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San Luis Obispo, CA

Full City Profile · California · San Luis Obispo County County

2.7 /5.0
C+ Fair
48,039 Population 3,522/sq mi density
$66,711 Median Income $45,462 per capita
$896,500 Home Value $1,077,043 Zillow
$1,906 Median Rent 46.5% income on rent
60°F Avg Temperature 330 sunny days/yr
402 Violent Crime/100K 3,641 property/100K
C+
Overall
2.7 / 5.0
Fair overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
B+
Economy
3.9 / 5.0
$66,711 median income, 4.2% unemployment
F
Affordability
1.0 / 5.0
$896,500 home value, $1,906/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
402 violent crimes/100K (6% above avg)
A+
Education
5.0 / 5.0
54.4% bachelor's degree or higher

San Luis Obispo, CA

At a Glance

Median Income
$66,711
11% below
$45,462 per capita
Home Value
$896,500
218% above
Zillow: $1,077,043
Median Rent
$1,906/mo
64% above
46.5% of income on rent
Violent Crime
402/100K
6% above
3,641/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
54.4%
61% above
96.0% high school+
Unemployment
4.2%
17% above
6.5% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
28.8%
10% below
12.5% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
60°F
330 sunny days/yr

How San Luis Obispo Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows San Luis Obispo's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
89%
Home Value
318%
Rent
164%
Poverty
52%
Bachelor's
161%
Unemployment
117%
Crime
106%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is San Luis Obispo a Good Place to Live?

C+
2.7 / 5.0 — Fair
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

San Luis Obispo residents earn a median household income of $66,711 , which is 11% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $45,462. The unemployment rate stands at 4.2% (17% above the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 6.5% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 11,662 business establishments, including 1,072 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in San Luis Obispo is $896,500 , 218% above the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $1,077,043. Median rent is $1,906/month, with 46.5% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 110.7 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1976.

Safety & Crime

San Luis Obispo reports 402 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 6% above the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 3,641/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.

Education

54.4% of adults in San Luis Obispo hold a bachelor's degree or higher (61% above the national average). 96.0% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.4/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

San Luis Obispo has an average annual temperature of 60°F (15°C). Winters average 53°F in January while summers reach 66°F in July. The area gets 330 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 17.9 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 49.

Data Overview

People

Population48,039
Median Age26.2 yrs
Density3,522/mi²
Male / Female50% / 50%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans3.3%

Economy

B+
Median Income$66,711
Per Capita$45,462
Unemployment4.2%
Poverty6.5%
County GDP$24,505M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,179

Housing

F
Home Value$896,500
Rent$1,906
Ownership39.0%
Zillow$1,077,043
Housing Units20,969
Rent Burden46.5%

Crime

F
Violent402/100K
Property3,641/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault239/100K
Burglary580/100K

Health

Obesity28.8%
Diabetes9.3%
Smoking12.5%
Heart Disease5.5%
Premature Death6,206/100K

Climate

Avg Temp60°F
Sunny Days330/yr
Rain17.9 in/yr
AQI49 (Good)
Elevation157 ft

Education

A+
Bachelor's+54.4%
High School+96.0%
Graduate+22.0%
School Score5.4/10

Community

2024 VoteR 43% / D 54%
Commute16 min
Broadband92.1%
Internet Speed94 Mbps
EV Stations120
Libraries17

Did You Know?

The median home in San Luis Obispo was built in 1976.
15.9% work from home.
The nearest airport is San Luis Obispo County Regional (6 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.472 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively High" by FEMA.
9.2% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
There are 1,072 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 33 fatal vehicle crashes.
91 declared natural disasters on record.