The Town FilesSan Luis Obispo, California
City in San Luis Obispo County · population 47,063 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $935,100
- Household income
- $73,685
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 26.3
San Luis Obispo is a city of 47,063 people in San Luis Obispo County, California. The median home is worth $935,100, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for young professionals than 99% of California towns, better for cycling than 98% of California towns, hipper than 93% of California towns.
How San Luis Obispo 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 San Luis Obispo is worth $935,100, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 12.7 times the median household income of $73,685, which is more affordable than 2% of California towns. Median rent is $1,965 a month. 40.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | San Luis Obispo | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $935,100 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,965 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $73,685 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 12.7× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 40.3% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.7% | — |
Who lives in San Luis Obispo
| People | San Luis Obispo | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 26.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.9% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 10.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 54.4% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 30.4% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.2% | — |
| Work from home | 17.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 16.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.7% | 93.3% |
Weather in San Luis Obispo
July highs average 78.0°F and January lows 40.6°F. About 17.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 8 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of San Luis Obispo since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on February 7, 2024 about 3.6 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 San Luis Obispo itself the ACS puts it at 7%.
Public schools in San Luis Obispo
16 public schools with 5,876 students, about 21.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo High | 9-12 | 1,650 | 21.2 |
| Laguna Middle | 7-8 | 845 | 21.1 |
| Los Ranchos Elementary | K-6 | 502 | 22.8 |
| Pacheco Elementary | K-6 | 485 | 24.3 |
| C L Smith Elementary | K-6 | 484 | 22.0 |
| Hawthorne Elementary | K-6 | 415 | 21.8 |
| Sinsheimer Elementary | K-6 | 370 | 24.7 |
| Bishop's Peak Elementary | K-6 | 368 | 23.0 |
| Grizzly ChalleNGe Charter (charter) | 10-12 | 225 | 16.1 |
| Teach Elementary | 4-6 | 168 | 28.0 |
| Bellevue-Santa Fe Charter (charter) | K-6 | 164 | 23.4 |
| San Luis Obispo County Community | 6-12 | 73 | 18.3 |
Towns near San Luis Obispo
- California Polytechnic State University, CA2.8 mi · 8,583 people · home $564,700
- Pismo Beach, CA7.8 mi · 8,072 people · home $1,021,300
- Los Osos, CA9.2 mi · 14,465 people · home $805,800
- Grover Beach, CA10.4 mi · 12,701 people · home $727,500
- Arroyo Grande, CA10.9 mi · 18,441 people · home $814,200
- Oceano, CA11.9 mi · 7,183 people · home $556,100
- Morro Bay, CA13.2 mi · 10,757 people · home $918,200
- Atascadero, CA15.2 mi · 29,773 people · home $716,500
San Luis Obispo questions
Is San Luis Obispo, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, San Luis Obispo scores better for retirees than 49% of California towns and quieter than 35%. 14.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 26.3).
How much does a house cost in San Luis Obispo?
The median owner-occupied home in San Luis Obispo is valued at $935,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,685, so homes cost about 12.7 times income. Median rent is $1,965 a month.
What is the weather like in San Luis Obispo?
July highs average 78.0°F and January lows 40.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 17.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does San Luis Obispo get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of San Luis Obispo 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)