San Luis Obispo County, CA

County

Add Comparison

2020 Population

282,517

0.125% 1-year growth

US Senator

Dianne Feinstein

Democratic Party

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

2020 Median Age

39.5

0.765% 1-year increase

2018 Poverty Rate

13.3%

3.51% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$77,948

6.03% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$605,200

5.44% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

131,426

0.192% 1-year decline

About

In 2020, San Luis Obispo County, CA had a population of 283k people with a median age of 39.5 and a median household income of $77,948. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of San Luis Obispo County, CA grew from 282,165 to 282,517, a 0.125% increase and its median household income grew from $73,518 to $77,948, a 6.03% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in San Luis Obispo County, CA are White (Non-Hispanic) (68.3%), White (Hispanic) (14.3%), Other (Hispanic) (4.21%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (3.54%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (3.5%).

None of the households in San Luis Obispo County, 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.

95.4% of the residents in San Luis Obispo County, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in San Luis Obispo County, CA are California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (5,388 degrees awarded in 2020), Cuesta College (2,498 degrees), and Laurus College (122 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in San Luis Obispo County, CA was $605,200, and the homeownership rate was 62.7%.

Most people in San Luis Obispo County, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22 minutes. The average car ownership in San Luis Obispo County, CA was 2 cars per household.

San Luis Obispo County, CA borders Kern County, CA, Kings County, CA, Monterey County, CA, and Santa Barbara County, CA.

About the photo: Sunset on Morro Bay

Photo by Linda Tanner

Population & Diversity

San Luis Obispo County, CA is home to a population of 283k people, from which 95.4% are citizens. As of 2018, 10.4% of San Luis Obispo County, CA residents were born outside of the country (29.2k people).

In 2020, there were 4.78 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (193k people) in San Luis Obispo County, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 40.3k White (Hispanic) and 11.9k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.4%

2020 Citizenship

95.1%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 95.4% of San Luis Obispo County, CA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in San Luis Obispo County, CA was 95.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in San Luis Obispo County, CA

White (Non-Hispanic)
193k ± 484
White (Hispanic)
40.3k ± 1.46k
Other (Hispanic)
11.9k ± 1.17k

22.8%

Hispanic Population

64.3k people

22.8% of the people in San Luis Obispo County, CA are hispanic (64.3k people).

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

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
4,008,868 ± 46,586 people
Philippines
829,356 ± 22,122 people
China
683,718 ± 20,124 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 4,008,868 California residents, followed by Philippines with 829,356 and China with 683,718.

Foreign-Born Population

10.4%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

29.2k people

10.4%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

29.2k people

As of 2018, 10.4% of San Luis Obispo County, CA residents (29.2k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.5%. In 2017, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in San Luis Obispo County, CA was 10.4%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
7,470 ± 641
Gulf War (2001-)
2,363 ± 485
Korea
1,848 ± 366

San Luis Obispo County, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 3.16 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of San Luis Obispo County, CA employs 131k people. The largest industries in San Luis Obispo County, CA are Health Care & Social Assistance (15,438 people), Retail Trade (14,755 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (13,725 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($120,996), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($79,191), and Public Administration ($76,070).

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $64,427. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.498, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

131k

2020 Value

± 3,015

−0.192%

1 Year decline

± 3.12%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in San Luis Obispo County, CA declined at a rate of −0.192%, from 132k employees to 131k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in San Luis Obispo County, CA, are Management Occupations (15,429 people), Sales & Related Occupations (14,169 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (14,080 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of San Luis Obispo County, CA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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

131k

2020 Value

± 3,015

−0.192%

1 Year decline

± 3.12%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in San Luis Obispo County, CA declined at a rate of −0.192%, from 132k employees to 131k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in San Luis Obispo County, CA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (15,438 people), Retail Trade (14,755 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (13,725 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of San Luis Obispo County, CA, though some of these residents may live in San Luis Obispo County, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$47,031

Median earning men ± $2,029

$32,398

Median earning women ± $1,031

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Public Administration ($87,272), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($75,590), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($61,185).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Public Administration ($55,680), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($49,850), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($45,142).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in California. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

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

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

3,633
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
1,872
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
1,798
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$1.87M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$1.28M
Manufacturing
$641k
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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 $407B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($158B) and Mixed freight ($149B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for California.

$2.26T

2020 Value in California

$4.61T

Projected 2050 Value in California

104% growth

In 2020, total outbound California trade was $2.26T. This is expected to increase 104% 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
$83.5B
Arizona
$44.4B
Ohio
$43.3B

In 2020, the top outbound California domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $83.5B, followed by Arizona with $44.4B and Ohio and $43.3B.

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 San Luis Obispo County, CA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 55.3% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (42.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.51%).

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 53 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

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (55.3%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (42.2%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.51%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in San Luis Obispo County, CA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senators 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 20, 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 Representatives Elections

US Representatives from California

California is currently represented by 53 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 2020, universities in San Luis Obispo County, CA awarded 8,200 degrees. The student population of San Luis Obispo County, CA in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 16,718 male students and 16,902 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in San Luis Obispo County, CA are White (4,508 and 56%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (1,793 and 22.3%), Asian (792 and 9.84%), and Two or More Races (475 and 5.9%).

