Housing data for San Luis Obispo, CA
San Luis Obispo, CA has an estimated 48,491 residents and 22,250 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in San Luis Obispo County.
59.7% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,965 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+2.5%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 48,491 (±43)
- Housing units
- 22,250 (±663)
- Households that rent
- 59.7%
- Median gross rent
- $1,965
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +2.5%
What stands out in San Luis Obispo
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 24.9% (±2.5 points) in San Luis Obispo, higher than in San Luis Obispo County (10.0%).
Households that rent: 59.7% (±2.0 points) in San Luis Obispo, higher than in San Luis Obispo County (37.9%).
Households that moved in since 2020: 43.4% (±3.1 points) in San Luis Obispo, higher than in San Luis Obispo County (25.5%).
Median household income: $73,685 (±$7,262) in San Luis Obispo, lower than in San Luis Obispo County ($97,446).
- Types of homes in San Luis Obispo
- Renters and owners in San Luis Obispo
- How long people stay in San Luis Obispo
- Income and affordability in San Luis Obispo
Housing in San Luis Obispo at a glance
- Median rent: $1,965 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $2,154 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 67.0% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 59.7% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $73,685 median household income
- Home values: $935,100 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $3,110 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $5,847 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 24.9% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 46.3% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 57.2% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 4.5% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 61.8% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 16.1 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 347 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +2.5% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 43.4% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 3.9% of homes have more than 1 person per room
San Luis Obispo against San Luis Obispo County, its state and the nation
| San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo County | California | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 48,491 (±43) | 281,555 (exact) | 39,287,377 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 22,250 (±663) | 125,669 (±104) | 14,644,735 (±1,665) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 59.7% (±2.0 points) | 37.9% (±1.0 points) | 44.1% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,965 (±$82) | $1,992 (±$45) | $2,036 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $73,685 (±$7,262) | $97,446 (±$2,876) | $99,122 (±$310) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $935,100 (±$25,045) | $824,700 (±$12,237) | $734,700 (±$1,307) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $5,847 (±$296) | $5,636 (±$132) | $5,124 (±$17) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 57.2% (±3.5 points) | 43.8% (±1.5 points) | 56.0% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 16.1 minutes (±1.0) | 22.3 minutes (±0.7) | 28.7 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 92.7% (±1.5 points) | 93.1% (±0.7 points) | 93.5% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 26.3 years (±1.2) | 40.4 years (±0.3) | 37.9 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
San Luis Obispo covers 13.6 square miles of land, about 3,555 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How San Luis Obispo has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 47,302 (±57) | 48,491 (±43) | +2.5% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 20,767 (±604) | 22,250 (±663) | +7.1% | Measurable increase |
| Median gross rent | $1,575 (±$52) | $1,965 (±$82) | +24.8% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $643,200 (±$14,523) | $935,100 (±$25,045) | +45.4% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $56,071 (±$3,576) | $73,685 (±$7,262) | +31.4% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $2,419 (±$94) | $3,110 (±$164) | +28.6% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $3,732 (±$263) | $5,847 (±$296) | +56.7% | Up after inflation |
| Households that rent | 61.2% (±1.8 points) | 59.7% (±2.0 points) | −1.5 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.1% (±1.8 points) | 4.5% (±2.0 points) | +0.4 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 San Luis Obispo
In 2025, the San Luis Obispo Police Department reported 347 violent and 2,054 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 San Luis Obispo
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 93401 | 11% | 29,202 | $1,912 | $973,000 | $96,824 |
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 San Luis Obispo
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Polytechnic State University | 2.8 mi | — | $564,700 | 39.4% |
| Los Ranchos | 4.3 mi | — | $1,244,900 | 6.1% |
| Avila Beach | 5.5 mi | $1,878 | $1,243,300 | 13.5% |
| Pismo Beach | 7.8 mi | $2,232 | $1,021,300 | 35.4% |
| Santa Margarita | 9.2 mi | — | $684,000 | 46.8% |
| Los Osos | 9.2 mi | $2,047 | $805,800 | 27.1% |
| Grover Beach | 10 mi | $2,061 | $727,500 | 49.5% |
| Arroyo Grande | 11 mi | $2,173 | $814,200 | 39.4% |
Places in California most like San Luis Obispo
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twin Lakes | $2,344 | $959,100 | $90,087 | 59.2% |
| Loma Linda | $1,855 | $596,900 | $82,353 | 62.1% |
| Monterey | $2,353 | $1,076,300 | $102,846 | 63.8% |
| Davis | $2,187 | $866,100 | $90,045 | 56.5% |
| Marina | $2,101 | $818,700 | $95,955 | 57.1% |
| Lawndale | $1,938 | $781,900 | $85,441 | 63.0% |
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 San Luis Obispo, 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 San Luis Obispo, 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 San Luis Obispo
What is the average rent in San Luis Obispo, CA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in San Luis Obispo is $1,965 (±$82) 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 San Luis Obispo?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in San Luis Obispo, CA is $1,535 (±$97) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in San Luis Obispo rent-burdened?
67.0% of renting households in San Luis Obispo 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 San Luis Obispo?
San Luis Obispo has an estimated 12,213 (±646) renting households, 59.7% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in San Luis Obispo?
The median household income in San Luis Obispo is $73,685 (±$7,262) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in San Luis Obispo, CA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $935,100 (±$25,045) for owner-occupied homes in San Luis Obispo (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is San Luis Obispo growing?
In San Luis Obispo, the number of residents went from 47,302 in 2015–2019 to 48,491 in 2020–2024 (+2.5%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in San Luis Obispo?
The ZIP code that covers San Luis Obispo is 93401.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 93401?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 93401 is $1,912 (±$113) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — San Luis Obispo city, California
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — San Luis Obispo city, California
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — San Luis Obispo city, California
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — San Luis Obispo city, California
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — San Luis Obispo city, California
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — San Luis Obispo city, California
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — San Luis Obispo 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: San Luis Obispo Police Department (ORI CA0400600)
- 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 San Luis Obispo city, California (place:68154, 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 .