San Luis Obispo County, California

CA · FIPS 06079 · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

Metric Value vs National Rank Percentile
Total Population 281,555 #256 / 3,222
92th
Median Household Income $97,446 +29.7% #193 / 3,222
94th
Median Age 40.4 years +3.9% #1,976 / 3,222
39th
Median Home Value $824,700 +192.6% #28 / 3,222
99th
Median Gross Rent $1,992 +71.3% #49 / 3,222
99th
Poverty Rate 12.9% +2.4% #1,505 / 3,222
53th

Demographics

San Luis Obispo County has a population of 281,555, making it the #256 most populous county in the US. The median age is 40.4 years, which is 3.9% above the national median.

Population Trend

Rankings →

Year-over-Year Population Growth

Age & Sex Distribution

Race & Ethnicity

Nativity

90.1%
Native Born
9.9%
Foreign Born

Household Type

Economy

The median household income in San Luis Obispo County is $97,446, ranking #193 out of 3,222 counties — 29.7% above the national median. The poverty rate is 12.9% and unemployment stands at 5.5%.

Median Household Income
$97,446 +29.7% vs nat'l
Rank #193 of 3,222
94th percentile
Per Capita Income
$51,592 +25.0% vs nat'l
Rank #195 of 3,222
94th percentile
Poverty Rate
12.9% +2.4% vs nat'l
Rank #1,505 of 3,222
53th percentile
Unemployment Rate
5.5% +3.0% vs nat'l
Rank #2,295 of 3,222
29th percentile
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
39.8% +18.2% vs nat'l
Rank #283 of 3,222
91th percentile
Mean Commute Time
23.9 min −13.6% vs nat'l
Rank #2,170 of 3,222
33th percentile

Median Household Income Trend

Rankings →

Poverty Rate Trend

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Housing

The median home value in San Luis Obispo County is $824,700 (+192.6% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,992/mo and the homeownership rate is 62.1%.

Median Home Value
$824,700 +192.6% vs nat'l
Rank #28 of 3,222
99th percentile
Median Gross Rent
$1,992 +71.3% vs nat'l
Rank #49 of 3,222
99th percentile
Homeownership Rate
62.1% −3.6% vs nat'l
Rank #2,900 of 3,222
10th percentile
62.1% Homeownership

Median Home Value Trend

Rankings →

Health

94.3% of residents in San Luis Obispo County have health insurance coverage, which is 2.8% above the national rate.

94.3% Health Insurance
Health Insurance Coverage
94.3% +2.8% vs nat'l
Rank #930 of 3,222
71th percentile

About San Luis Obispo County, California

San Luis Obispo County, California has a total population of 281,555, making it the 256th most populous county in the United States. The median age in San Luis Obispo County is 40.4 years, which is 3.9% above the national median of 38.9 years.

The median household income in San Luis Obispo County is $97,446, which ranks #193 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 29.7% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 12.9%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.5%.

The median home value in San Luis Obispo County is $824,700, 192.6% above the national median. Renters in San Luis Obispo County pay a median gross rent of $1,992 per month. The homeownership rate is 62.1%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.

In San Luis Obispo County, 39.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 18.2% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 94.3% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 23.9 min.

San Luis Obispo County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 64.5% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (25.0%) and Two or More Races (5.1%).

All data for San Luis Obispo County, California comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.