The Town FilesMorro Bay, California
City in San Luis Obispo County · population 10,757 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $918,200
- Household income
- $95,843
- Jan low / Jul high
- 46° / 67°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 54.3
Morro Bay is a city of 10,757 people in San Luis Obispo County, California. The median home is worth $918,200, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for a vacation home than 99% of California towns, more seaside character than 94% of California towns, better for retirees than 90% of California towns.
How Morro Bay ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Morro Bay is worth $918,200, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 9.6 times the median household income of $95,843, which is more affordable than 12% of California towns. Median rent is $1,858 a month. 65.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Morro Bay | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $918,200 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,858 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $95,843 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.6× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 65.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 15.2% | — |
Who lives in Morro Bay
| People | Morro Bay | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 32.6% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 12.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.5% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.4% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 10.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.1% | — |
| Work from home | 21.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 19.7 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.6% | 93.3% |
Weather in Morro Bay
July highs average 67.2°F and January lows 46.4°F. About 17.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 2 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Morro Bay since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on February 7, 2024 about 5.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 7, 2024.
Severe weather in San Luis Obispo County since 1996
San Luis Obispo County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4769: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in San Luis Obispo County
San Luis Obispo County had 121,958 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,334 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Morro Bay itself the ACS puts it at 8%.
Public schools in Morro Bay
2 public schools with 1,039 students, about 18.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morro Bay High | 9-12 | 773 | 18.0 |
| Del Mar Elementary | K-5 | 266 | 19.0 |
Towns near Morro Bay
- Los Osos, CA4.8 mi · 14,465 people · home $805,800
- Cayucos, CA5.2 mi · 2,505 people · home $1,011,900
- California Polytechnic State University, CA12.1 mi · 8,583 people · home $564,700
- Atascadero, CA13.1 mi · 29,773 people · home $716,500
- San Luis Obispo, CA13.2 mi · 47,063 people · home $935,100
- Templeton, CA15.6 mi · 8,386 people · home $810,400
- Cambria, CA17.6 mi · 5,678 people · home $930,200
- Pismo Beach, CA18.4 mi · 8,072 people · home $1,021,300
Morro Bay questions
Is Morro Bay, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Morro Bay scores better for retirees than 90% of California towns and quieter than 56%. 32.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.3).
How much does a house cost in Morro Bay?
The median owner-occupied home in Morro Bay is valued at $918,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $95,843, so homes cost about 9.6 times income. Median rent is $1,858 a month.
What is the weather like in Morro Bay?
July highs average 67.2°F and January lows 46.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 17.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Morro Bay get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Morro Bay since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on February 7, 2024. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)