San Luis Obispo County, California
Located in California, San Luis Obispo County has a population of 281,555 residents and a median age of 40.4 years, making it the #256 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 12.9%. The median home value is $824,700, and the median household income is $97,446, which is 30% above the national median.
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
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
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 Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
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 Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In San Luis Obispo County, 39.8% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 18.2% above the national average, ranking #283 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in San Luis Obispo County is 80.7 years. 15.1% of adults report poor or fair health and 7.2% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
11.2% of adults in San Luis Obispo County smoke , 28.2% are obese , and 22.7% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 34.5 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in San Luis Obispo County is 1.8 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 15.9 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 9.8 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
11.8% of children in San Luis Obispo County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 3.4 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 6.9 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in San Luis Obispo County is 72.5%. The mean commute time is 23.9 min, which is 13.6% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, San Luis Obispo County voted Democratic with a margin of 10.8%. The vote was 53.9% Dem / 43.1% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.3 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
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.