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METRO AREA · 2000 CENSUS

San Luis Obispo Metro

San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA · 1 counties · 246,681 residents · 3,301 sq mi
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The short version

San Luis Obispo is a metro area of 246,681 people. The typical home is worth $218,600. 29,519 more people live here than in 1990. About 27% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Households earn $42,428 at the median, near the US median.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 37.3
US median: 35.2
Average education
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
More affordable
home values down 22%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
246,681
+14%since 1990
from 217,162 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Population density
75 / sq mi
+14%since 1990
from 66 / sq mi in 1990
Median age
37.3
+12%since 1990
from 33.3 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
3,301 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
211K230K250K270K289K19902000201020202024San Luis Obispo
2024282K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 55%(12,358)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96%(14,912)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.6%(16,174)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 198.5%(20,893)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 249.2%(22,647)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.4%(28,177)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4415.6%(38,416)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5414.7%(36,150)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 648.6%(21,269)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 747.3%(18,094)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 845.4%(13,415)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.7%(4,176)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$42,428
+3%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $31,164 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$21,864
+43%since 1990
from $15,237 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
12.8%
−0.1 ptssince 1990
from 13.0% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$218,600
−22%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $213,200 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$719
−5%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $573 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
61.5%
+1.6 ptssince 1990
from 59.8% in 1990
38.5% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic89.2%(193,793)
Black2.6%(5,655)
Hispanic / Latino12.4%(26,869)
Asian2.9%(6,319)
2000
White, non-Hispanic76.1%(187,840)
Black1.9%(4,743)
Hispanic / Latino16.3%(40,196)
Asian2.6%(6,342)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
Mexican21%(59,002)
Central American0.7%(2,023)
Spaniard0.6%(1,822)
South American0.5%(1,349)
Puerto Rican0.4%(1,199)
Salvadoran0.3%(830)
Cuban0.2%(683)
Guatemalan0.2%(493)
Peruvian0.2%(464)
Colombian0.1%(350)
Honduran0.1%(291)
Nicaraguan0.1%(210)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Ecuadorian0.1%(146)
Argentine0%(132)
Chilean0%(71)
Dominican0%(56)
Uruguayan0%(11)
Asian origin
Filipino0.8%(2,343)
Chinese0.8%(2,336)
Japanese0.5%(1,319)
Korean0.4%(1,085)
Asian Indian0.3%(975)
Vietnamese0.2%(698)
Taiwanese0.1%(218)
Pakistani0%(140)
Thai0%(136)
Cambodian0%(67)
Laotian0%(62)
Hmong0%(49)
+ 7 more asian origin groups with data
Nepalese0%(27)
Burmese0%(21)
Malaysian0%(19)
Uzbek0%(9)
Kazakh0%(5)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.1%(319)
Chamorro0%(87)
Guamanian0%(45)
Fijian0%(7)
Ancestry
German14.9%(41,942)
English14.4%(40,667)
Irish12.7%(35,627)
Italian6.3%(17,780)
Scottish2.8%(7,949)
French2.5%(7,153)
American2.2%(6,323)
Portuguese2.1%(5,983)
Norwegian1.8%(5,059)
Polish1.8%(4,972)
Swedish1.6%(4,601)
Dutch1.5%(4,245)
+ 47 more ancestry groups with data
Russian1%(2,834)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(2,618)
Danish0.8%(2,305)
Welsh0.8%(2,193)
Arab0.7%(1,838)
British0.6%(1,791)
Swiss0.6%(1,607)
Hungarian0.5%(1,368)
Greek0.4%(1,049)
Croatian0.3%(849)
Ukrainian0.3%(813)
Czech0.3%(769)
Finnish0.3%(723)
Austrian0.3%(717)
Lebanese0.2%(662)
Canadian0.2%(629)
Armenian0.2%(614)
Lithuanian0.2%(509)
Iranian0.2%(478)
Belgian0.1%(375)
Syrian0.1%(362)
Australian0.1%(359)
Serbian0.1%(338)
Slovak0.1%(310)
Egyptian0.1%(274)
Romanian0.1%(265)
West Indian0.1%(253)
Turkish0.1%(198)
Brazilian0.1%(179)
Palestinian0.1%(160)
Slovene0.1%(156)
Nigerian0.1%(145)
Moroccan0%(117)
Jamaican0%(101)
Bulgarian0%(86)
Israeli0%(49)
Latvian0%(47)
Guyanese0%(29)
Barbadian0%(23)
Ghanaian0%(21)
Haitian0%(6)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
26.7%
+3.8 ptssince 1990
from 22.9% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
85.6%
+2.2 ptssince 1990
from 83.3% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
9.3%
+1.9 ptssince 1990
from 7.4% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
14.0 min
−30%since 1990
from 19.9 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 married30.4%(31,735)
Married58.4%(60,942)
Widowed2.7%(2,802)
Divorced8.6%(8,932)
Women 15+
Never married24.4%(24,266)
Married53.1%(52,761)
Widowed10.2%(10,096)
Divorced12.3%(12,171)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
5.7%
−8.1 ptssince 2013
from 13.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
57.1%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 57.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
18.1%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 18.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
22.9%
+1.8 ptssince 2020
from 21.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
17.6%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 17.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
72.3%
−1.8 ptssince 2020
from 74.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
38.1%
+2.0 ptssince 2020
from 36.1% 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)17.8%(2,591)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)16.1%(2,350)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era41.4%(6,022)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War8.2%(1,196)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.9%(134)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 14,563 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
In this metro

Largest cities

San Luis ObispoCENTRAL50,636El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles)CENTRAL31,626Atascadero29,464Arroyo Grande18,123Nipomo17,516Los Osos14,166Grover Beach12,456Morro Bay10,613Templeton9,580California Polytechnic State University7,915Pismo Beach7,911Oceano7,128Cambria5,978Lake Nacimiento3,339San Miguel CDP (San Luis Obispo County)3,227Cayucos2,427Callender2,230Woodlands2,061Los Ranchos1,467Avila Beach1,303Shandon1,169Santa Margarita1,149Blacklake983Edna330Whitley Gardens244Garden Farms241San Simeon217Los Berros145Oak Shores128Creston0
What's inside

1 component county

San Luis Obispo CountyCENTRAL282,367
Drill deeper

Metros similar to San Luis Obispo

Lacey
Pop 304,261
Bremerton
Pop 283,374
Bend
Pop 266,376
Norwich
Pop 284,015
Places similar to San Luis Obispo
Head to head

Compare San Luis Obispo side by side

SAN LUIS OBISPO VS
Lacey
Income$96,563+128%
Home value$480,300+120%
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SAN LUIS OBISPO VS
Bremerton
Income$104,158+145%
Home value$555,100+154%
Population283,374same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAN LUIS OBISPO VS
Bend
Income$90,045+112%
Home value$605,107+177%
Population266,376−6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAN LUIS OBISPO VS
Norwich
Income$86,586+104%
Home value$323,400+48%
Population284,015+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?

San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA has about 246,681 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?

The typical household in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA earns about $42,428 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA expensive?

In San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA, the median home is worth about $218,600, and the typical rent is about $719 a month.

How educated are people in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?

About 26.7% of adults age 25 and over in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?

About 12.8% of people in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA live below the federal poverty line.

Has San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA grown since 1990?

Yes, San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA has grown since 1990. The population has added about 29,519 residents, a change of about 14 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →