City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

San Luis Obispo, CA

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

48,039
Residents
$66,711
Median income
$896,500
Median home
$2,512
Median rent (state)

San Luis Obispo - the verdict

San Luis Obispo ranks in the 45th percentile for household income and the 15th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

45th
percentile, household income
96th
percentile, home value
93rd
percentile, median rent
15th
percentile, safety
📝 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: San Luis Obispo, CA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 48,039 residents in San Luis Obispo, a small city within California. San Luis Obispo households earn a median of $66,711 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.5%. Typical homes in San Luis Obispo are valued around $896,500, and the median resident age is 26.2 years. Educational attainment runs 54.4% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 59.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 208 residential building permits were authorized in San Luis Obispo (Construction Slowdown), down 59% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. San Luis Obispo's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 3093.2 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 59.7°F with 17.9 inches of precipitation per year.

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

Population

48,039 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$66,711 /yr

Poverty 6.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does San Luis Obispo compare to other US cities?

Here's how San Luis Obispo stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 45% higher than other cities
Home value 96% pricier than other cities
Median rent 93% pricier than other cities
Safety 15% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just California and the picture shifts: San Luis Obispo ranks #367 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares San Luis Obispo against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to California only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

California-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places San Luis Obispo toward the top of California's cities

Among the 1,458 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, San Luis Obispo ranks #226 - the 84th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares San Luis Obispo only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#964 of 1,338
28th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#645 of 1,458
54th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#292 of 1,343
78th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#723 of 1,450
50th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#226 of 1,458
84th percentile in California

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within California only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

45thIncome percentile
15thSafety percentile

45th percentile nationally for median household income · 15th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

San Luis Obispo's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

San Luis Obispo's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 22 Avg. percentile National median
San Luis Obispo's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How San Luis Obispo's home value compares nationally

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

$896,500 4th percentile more affordable than 4% 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%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. $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. San Luis Obispo $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 - San Luis Obispo, CA San Luis Obispo, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not San Luis Obispo, 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 San Luis Obispo, CA median $66,711/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%
San Luis Obispo, 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 San Luis Obispo, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 54.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.3%

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

Population
48,039
Median Income
$66,711
Median Home Value
$896,500
Median Age
26.2
Poverty Rate
6.5%
Labor force participation
59.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
54.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3093.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
424.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2668.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
59.7°F
Annual Precipitation
17.9"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
16
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
46,000 residents48,000 residents50,000 residents52,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 47,184 residents 50,636 residents ▲ +7.3%
San Luis Obispo's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
208
housing units authorized
Single-Family
189
detached homes
Multifamily
19
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 511
2020 440
2021 602
2022 472
2023 353
2024 208

Permit volume decreased 59% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
64.0%
Carpool
6.7%
Public Transit
1.4%
Walk
6.9%
Work from Home
15.9%
Other
5.1%

Based on 25,145 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 San Luis Obispo 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

North Highlands
47,900 people
Cerritos
48,340 people
Poway
48,515 people
Brea
47,337 people
Rancho Santa Margarita
47,257 people
Ceres
48,918 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to San Luis Obispo's 48,039 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Prescott Valley, AZ
48,048 people
Fort Pierce, FL
48,094 people
Minot, ND
47,922 people
Charleston, WV
47,918 people
Cleveland, TN
48,185 people
Ocoee, FL
47,885 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to San Luis Obispo's $66,711 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Woodlawn, OH
$66,712 median income
Manlius, NY
$66,714 median income
Salem, VA
$66,716 median income
Hanover, KS
$66,705 median income
Cudahy, WI
$66,717 median income
Newport News, VA
$66,718 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - San Luis Obispo, 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 San Luis Obispo, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 75.9% 11.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 17.3% White 75.9% Black or African American 1.2% Asian 5.4% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 5.2% Two or more races 11.7% 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 San Luis Obispo 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
San Luis Obispo (this city) 48,039 $66,711
North Highlands 47,900 $65,090
Cerritos 48,340 $133,953
Poway 48,515 $143,825
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about San Luis Obispo, CA?

What is the population of San Luis Obispo, CA? +

San Luis Obispo, CA has a population of 48,039 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in San Luis Obispo, CA? +

San Luis Obispo households earn a median of $66,711 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in San Luis Obispo? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for San Luis Obispo; 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.

Is San Luis Obispo, CA safe? +

San Luis Obispo has a total crime rate of 3093.2 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in San Luis Obispo, CA? +

San Luis Obispo's median home value sits at $896,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in San Luis Obispo? +

Climate normals put San Luis Obispo's yearly average temperature at 59.7°F, 17.9 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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

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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.