San Luis Obispo, CA

Census Place

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2021 Population

47,257

0.306% 1-year decline

US Senator

Dianne Feinstein

Democratic Party

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

2.62% 1-year decrease

2021 Poverty Rate

29.6%

4.85% 1-year increase

2021 Median Household Income

$61,862

5.66% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$719,300

8.61% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

25,056

2.32% 1-year decline

About

In 2021, San Luis Obispo, CA had a population of 47.3k people with a median age of 26 and a median household income of $61,862. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of San Luis Obispo, CA declined from 47,402 to 47,257, a −0.306% decrease and its median household income grew from $58,546 to $61,862, a 5.66% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in San Luis Obispo, CA are White (Non-Hispanic) (70.7%), White (Hispanic) (11.7%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (4.83%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.9%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (3.27%).

None of the households in San Luis Obispo, CA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

95.7% of the residents in San Luis Obispo, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in San Luis Obispo, CA are Laurus College (129 degrees awarded in 2021) and Central California School of Continuing Education (41 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in San Luis Obispo, CA was $719,300, and the homeownership rate was 39.5%.

Most people in San Luis Obispo, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 15.7 minutes. The average car ownership in San Luis Obispo, CA was 2 cars per household.

About the photo: La Familia Ranch, San Luis Obispo, CA

Photo by Harold Litwiler

United States California San Luis Obispo County, CA San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA Coastal Region PUMA, CA

Population & Diversity

San Luis Obispo, CA is home to a population of 47.3k people, from which 95.7% are citizens. As of 2021, 8.09% of San Luis Obispo, CA residents were born outside of the country (3.83k people).

In 2021, there were 6.04 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (33.4k people) in San Luis Obispo, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 5.53k White (Hispanic) and 2.28k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.7%

2021 Citizenship

95.8%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 95.7% of San Luis Obispo, CA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in San Luis Obispo, CA was 95.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in San Luis Obispo, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in San Luis Obispo, CA

White (Non-Hispanic)
33.4k ± 986
White (Hispanic)
5.53k ± 771
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
2.28k ± 455

18.5%

Hispanic Population

8.73k people

18.5% of the people in San Luis Obispo, CA are hispanic (8.73k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in San Luis Obispo, CA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for California.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
3,959,545 ± 46,338 people
Philippines
828,655 ± 22,113 people
China
680,942 ± 20,084 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,959,545 California residents, followed by Philippines with 828,655 and China with 680,942.

Foreign-Born Population

8.09%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

3.83k people

8.7%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

4.13k people

As of 2021, 8.09% of San Luis Obispo, CA residents (3.83k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in San Luis Obispo, CA was 8.7%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in San Luis Obispo, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
639 ± 178
Korea
269 ± 122
Gulf War (2001-)
213 ± 93

San Luis Obispo, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.38 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of San Luis Obispo, CA employs 25.1k people. The largest industries in San Luis Obispo, CA are Accommodation & Food Services (3,625 people), Educational Services (3,619 people), and Retail Trade (3,110 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($104,524), Finance & Insurance ($90,602), and Wholesale Trade ($84,405).

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $69,050. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.497, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

25.1k

2021 Value

± 1,296

−2.32%

1 Year decline

± 7.41%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in San Luis Obispo, CA declined at a rate of −2.32%, from 25.7k employees to 25.1k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in San Luis Obispo, CA, are Sales & Related Occupations (2,838 people), Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations (2,772 people), and Management Occupations (2,539 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of San Luis Obispo, CA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in California (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

25.1k

2021 Value

± 1,296

−2.32%

1 Year decline

± 7.41%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in San Luis Obispo, CA declined at a rate of −2.32%, from 25.7k employees to 25.1k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in San Luis Obispo, CA, are Accommodation & Food Services (3,625 people), Educational Services (3,619 people), and Retail Trade (3,110 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of San Luis Obispo, CA, though some of these residents may live in San Luis Obispo, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$36,617

Median earning men ± $3,602

$26,481

Median earning women ± $4,812

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Wholesale Trade ($100,636), Public Administration ($91,500), and Information ($77,059).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Information ($97,714), Construction ($57,857), and Public Administration ($54,632).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in California. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in California.

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from California to other states, or from other states to California.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound California product (by dollars) was Electronics with $405B, followed by Mixed freight ($159B) and Pharmaceuticals ($155B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound California products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for California.

$2.21T

2020 Value in California

$4.61T

Projected 2050 Value in California

109% growth

In 2020, total outbound California trade was $2.21T. This is expected to increase 109% to $4.61T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound California trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from California to other states, or from other states to California.

Most Common Trade Partners

Texas
$84.4B
Arizona
$44.8B
Ohio
$40.6B

In 2020, the top outbound California domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $84.4B, followed by Arizona with $44.8B and Ohio and $40.6B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that California shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 63.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (34.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.07%).

Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla are the senators currently representing the state of California. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for San Luis Obispo, CA. Showing the available data for California.

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (63.5%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (34.3%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.07%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 63.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (34.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.07%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in California for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Dianne Feinstein

Senator from California

Assumed office on November 10, 1992
Elected to the seat to succeed John Seymour (California politician)|John Seymour, who had been appointed to the seat after Pete Wilson was elected Governor of California.

Alex Padilla

Senator from California

Assumed office on January 18, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.

Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla are the senators currently representing California.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in California over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from California

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for California have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in San Luis Obispo, CA awarded 170 degrees. The student population of San Luis Obispo, CA in 2021 is skewed towards men, with 430 male students and 383 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in San Luis Obispo, CA are Hispanic or Latino (56 and 32.9%), followed by White (55 and 32.4%), Asian (24 and 14.1%), and Black or African American (14 and 8.24%).

The largest universities in San Luis Obispo, CA by number of degrees awarded are Laurus College (129 and 75.9%) and Central California School of Continuing Education (41 and 24.1%).

The most popular majors in San Luis Obispo, CA are General Business Administration & Management (43 and 25.3%), Medical Insurance Specialist (37 and 21.8%), and Computer Support Specialist (33 and 19.4%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2021 there were 813 students enrolled in San Luis Obispo, CA, 52.9% men and 47.1% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 238 records, of which 63.9% were women and 36.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
33 degree-majors awarded
Computer Support Specialist
25 degree-majors awarded
Medical Insurance Specialist
37 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in San Luis Obispo, CA was General Business Administration & Management with 33 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in San Luis Obispo, CA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Laurus College
129 degrees awarded
Central California School of Continuing Education
41 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Laurus College with 129 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2021, 82 men were awarded degrees from institutions in San Luis Obispo, CA, which is 0.932 times less than the 88 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 56 degrees mean that there were 1.02 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 55 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Private for-profit, 2-year ($9,820) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Private for-profit, 2-year ($75) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Private for-profit, 2-year ($500) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Measure

In 2021, 1.89% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 2.12% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were Some college (7.01M), High School or Equivalent (6.74M), and Bachelors Degree (6.25M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in San Luis Obispo, CA was $719,300 in 2021, which is 2.94 times larger than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $662,300 to $719,300, a 8.61% increase. The homeownership rate in San Luis Obispo, CA is 39.5%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in San Luis Obispo, CA have an average commute time of 15.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in San Luis Obispo, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in San Luis Obispo, CA is $61,862. In 2021, the place with the highest median household income in San Luis Obispo, CA was Census Tract 116 with a value of $134,545, followed by Census Tract 110.02 and Census Tract 113, with respective values of $87,470 and $83,542.

Housing

Property

$719,300

Median Property Value 2021

±$23,126

$7,527

Median Property Taxes

±$525

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In San Luis Obispo, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in San Luis Obispo, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

39.5%

Homeownership

2021

73.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 39.5% of the housing units in San Luis Obispo, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 41.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in San Luis Obispo, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 116
Census Tract 110.02
Census Tract 113

In 2021, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in San Luis Obispo, CA was Census Tract 116 with a value of $134,545, followed by Census Tract 110.02 and Census Tract 113, with respective values of $87,470 and $83,542.

The following map shows all of the places in San Luis Obispo, CA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$61,862

Median Household Income

± $4,793

19k

Number of Households

± 978

In 2021, the median household income of the 19k households in San Luis Obispo, CA grew to $61,862 from the previous year's value of $58,546.

The following chart displays the households in San Luis Obispo, CA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the < $10k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for San Luis Obispo, CA is from California.

0.497

2021 Wage GINI in California

0.498

2020 Wage GINI in California

In 2021, the income inequality in California was 0.497 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.12% decline from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in California in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in California across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (67.1%)
Worked At Home (10.9%)
Walked (7.33%)

In 2021, 67.1% of workers in San Luis Obispo, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (10.9%) and those who walked to work (7.33%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

15.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in San Luis Obispo, CA have a shorter commute time (15.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 1.26% of the workforce in San Luis Obispo, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in San Luis Obispo, CA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in San Luis Obispo, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in San Luis Obispo, CA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

29.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in San Luis Obispo, CA (13.6k out of 45.9k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 18 - 24, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in San Luis Obispo, CA is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

94.6% of the population of San Luis Obispo, CA has health coverage, with 57.5% on employee plans, 11.6% on Medicaid, 9.44% on Medicare, 15.4% on non-group plans, and 0.702% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in San Luis Obispo County, CA see 1215 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.328% decrease from the previous year (1219 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1152 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 151 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for San Luis Obispo County, CA.

1,215 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in San Luis Obispo County, CA

Primary care physicians in San Luis Obispo County, CA see an average of 1,215 patients per year. This represents a 0.328% decrease from the previous year (1,219 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in San Luis Obispo County, CA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 12.9% under 18 years, 48.7% between 18 and 34 years, 25.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 12.9% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.8% were men and 50.2% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.36%

Uninsured

57.5%

Employer Coverage

11.6%

Medicaid

9.44%

Medicare

15.4%

Non-Group

0.702%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in San Luis Obispo, CA grew by 19.2% from 4.5% to 5.36%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in San Luis Obispo, CA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.