Housing data for Pismo Beach, CA
Pismo Beach, CA has an estimated 8,014 residents and 6,147 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in San Luis Obispo County.
35.4% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $2,232 a month.
Its population shrank measurably since 2015–2019 (−2.0%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 8,014 (±28)
- Housing units
- 6,147 (±297)
- Households that rent
- 35.4%
- Median gross rent
- $2,232
- Residents since 2015–2019
- −2.0%
What stands out in Pismo Beach
Rental vacancy rate: 16.5% (±6.7 points) in Pismo Beach, higher than in San Luis Obispo County (4.6%).
Median home value: $1,021,300 (±$88,224) in Pismo Beach, higher than in San Luis Obispo County ($824,700).
Median real estate taxes: $7,023 (±$767) in Pismo Beach, higher than in San Luis Obispo County ($5,636).
Median household income: $118,072 (±$10,159) in Pismo Beach, higher than in San Luis Obispo County ($97,446).
- Vacancy rate in Pismo Beach
- Home values in Pismo Beach
- Property taxes in Pismo Beach
- Income and affordability in Pismo Beach
Housing in Pismo Beach at a glance
- Median rent: $2,232 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $2,534 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 50.0% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 35.4% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $118,072 median household income
- Home values: $1,021,300 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $3,120 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $7,023 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 9.6% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 50.6% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 34.9% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 16.5% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 75.8% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 23.0 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 314 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: −2.0% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 29.2% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 2.1% of homes have more than 1 person per room
Pismo Beach against San Luis Obispo County, its state and the nation
| Pismo Beach | San Luis Obispo County | California | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 8,014 (±28) | 281,555 (exact) | 39,287,377 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 6,147 (±297) | 125,669 (±104) | 14,644,735 (±1,665) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 35.4% (±5.8 points) | 37.9% (±1.0 points) | 44.1% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $2,232 (±$320) | $1,992 (±$45) | $2,036 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $118,072 (±$10,159) | $97,446 (±$2,876) | $99,122 (±$310) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $1,021,300 (±$88,224) | $824,700 (±$12,237) | $734,700 (±$1,307) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $7,023 (±$767) | $5,636 (±$132) | $5,124 (±$17) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 34.9% (±5.4 points) | 43.8% (±1.5 points) | 56.0% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 23.0 minutes (±3.8) | 22.3 minutes (±0.7) | 28.7 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 94.3% (±2.9 points) | 93.1% (±0.7 points) | 93.5% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 55.1 years (±4.5) | 40.4 years (±0.3) | 37.9 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
Pismo Beach covers 3.5 square miles of land, about 2,292 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Pismo Beach has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 8,180 (±19) | 8,014 (±28) | −2.0% | Measurable decrease |
| Housing units | 6,140 (±316) | 6,147 (±297) | +0.1% | Not a measurable change |
| Median gross rent | $1,774 (±$287) | $2,232 (±$320) | +25.8% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $768,600 (±$55,422) | $1,021,300 (±$88,224) | +32.9% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median household income | $84,484 (±$14,855) | $118,072 (±$10,159) | +39.8% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $2,856 (±$190) | $3,120 (±$458) | +9.2% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $5,015 (±$624) | $7,023 (±$767) | +40.0% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 36.4% (±5.1 points) | 35.4% (±5.8 points) | −1.0 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 8.3% (±6.6 points) | 16.5% (±6.7 points) | +8.2 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
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.
Crime reported to police in Pismo Beach
In 2025, the Pismo Beach Police Department reported 314 violent and 1,770 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across San Luis Obispo County, the departments that report recorded 280 violent and 959 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in Pismo Beach
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 93449 | 35% | 8,014 | $2,232 | $1,021,300 | $118,072 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Pismo Beach
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grover Beach | 3.8 mi | $2,061 | $727,500 | 49.5% |
| Avila Beach | 4.1 mi | $1,878 | $1,243,300 | 13.5% |
| Los Ranchos | 4.9 mi | — | $1,244,900 | 6.1% |
| Oceano | 5.1 mi | $1,584 | $556,100 | 38.9% |
| Arroyo Grande | 5.4 mi | $2,173 | $814,200 | 39.4% |
| San Luis Obispo | 7.8 mi | $1,965 | $935,100 | 59.7% |
| Callender | 9.1 mi | $2,540 | $945,400 | 39.8% |
| California Polytechnic State University | 11 mi | — | $564,700 | 39.4% |
Places in California most like Pismo Beach
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truckee | $1,961 | $947,900 | $130,462 | 26.6% |
| Scotts Valley | $2,491 | $1,105,700 | $143,750 | 26.4% |
| Healdsburg | $2,158 | $950,100 | $103,554 | 39.9% |
| Nipomo | $2,106 | $723,700 | $110,022 | 34.4% |
| Benicia | $2,280 | $810,000 | $121,204 | 30.5% |
| Arroyo Grande | $2,173 | $814,200 | $102,553 | 39.4% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across California.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Pismo Beach, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,894 | $2,079 | $2,720 | $3,634 | $4,208 |
HUD income limits for Pismo Beach, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $32,100 | $53,500 | $85,700 |
| 2 people | $36,700 | $61,150 | $97,950 |
| 3 people | $41,300 | $68,800 | $110,200 |
| 4 people | $45,850 | $76,450 | $122,400 |
| 5 people | $49,550 | $82,550 | $132,200 |
| 6 people | $53,200 | $88,700 | $142,000 |
| 7 people | $56,900 | $94,800 | $151,800 |
| 8 people | $60,550 | $100,900 | $161,600 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $129,600.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
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 Pismo Beach
What is the average rent in Pismo Beach, CA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Pismo Beach is $2,232 (±$320) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Pismo Beach?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Pismo Beach, CA is $1,494 (±$243) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in Pismo Beach rent-burdened?
50.0% of renting households in Pismo Beach pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Pismo Beach?
Pismo Beach has an estimated 1,460 (±245) renting households, 35.4% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Pismo Beach?
The median household income in Pismo Beach is $118,072 (±$10,159) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Pismo Beach, CA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $1,021,300 (±$88,224) for owner-occupied homes in Pismo Beach (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Pismo Beach growing?
In Pismo Beach, the number of residents went from 8,180 in 2015–2019 to 8,014 in 2020–2024 (−2.0%), a measurable decrease.
What ZIP codes are in Pismo Beach?
The ZIP code that covers Pismo Beach is 93449.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 93449?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 93449 is $2,232 (±$320) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Pismo Beach city, California
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Pismo Beach city, California
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Pismo Beach city, California
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Pismo Beach city, California
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Pismo Beach city, California
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Pismo Beach city, California
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Pismo Beach city, California
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Pismo Beach Police Department (ORI CA0400500)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
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) for Pismo Beach city, California (place:57414, in state:06).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
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.
Figures last updated on .