Get to know San Luis Obispo, CA

Population, income, housing, education, poverty, commutes and remote work in San Luis Obispo, CA, compared with the county, the state and the United States.

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

This story was assembled using AI and public data sources.

City snapshot

• Population: 48,039
• Median age: 26.2
• Median household income: $66,711
• Median home value: $896,500
• Median gross rent: $1,906
• Homeownership: 39.0%
• Bachelor's degree or higher: 54.4%
• Poverty rate: 30.0%
• Work from home: 15.9%

All census stories about San Luis Obispo

• Is San Luis Obispo growing? — Population change, median age and how your city's growth compares.
• Can you afford to live in San Luis Obispo? — Income, home values, rent and how much of a paycheck housing takes.
• Who owns and who rents in San Luis Obispo? — The homeowner-renter split and how it's shifted since 2015.
• How long is the commute in San Luis Obispo? — Average travel time to work and how people here get there.
• How educated is San Luis Obispo? — College degrees, advanced degrees and how the local share compares.
• Who's struggling to get by in San Luis Obispo? — Poverty rate, household income and how many residents live below the line.
• Who works from home in San Luis Obispo? — Remote work since 2015, how it reshaped commuting and how your city compares.
• How does San Luis Obispo compare with America? — One profile: income, housing, education, poverty and commute versus the U.S.