What percentage of people rent in Morro Bay, CA?

Name: Renters and owners in Morro Bay, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

34.6% (±4.6 points) of the occupied homes in Morro Bay, CA are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 1,767 renting households against 3,343 that own their home.

In Morro Bay, the share of households that rent went from 40.9% in 2015–2019 to 34.6% in 2020–2024 (−6.3 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 34.6% (±4.6 points)
Renting households: 1,767 (±252)
Median renter income: $79,503 (±$8,950)

Who rents and who owns in Morro Bay

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	Morro Bay	San Luis Obispo County	California	United States
Renter-occupied share	34.6% (±4.6 points)	37.9% (±1.0 points)	44.1% (±0.2 points)	34.8%
Renting households	1,767 (±252)	41,517 (±1,182)	5,980,523 (±22,985)	45,017,354
Owning households	3,343 (±307)	67,986 (±1,080)	7,567,568 (±37,334)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	2.2 (±0.3)	2.4 (±0.1)	2.7 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	2.0 (±0.1)	2.5 (±0.0)	3.0 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$79,503 (±$8,950)	$65,806 (±$3,300)	$71,186 (±$298)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$114,290 (±$22,667)	$121,308 (±$2,885)	$127,456 (±$424)	$100,009

In Morro Bay, the renter share is not measurably different from San Luis Obispo County (37.9%).

It is also lower than in California (44.1%).

It is not measurably different from the national figure (34.8%).

In San Luis Obispo County, Morro Bay ranks 13 of 22 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 534 of 1,076.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How renting in Morro Bay has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	40.9% (±4.4 points)	34.6% (±4.6 points)	−6.3 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Median gross rent	$1,560 (±$78)	$1,858 (±$93)	+19.1%	No measurable change after inflation
Median household income	$68,262 (±$9,522)	$95,843 (±$5,900)	+40.4%	No measurable change after inflation

The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.

Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.

The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.

Households that rent in places near Morro Bay

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Morro Bay
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
Morro Bay	—	34.6% (±4.6 points)	—
Los Osos	4.8 mi	27.1% (±5.2 points)	Lower
Cayucos	5.2 mi	39.6% (±10.4 points)	Not measurably different
California Polytechnic State University	12 mi	39.4% (±34.0 points)	Not measurably different
Atascadero	13 mi	35.4% (±3.2 points)	Not measurably different
San Luis Obispo	13 mi	59.7% (±2.0 points)	Higher
Avila Beach	14 mi	13.5% (±11.4 points)	Lower
Santa Margarita	15 mi	46.8% (±32.8 points)	Not measurably different
Templeton	16 mi	26.5% (±7.1 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Los Osos, CA (27.1%), Avila Beach, CA (13.5%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: San Luis Obispo, CA (59.7%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Households that rent across San Luis Obispo County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
7 (tie)	Arroyo Grande	39.4% (±4.9 points)
7 (tie)	California Polytechnic State University	39.4% (±34.0 points)
9	Oceano	38.9% (±8.7 points)
10	El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles)	38.7% (±3.4 points)
11 (tie)	Atascadero	35.4% (±3.2 points)
11 (tie)	Pismo Beach	35.4% (±5.8 points)
13	Morro Bay	34.6% (±4.6 points)
14	Nipomo	34.4% (±4.8 points)
15	Los Osos	27.1% (±5.2 points)
16	Templeton	26.5% (±7.1 points)
17	Cambria	21.9% (±6.2 points)
18	Lake Nacimiento	13.8% (±8.6 points)
19	Avila Beach	13.5% (±11.4 points)

Showing 13 of 22 places in San Luis Obispo County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Morro Bay

How many renters are there in Morro Bay?

Morro Bay has an estimated 1,767 (±252) renting households, 34.6% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Is renting growing in Morro Bay?

In Morro Bay, the share of households that rent went from 40.9% in 2015–2019 to 34.6% in 2020–2024 (−6.3 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How big are renting households in Morro Bay?

A renting household in Morro Bay has 2.2 people on average, against 2.0 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in Morro Bay?

The median renting household in Morro Bay, CA has an income of $79,503 (±$8,950) a year, against $114,290 for households that own their home.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Morro Bay city, California (place:49362, in state:06).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.