City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Los Osos, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Los Osos - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

15,048
Residents
$103,504
Median income
$728,000
Median home
$2,512
Median rent (state)

Los Osos - the verdict

Nationally, Los Osos sits in the 80th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

80th
percentile, household income
93rd
percentile, home value
93rd
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Los Osos, CA

15,048 people live in Los Osos, California - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $103,504 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 3.8%. Typical homes in Los Osos are valued around $728,000, and the median resident age is 47.3 years. About 50.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 58.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The city is served by 3 public schools according to NCES Common Core of Data.

California carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, California scores 110.7 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,512 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in California run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 95.9 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

15,048 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$103,504 /yr

Poverty 3.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Los Osos compare to other US cities?

Where Los Osos sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 80% higher than other cities
Home value 93% pricier than other cities
Median rent 93% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Los Osos's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in California, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

80thIncome percentile

80th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Los Osos's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$728,000 7th percentile more affordable than 7% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Los Osos $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Los Osos, CA Los Osos, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Los Osos, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Los Osos, CA median $103,504/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Los Osos, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Los Osos, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 50.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
15,048
Median Income
$103,504
Median Home Value
$728,000
Median Age
47.3
Poverty Rate
3.8%
Labor force participation
58.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
50.1%

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
69.4%
Carpool
8.0%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
4.0%
Work from Home
15.7%
Other
2.6%

Based on 7,117 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Los Osos sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,512/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
95.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Camp Pendleton South
15,011 people
Pacific Grove
15,003 people
Susanville
14,992 people
Vincent
15,151 people
Lemon Hill
14,942 people
Discovery Bay
15,243 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Los Osos's 15,048 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Port Royal, SC
15,047 people
Tonawanda, NY
15,044 people
Talladega, AL
15,041 people
Gantt, SC
15,057 people
Depew, NY
15,065 people
Mastic, NY
15,031 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Los Osos's $103,504 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Forest Hill, LA
$103,500 median income
Salado, TX
$103,500 median income
Longport, NJ
$103,523 median income
Oatfield, OR
$103,483 median income
Rice, MN
$103,482 median income
Rapids, NY
$103,482 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Los Osos, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Los Osos, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 78.7% 10.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 19.0% White 78.7% Black or African American 0.6% Asian 3.8% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 5.6% Two or more races 10.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Los Osos compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Los Osos (this city) 15,048 $103,504
Camp Pendleton South 15,011 $66,265
Pacific Grove 15,003 $105,568
Susanville 14,992 $57,607
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Los Osos, CA?

What is the population of Los Osos, CA? +

Los Osos, CA has a population of 15,048 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Los Osos, CA? +

Los Osos households earn a median of $103,504 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Los Osos? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Los Osos; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Los Osos, CA? +

Los Osos's median home value sits at $728,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.