k employees to 132k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in San Luis Obispo County, CA, are Management Occupations (15,710 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (13,764 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (13,629 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of San Luis Obispo County, CA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in California (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

132k

2022 Value

± 3,152

1.05%

1 Year growth

± 3.34%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in San Luis Obispo County, CA grew at a rate of 1.05%, from 130k employees to 132k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in San Luis Obispo County, CA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (15,795 people), Retail Trade (14,193 people), and Educational Services (13,289 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of San Luis Obispo County, CA, though some of these residents may live in San Luis Obispo County, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$53,645

Median earning men ± $2,496

$36,939

Median earning women ± $1,335

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Public Administration ($103,117), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($85,840), and Information ($81,450).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Information ($61,421), Public Administration ($59,318), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($56,375).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Y-Axis

2.57%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 17.9M people employed in California. This represents a 2.57% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in California.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

3,633
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
1,872
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
1,798
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in San Luis Obispo County, CA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 55.3% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (42.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.51%).

Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler are the senators currently representing the state of California. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (55.3%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (42.2%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.51%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in San Luis Obispo County, CA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Alex Padilla

Senator from California

Assumed office on January 20, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.

Laphonza Butler

Senator from California

Assumed office on October 3, 2023
Appointed to the seat following the death of Dianne Feinstein.

Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler are the senators currently representing California.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in California over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from California

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for California have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in San Luis Obispo County, CA awarded 10,633 degrees. The student population of San Luis Obispo County, CA in 2022 is skewed towards men, with 16,561 male students and 16,127 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in San Luis Obispo County, CA are White (5,810 and 55.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (2,458 and 23.5%), Asian (923 and 8.81%), and Two or More Races (709 and 6.77%).

The largest universities in San Luis Obispo County, CA by number of degrees awarded are California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (5,619 and 52.8%), Cuesta College (4,702 and 44.2%), and Laurus College (171 and 1.61%).

The most popular majors in San Luis Obispo County, CA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (2,164 and 20.4%), General Business Administration & Management (1,040 and 9.78%), and Humanistic Studies (439 and 4.13%).

The median tuition cost in San Luis Obispo County, CA for a public four year colleges is $5,742 for in-state students and $17,622 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in San Luis Obispo County, CA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 30.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 28.6%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 32,688 (50.7% men and 49.3% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 32,688 students enrolled in San Luis Obispo County, CA, 50.7% men and 49.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 16,365 records, of which 50.4% were women and 49.6% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
775 degrees awarded
Mechanical Engineering
272 degrees awarded
Computer Science
163 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in San Luis Obispo County, CA was General Business Administration & Management with 775 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in San Luis Obispo County, CA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
5,619 degrees awarded
Cuesta College
4,702 degrees awarded
Laurus College
171 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo with 5,619 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 4,731 men were awarded degrees from institutions in San Luis Obispo County, CA, which is 0.802 times less than the 5,902 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 5,810 degrees mean that there were 2.36 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 2,458 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private for-profit, 2-year ($9,820) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($4,577) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($1,125) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Measure

In 2022, 2.08% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 2.26% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were Some college (6.9M), High School or Equivalent (6.8M), and Bachelors Degree (6.36M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in San Luis Obispo County, CA was $726,700 in 2022, which is 2.58 times larger than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $630,600 to $726,700, a 15.2% increase. The homeownership rate in San Luis Obispo County, CA is 62%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in San Luis Obispo County, CA have an average commute time of 21.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in San Luis Obispo County, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in San Luis Obispo County, CA is $90,158. In 2022, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in San Luis Obispo County, CA was Census Tract 116 with a value of $136,020, followed by Census Tract 101.01 and Census Tract 123.02, with respective values of $119,375 and $117,256.

In 2023, 21.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in San Luis Obispo County, CA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 3.95%.

Housing

Property

$726,700

Median Property Value 2022

±$11,365

$67,031

Median Property Taxes

±$1,914

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In San Luis Obispo County, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in San Luis Obispo County, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

62%

Homeownership

2022

68.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2022

In 2022, 62% of the housing units in San Luis Obispo County, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 62.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in San Luis Obispo County, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 116
Census Tract 101.01
Census Tract 123.02

In 2022, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in San Luis Obispo County, CA was Census Tract 116 with a value of $136,020, followed by Census Tract 101.01 and Census Tract 123.02, with respective values of $119,375 and $117,256.

The following map shows all of the tracts in San Luis Obispo County, CA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$90,158

Median Household Income

± $2,311

108k

Number of Households

± 2,562

In 2022, the median household income of the 108k households in San Luis Obispo County, CA grew to $90,158 from the previous year's value of $82,514.

The following chart displays the households in San Luis Obispo County, CA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for San Luis Obispo County, CA is from California.

0.498

2022 Wage GINI in California

0.497

2021 Wage GINI in California

In 2022, the income inequality in California was 0.498 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.107% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in California in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in California across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2022

Drove Alone (70%)
Worked At Home (13%)
Carpooled (9.34%)

In 2022, 70% of workers in San Luis Obispo County, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (13%) and those who carpooled to work (9.34%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

21.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in San Luis Obispo County, CA have a shorter commute time (21.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 2.41% of the workforce in San Luis Obispo County, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in San Luis Obispo County, CA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in San Luis Obispo County, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in San Luis Obispo County, CA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 21.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in San Luis Obispo County, CA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 3.95%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

12.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in San Luis Obispo County, CA (33.7k out of 268k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 18 - 24, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in San Luis Obispo County, CA is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 13.8% of the children was living in poverty in San Luis Obispo County, CA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.9%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

94.1% of the population of San Luis Obispo County, CA has health coverage, with 48.3% on employee plans, 13.6% on Medicaid, 15.6% on Medicare, 15.6% on non-group plans, and 1% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in San Luis Obispo County, CA see 1191 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.98% decrease from the previous year (1215 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1128 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 145 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.2% were men and 50.8% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,191 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in San Luis Obispo County, CA

Primary care physicians in San Luis Obispo County, CA see an average of 1,191 patients per year. This represents a 1.98% decrease from the previous year (1,215 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in San Luis Obispo County, CA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20% under 18 years, 24% between 18 and 34 years, 34.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 21.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.2% were men and 50.8% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.89%

Uninsured

48.3%

Employer Coverage

13.6%

Medicaid

15.6%

Medicare

15.6%

Non-Group

Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in San Luis Obispo County, CA declined by 0.727% from 5.93% to 5.89%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in San Luis Obispo County, CA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 28.1 in San Luis Obispo County, CA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in San Luis Obispo County, CA.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 27.9% in San Luis Obispo County, CA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in San Luis Obispo County, CA.