United States › California › San Luis Obispo CITY · 2010 ACS
San Luis Obispo California · 45,119 residents · 13.5 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 45,119 people, San Luis Obispo is a city in California. The typical home is worth $588,400, having more than doubled since 2000. This skews young, with a median age of 26.5. 39% of homes are owner-occupied. The poverty rate is 31.3%, above the 13.8% national rate. This is an unusually credentialed place: 45% of adults have a four-year degree.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Younger
median age 26.5
US median: 37.2
More educated
45% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 84%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01
Population & growth from 26.2 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
41K 43K 45K 47K 49K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 San Luis Obispo Age distribution, 2010
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Section 02
Income & economy $40,812
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,926 in 2000
US average: $52,703
from $20,386 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
from 24.4% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
from 26.6% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Workforce by industry, 2010
Public administration 2.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.8%
Education & health services 2.1%
Transportation & warehousing 2%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.4%
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$588,400
+84%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $252,900 in 2000
US average: $225,659
$1,153
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $724 in 2000
US average: $853
from 41.9% in 2000
60.7% rent
from 5.2% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
from 2.16 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
from 35.3% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
from 70.2% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
from 15.8 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 78.7%(34,756)
Hispanic / Latino 11.7%(5,147)
2010
White, non-Hispanic 75.8%(34,193)
Hispanic / Latino 14.7%(6,626)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 38 more ancestry groups with data from 40.9% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
from 91.1% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
from 15.3% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.8 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
from 71.4% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
from 7.7% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
from 9.1% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
from 7.1% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07
Work & employment from 13.8% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
from 36.8% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08
People & community from 8.2% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
from 5.6% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 61.4%(13,192)
Women 15+
Never married 56.3%(12,876)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 11.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 65.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 19.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 13.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 12.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 80.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
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)
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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to San Luis Obispo Head to head
Compare San Luis Obispo to nearby cities SAN LUIS OBISPO VS
Los Osos
Income $108,932 +167%
Home value $805,800 +37%
Population 14,166 −72%
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SAN LUIS OBISPO VS
Grover Beach
Income $86,458 +112%
Home value $727,500 +24%
Population 12,456 −75%
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SAN LUIS OBISPO VS
Arroyo Grande
Income $102,553 +151%
Home value $814,200 +38%
Population 18,123 −64%
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SAN LUIS OBISPO VS
Morro Bay
Income $95,843 +135%
Home value $918,200 +56%
Population 10,613 −79%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in San Luis Obispo, California? San Luis Obispo, California has about 45,119 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in San Luis Obispo, California? The typical household in San Luis Obispo, California earns about $40,812 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 $588,400, and the typical rent is about $1,153 a month.
How educated are people in San Luis Obispo, California? About 45.0% 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 31.3% 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 3,161 residents, a change of about 8 percent over that period.
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