San Luis Obispo County, CA

County

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2024 Population
281,555
US Senator
Alex Padilla
Democratic Party
US Senator
Adam Schiff
Democratic Party
2024 Median Age
40.4
0.498% 1-year increase
2024 Poverty Rate
12.9%
0.456% 1-year increase
2024 Median Household Income
$97,446
4.33% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$824,700
6.11% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
130,450
0.896% 1-year decline

About

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.

95.2% 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 (5,493 degrees awarded in 2023), Cuesta College (4,452 degrees), and Laurus College (164 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in San Luis Obispo County, CA was $824,700, and the homeownership rate was 62.1%.

Most people in San Luis Obispo County, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.3 minutes. The average car ownership in San Luis Obispo County, CA was 2 cars per household.

About the photo: Sunset on Morro Bay
Photo by Linda Tanner
United StatesCaliforniaSan Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA

Population & Diversity

San Luis Obispo County, CA is home to a population of 282k people, from which 95.2% are citizens. As of 2024, 9.93% of San Luis Obispo County, CA residents were born outside of the country (28k people).

In 2024, there were 6.12 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (182k people) in San Luis Obispo County, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 29.7k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) and 19.6k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.2%
2024 Citizenship
95.4%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 95.2% of San Luis Obispo County, CA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in San Luis Obispo County, CA was 95.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in San Luis Obispo County, CA
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    182k ± 904
  2. Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
    29.7k ± 1.98k
  3. Other (Hispanic)
    19.6k ± 2.07k
25%
Hispanic Population
70.3k people

In 2024, there were 6.12 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (182k people) in San Luis Obispo County, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 29.7k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) and 19.6k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

25% of the people in San Luis Obispo County, CA are hispanic (70.3k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in San Luis Obispo County, CA as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for California.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    3,862,617 ± 45,816 people
  2. Philippines
    824,246 ± 22,054 people
  3. China
    687,951 ± 20,184 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,862,617 California residents, followed by Philippines with 824,246 and China with 687,951.

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Foreign-Born Population

9.93%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
28k people
9.69%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
27.3k people

As of 2024, 9.93% of San Luis Obispo County, CA residents (28k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in San Luis Obispo County, CA was 9.69%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    5,832 ± 514
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    2,591 ± 436
  3. Gulf War (1990s)
    1,382 ± 273

San Luis Obispo County, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.25 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in San Luis Obispo County, CA.

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Economy

The economy of San Luis Obispo County, CA employs 130k people. In 2024, the largest industries in San Luis Obispo County, CA were Health Care & Social Assistance (16,554 people), Retail Trade (14,209 people), and Educational Services (14,030 people), and the highest paying industries were Management of Companies & Enterprises ($145,750), Utilities ($144,286), and Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($91,821).

Employment

Occupations

130k
2024 Value
± 3,197
−0.896%
1 Year decline
± 3.42%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in San Luis Obispo County, CA declined at a rate of −0.896%, from 132k employees to 130k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in San Luis Obispo County, CA, are Management Occupations (16,485 people), Sales & Related Occupations (13,124 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (13,028 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of San Luis Obispo County, CA.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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

130k
2024 Value
± 3,197
−0.896%
1 Year decline
± 3.42%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in San Luis Obispo County, CA declined at a rate of −0.896%, from 132k employees to 130k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in San Luis Obispo County, CA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (16,554 people), Retail Trade (14,209 people), and Educational Services (14,030 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.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$57,420
Median earning men ± $3,270
$41,223
Median earning women ± $1,488

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Public Administration ($104,368), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($83,750), and Information ($82,396).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($68,640), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($58,531), and Information ($54,564).

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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.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 750
    Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  2. 687
    Construction
  3. 632
    Health Care and Social Assistance

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

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll
  1. $1.03M
    Health Care and Social Assistance
  2. $610k
    Construction
  3. $566k
    Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Kamala Harris with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (38.3%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.25%).

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff 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

Voting results are not available for San Luis Obispo County, CA. Showing the available data for California.
2024 Election Results
  1. Kamala Harris (58.5%)
    Democratic Party
  2. Donald J. Trump (38.3%)
    Republican Party
  3. Robert Kennedy (1.25%)
    Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Kamala Harris with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (38.3%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.25%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in California for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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Senator Elections

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.
Alex Padilla
Senator from California3
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.
Adam Schiff
Senator from California1
Assumed office on December 8, 2024
Elected to the seat to succeed Laphonza Butler, who had been appointed to the seat following the death of Dianne Feinstein.

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff 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.

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Education

In 2023, universities in San Luis Obispo County, CA awarded 10,300 degrees. The student population of San Luis Obispo County, CA in 2023 is skewed towards men, with 16,997 male students and 16,884 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in San Luis Obispo County, CA are White (5,574 and 54.6%), Hispanic or Latino (2,573 and 25.2%), Asian (918 and 9%), and Two or More Races (650 and 6.37%).

The largest universities in San Luis Obispo County, CA by number of degrees awarded are California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (5,493 and 53.3%), Cuesta College (4,452 and 43.2%), and Laurus College (164 and 1.59%).

The most popular majors in San Luis Obispo County, CA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (1,630 and 15.8%), General Business Administration & Management (1,097 and 10.7%), and General Business (705 and 6.84%).

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 2023 in San Luis Obispo County, CA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 29.8%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 27.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 33,881 (50.2% men and 49.8% 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.

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Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 33,881 students enrolled in San Luis Obispo County, CA, 50.2% men and 49.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 16,420 records, of which 51.1% were women and 48.9% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. General Business Administration & Management
    704 degrees awarded
  2. Mechanical Engineering
    278 degrees awarded
  3. Computer Science
    202 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in San Luis Obispo County, CA was General Business Administration & Management with 704 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.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
  1. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
    5,493 degrees awarded
  2. Cuesta College
    4,452 degrees awarded
  3. Laurus College
    164 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo with 5,493 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 4,934 men were awarded degrees from institutions in San Luis Obispo County, CA, which is 0.919 times less than the 5,366 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 5,574 degrees mean that there were 2.17 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 2,573 degrees awarded.

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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.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private for-profit, 2-year ($9,820) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($5,333) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,152) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

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Housing & Living

The median property value in San Luis Obispo County, CA was $824,700 in 2024, which is 2.48 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $777,200 to $824,700, a 6.11% increase. The homeownership rate in San Luis Obispo County, CA is 62.1%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in San Luis Obispo County, CA have an average commute time of 22.3 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.

In 2025, 21.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in San Luis Obispo County, CA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 3.95%.

Housing

Property

$824,700
Median Property Value 2024
±$12,237
$67,986
Median Property Taxes
±$1,859

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.

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Rent vs Own

62.1%
Homeownership
2024
68.3%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 62.1% of the housing units in San Luis Obispo County, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 61.9%.

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

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$97,446
Median Household Income
± $2,876
110k
Number of Households
± 2,716

In 2024, the median household income of the 110k households in San Luis Obispo County, CA grew to $97,446 from the previous year's value of $93,398.

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.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for San Luis Obispo County, CA is from California.
0.495
2023 Wage GINI in California
0.498
2022 Wage GINI in California

In 2023, the income inequality in California was 0.495 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.573% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.476. 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.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (70.5%)
  2. Worked At Home (15.2%)
  3. Carpooled (7.67%)

In 2024, 70.5% of workers in San Luis Obispo County, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (15.2%) and those who carpooled to work (7.67%).

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.

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Commute Time

22.3 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in San Luis Obispo County, CA have a shorter commute time (22.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.85% 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.

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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.

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Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 21.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in San Luis Obispo County, CA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 3.95%.

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

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Poverty & Diversity

12.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in San Luis Obispo County, CA (34.6k 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 Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

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.

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Children in Poverty

In 2025, 11.8% of the children was living in poverty in San Luis Obispo County, CA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 4.9%.

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

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Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 408 in San Luis Obispo County, CA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 150 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

94.3% of the population of San Luis Obispo County, CA has health coverage, with 47.4% on employee plans, 14.8% on Medicaid, 16.5% on Medicare, 14.7% on non-group plans, and 0.94% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in San Luis Obispo County, CA see 1,205 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,205 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1097 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 136 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.8% were men and 50.2% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,205 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 1,205 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,205 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.

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Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.1% under 18 years, 23.6% between 18 and 34 years, 34.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 22.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.8% were men and 50.2% were women.

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

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Uninsured People

5.71%
Uninsured
47.4%
Employer Coverage
14.8%
Medicaid
16.5%
Medicare
14.7%
Non-Group
0.94%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in San Luis Obispo County, CA declined by 1.54% from 5.8% to 5.71%.

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.

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Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 29 in San Luis Obispo County, CA.

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

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, 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 28.2% in San Luis Obispo County, CA.

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

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Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 7.17% in San Luis Obispo County, CA.

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

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