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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

San Luis Obispo

California · 44,174 residents · 13.5 sq mi
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The short version

San Luis Obispo is a city of 44,174 people in California. This skews young, with a median age of 26.2. The typical home is worth $252,900. 42% of homes are owner-occupied. This is an unusually credentialed place: 41% of adults have a four-year degree. The poverty rate is 26.6%, above the 12.4% national rate.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 26.2
US median: 35.2
More educated
41% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
More affordable
home values down 20%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
44,174
+5%since 1990
from 41,958 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
26.2
−2%since 1990
from 26.6 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
13.5 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
41K43K45K47K49K19902000201020202024San Luis Obispo
202448K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 53.4%(1,513)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 93.9%(1,734)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 144.2%(1,840)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 1910.2%(4,485)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 2426.1%(11,517)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.4%(5,495)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4411.2%(4,968)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5410.7%(4,747)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 645.8%(2,545)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 745%(2,198)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 845%(2,203)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over2.1%(929)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$31,926
−7%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $25,982 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$20,386
+38%since 1990
from $14,760 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
26.6%
−0.8 ptssince 1990
from 27.4% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$252,900
−20%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $239,900 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$724
−8%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $599 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
41.9%
−2.2 ptssince 1990
from 44.1% in 1990
58.1% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic88.7%(37,227)
Black1.9%(818)
Hispanic / Latino9.1%(3,804)
Asian5.1%(2,122)
2000
White, non-Hispanic78.7%(34,756)
Black1.3%(594)
Hispanic / Latino11.7%(5,147)
Asian5.2%(2,286)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican14%(6,808)
Spaniard0.8%(370)
Salvadoran0.5%(260)
Guatemalan0.4%(196)
Cuban0.2%(114)
Puerto Rican0.2%(111)
Colombian0.2%(111)
Peruvian0.2%(100)
Nicaraguan0.2%(78)
Honduran0.1%(39)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Costa Rican0.1%(38)
Chilean0.1%(38)
Argentine0.1%(28)
Ecuadorian0.1%(28)
Uruguayan0%(11)
Asian origin
Chinese2%(959)
Filipino0.8%(396)
Vietnamese0.7%(360)
Asian Indian0.7%(353)
Korean0.5%(249)
Japanese0.3%(130)
Thai0.1%(27)
Laotian0.1%(26)
Taiwanese0%(24)
Burmese0%(12)
Uzbek0%(9)
+ 3 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(58)
Fijian0%(7)
Ancestry
English13.8%(6,716)
German13.8%(6,700)
Irish13.5%(6,532)
Italian7.6%(3,683)
Scottish2.8%(1,340)
French2.5%(1,229)
Norwegian2.2%(1,072)
Polish2.2%(1,065)
Swedish2.1%(1,023)
Dutch1.6%(788)
American1.4%(682)
British1.4%(679)
+ 41 more ancestry groups with data
Portuguese1.3%(622)
Arab1%(502)
Russian1%(468)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(457)
Danish0.9%(448)
Welsh0.9%(427)
Swiss0.8%(393)
Greek0.7%(333)
Iranian0.5%(260)
Hungarian0.5%(220)
Ukrainian0.4%(216)
Finnish0.3%(134)
Palestinian0.3%(133)
Lebanese0.3%(126)
Romanian0.2%(111)
Czech0.2%(98)
West Indian0.2%(94)
Armenian0.2%(89)
Croatian0.2%(85)
Austrian0.2%(84)
Egyptian0.2%(83)
Brazilian0.2%(82)
Syrian0.2%(80)
Turkish0.2%(79)
Canadian0.1%(69)
Jamaican0.1%(68)
Bulgarian0.1%(61)
Lithuanian0.1%(55)
Slovak0.1%(49)
Nigerian0.1%(48)
Australian0.1%(47)
Serbian0.1%(47)
Moroccan0.1%(33)
Belgian0%(22)
Slovene0%(15)
Ghanaian0%(11)
Israeli0%(7)
Haitian0%(6)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
40.9%
+6.0 ptssince 1990
from 34.9% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
91.1%
+2.1 ptssince 1990
from 89.0% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
15.3%
+1.9 ptssince 1990
from 13.4% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
10.8 min
−18%since 1990
from 13.2 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married56.3%(11,290)
Married35.5%(7,123)
Widowed1.9%(375)
Divorced6.3%(1,268)
Women 15+
Never married43%(8,159)
Married37.3%(7,072)
Widowed8.7%(1,655)
Divorced11%(2,088)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
4.6%
−6.9 ptssince 2013
from 11.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
62.7%
−2.7 ptssince 2020
from 65.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
22.4%
+3.0 ptssince 2020
from 19.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
15.6%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 13.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
13.8%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 12.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
0.9%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 1.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
79.6%
−1.3 ptssince 2020
from 80.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
27.1%
+2.3 ptssince 2020
from 24.8% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)14.4%(195)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)10%(135)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era46.5%(631)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War13.8%(187)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II2.7%(37)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,356 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Head to head

Compare San Luis Obispo to nearby cities

SAN LUIS OBISPO VS
Los Osos
Income$108,932+241%
Home value$805,800+219%
Population14,166−72%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAN LUIS OBISPO VS
Grover Beach
Income$86,458+171%
Home value$727,500+188%
Population12,456−75%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAN LUIS OBISPO VS
Arroyo Grande
Income$102,553+221%
Home value$814,200+222%
Population18,123−64%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAN LUIS OBISPO VS
Morro Bay
Income$95,843+200%
Home value$918,200+263%
Population10,613−79%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in San Luis Obispo, California?

San Luis Obispo, California has about 44,174 residents according to the 2000 Census.

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

The typical household in San Luis Obispo, California earns about $31,926 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is San Luis Obispo, California expensive?

In San Luis Obispo, California, the median home is worth about $252,900, and the typical rent is about $724 a month.

How educated are people in San Luis Obispo, California?

About 40.9% of adults age 25 and over in San Luis Obispo, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in San Luis Obispo, California?

About 26.6% of people in San Luis Obispo, California live below the federal poverty line.

Has San Luis Obispo, California grown since 1990?

Yes, San Luis Obispo, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,216 residents, a change of about 5 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →