METRO AREA · 2020 ACS
San Luis Obispo Metro
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA · 1 counties · 282,424 residents · 3,300.842 sq mi
Time machine
VIEWING
COMPARE TO
The short version
San Luis Obispo is wealthier than most US places, with a median household income of $77,948. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $605,200.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 41.4
US median: 38.8
Average education
36% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 84%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024282K
Age distribution, 2020
Under 54.4%(12,536)
5 to 94.9%(13,967)
10 to 145.3%(15,072)
15 to 196.2%(17,544)
20 to 249.5%(26,792)
25 to 3411.7%(32,916)
35 to 4411.7%(33,134)
45 to 5410.6%(29,909)
55 to 6413.9%(39,301)
65 to 7413.2%(37,223)
75 to 846.1%(17,187)
85 and over2.4%(6,843)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$77,948
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $42,428 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
51.7%
+16.0 ptssince 2009
from 35.8% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information11.2%
Wholesale trade8.4%
Retail trade7.4%
Other services5%
Finance & insurance4.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3%
Construction2.7%
Professional, scientific, technical2.7%
Public administration2.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.9%
Education & health services1.9%
Manufacturing0.3%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$605,200
+84%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $218,600 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
7.8
−19%since 2009
from 9.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
RELATED:See current rent listings in San Luis Obispo on RentDataNow
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic76.1%(187,840)
Black1.9%(4,743)
Hispanic / Latino16.3%(40,196)
Asian2.6%(6,342)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic65%(183,468)
Black1.5%(4,330)
Hispanic / Latino24%(67,921)
Asian3.5%(10,001)
Other3.8%(10,807)
25
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican19.6%(55,483)
Spaniard0.6%(1,836)
Central American0.6%(1,661)
Puerto Rican0.4%(1,251)
South American0.4%(1,186)
Guatemalan0.2%(677)
Argentine0.1%(419)
Salvadoran0.1%(378)
Cuban0.1%(293)
Honduran0.1%(220)
Colombian0.1%(195)
Peruvian0.1%(159)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Nicaraguan0.1%(158)
Costa Rican0.1%(156)
Uruguayan0%(127)
Ecuadorian0%(117)
Dominican0%(87)
Panamanian0%(72)
Chilean0%(33)
Venezuelan0%(29)
Asian origin
Filipino1.2%(3,326)
Chinese0.8%(2,381)
Asian Indian0.4%(1,046)
Japanese0.3%(875)
Korean0.3%(868)
Vietnamese0.3%(834)
Pakistani0.1%(251)
Cambodian0%(121)
Thai0%(117)
Taiwanese0%(92)
Sri Lankan0%(56)
Burmese0%(39)
Ancestry
German14.9%(42,031)
Irish12.1%(34,215)
English12%(33,990)
Italian5.9%(16,716)
American3.6%(10,106)
French3.2%(8,957)
Scottish2.7%(7,701)
Portuguese2%(5,727)
Polish1.7%(4,850)
Swedish1.7%(4,797)
Norwegian1.7%(4,790)
Dutch1.5%(4,310)
+ 45 more ancestry groups with data
Russian1.1%(3,158)
Scotch-Irish1%(2,685)
British0.9%(2,488)
Danish0.9%(2,456)
Welsh0.8%(2,345)
Swiss0.7%(2,062)
Subsaharan African0.5%(1,274)
Greek0.4%(1,246)
French Canadian0.4%(1,208)
Hungarian0.4%(1,204)
Czech0.4%(1,113)
Austrian0.3%(846)
Canadian0.3%(845)
Armenian0.3%(789)
Croatian0.2%(645)
Finnish0.2%(633)
Iranian0.2%(542)
Ukrainian0.2%(530)
Belgian0.2%(510)
Lithuanian0.2%(447)
Lebanese0.2%(441)
Nigerian0.1%(408)
Serbian0.1%(369)
Romanian0.1%(343)
Syrian0.1%(289)
Australian0.1%(280)
Turkish0.1%(235)
Egyptian0.1%(217)
Bulgarian0.1%(189)
West Indian0.1%(185)
Slovak0.1%(175)
Palestinian0.1%(158)
Brazilian0%(126)
Slovene0%(105)
Arab0%(98)
Iraqi0%(96)
Jordanian0%(74)
Jamaican0%(71)
Moroccan0%(64)
Latvian0%(59)
Israeli0%(40)
Ethiopian0%(36)
Kenyan0%(20)
Barbadian0%(14)
Haitian0%(7)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
91.8%
+6.3 ptssince 2000
from 85.6% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Section 08
People & community
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married39.7%(48,235)
Married49.9%(60,585)
Widowed2.4%(2,871)
Divorced8.1%(9,805)
Women 15+
Never married32.1%(38,442)
Married48.3%(57,941)
Widowed7.5%(8,954)
Divorced12.1%(14,537)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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
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 ObispoHead to head
Compare San Luis Obispo side by side
SAN LUIS OBISPO VS
Lacey
Income$96,563+24%
Home value$480,300−21%
Population304,261+8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAN LUIS OBISPO VS
Bremerton
Income$104,158+34%
Home value$555,100−8%
Population283,374same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAN LUIS OBISPO VS
Bend
Income$90,045+16%
Home value$605,107same
Population266,376−6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAN LUIS OBISPO VS
Norwich
Income$86,586+11%
Home value$323,400−47%
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 282,424 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
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 $77,948 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 $605,200, and the typical rent is about $1,535 a month.
How educated are people in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?
About 36.1% 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 11.1% 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 65,262 residents, a change of about 30 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here
DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024