The largest universities in San Luis Obispo County, CA by number of degrees awarded are California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (5,388 and 65.7%), Cuesta College (2,498 and 30.5%), and Laurus College (122 and 1.49%).

The most popular majors in San Luis Obispo County, CA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (1,121 and 13.7%), General Business Administration & Management (838 and 10.2%), and Mechanical Engineering (343 and 4.18%).

The median tuition cost in San Luis Obispo County, CA for a public four year colleges is $5,742 for in-state students and $17,622 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2020 in San Luis Obispo County, CA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 38.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 23.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2020 was 33,620 (49.7% men and 50.3% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2020 there were 33,620 students enrolled in San Luis Obispo County, CA, 49.7% men and 50.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 17,756 records, of which 51.3% were women and 48.7% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Mechanical Engineering
308 degree-majors awarded
General Biological Sciences
197 degree-majors awarded
General Business Administration & Management
655 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in San Luis Obispo County, CA was Mechanical Engineering with 308 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
5,388 degrees awarded
Cuesta College
2,498 degrees awarded
Laurus College
122 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo with 5,388 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2020, 3,825 men were awarded degrees from institutions in San Luis Obispo County, CA, which is 0.874 times less than the 4,375 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 4,508 degrees mean that there were 2.51 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 1,793 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

Universities

Private for-profit, 2-year ($9,820) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Public, 4-year or above ($4,329) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

Public, 2-year ($1,971) 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 2020, 1.74% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.99% 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 2020 were Some college (7.14M), High School or Equivalent (6.69M), and Bachelors Degree (6.15M).

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 County, CA was $605,200 in 2020, which is 2.63 times larger than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $574,000 to $605,200, a 5.44% increase. The homeownership rate in San Luis Obispo County, CA is 62.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in San Luis Obispo County, CA have an average commute time of 22 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in San Luis Obispo County, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in San Luis Obispo County, CA is $77,948. In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in San Luis Obispo County, CA was Census Tract 116 with a value of $128,194, followed by Census Tract 123.02 and Census Tract 118, with respective values of $112,904 and $109,534.

In 2021, 21.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in San Luis Obispo County, CA. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 3.26%.

Housing

Property

$605,200

Median Property Value 2020

±$6,500

$66,635

Median Property Taxes

±$1,824

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 County, 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 County, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

62.7%

Homeownership

2020

69.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 62.7% of the housing units in San Luis Obispo County, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 61.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in San Luis Obispo County, 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 123.02
Census Tract 118

In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in San Luis Obispo County, CA was Census Tract 116 with a value of $128,194, followed by Census Tract 123.02 and Census Tract 118, with respective values of $112,904 and $109,534.

The following map shows all of the tracts in San Luis Obispo County, 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.

$77,948

Median Household Income

± $1,751

106k

Number of Households

± 2,561

In 2020, the median household income of the 106k households in San Luis Obispo County, CA grew to $77,948 from the previous year's value of $73,518.

The following chart displays the households in San Luis Obispo County, 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 $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

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

0.498

2020 Wage GINI in California

0.499

2019 Wage GINI in California

In 2020, the income inequality in California was 0.498 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.321% decline from 2019 to 2020, 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 2020

Drove Alone (72.6%)
Carpooled (10.1%)
Worked At Home (9.03%)

In 2020, 72.6% of workers in San Luis Obispo County, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (10.1%) and those who worked at home (9.03%).

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

22 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in San Luis Obispo County, CA have a shorter commute time (22 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 2.66% of the workforce in San Luis Obispo County, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in San Luis Obispo County, 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 County, 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 County, CA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2021, 21.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in San Luis Obispo County, CA. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 3.26%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

13.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in San Luis Obispo County, CA (35.3k out of 265k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 18 - 24, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in San Luis Obispo County, 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.

Children in Poverty

In 2021, 11.2% of the children was living in poverty in San Luis Obispo County, CA. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 5.5%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children 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.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2021, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 408 in San Luis Obispo County, CA. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator grew 150 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

92.5% of the population of San Luis Obispo County, CA has health coverage, with 47.2% on employee plans, 13.5% on Medicaid, 14.5% on Medicare, 16.1% on non-group plans, and 1.19% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in California was $7,549 in 2014. This is a 4.04% increase from the previous year ($7,256).

Primary care physicians in San Luis Obispo County, CA see 1219 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.08% increase from the previous year (1206 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1160 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 158 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.1% were men and 50.9% were women.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for California. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in California, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,219 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 1,219 patients per year. This represents a 1.08% increase from the previous year (1,206 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.

Community Mobility

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

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of California across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.3% under 18 years, 24% between 18 and 34 years, 35.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 20.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.1% were men and 50.9% were women.

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

Uninsured People

7.54%

Uninsured

47.2%

Employer Coverage

13.5%

Medicaid

14.5%

Medicare

16.1%

Non-Group

1.19%

Military or VA

Between 2017 and 2018, the percent of uninsured citizens in San Luis Obispo County, CA declined by 11.9% from 8.55% to 7.54%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2021, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 30.9 in San Luis Obispo County, CA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in San Luis Obispo County, CA.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2021, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 28.6% in San Luis Obispo County, CA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in San Luis Obispo County, CA.

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