What is the crime rate in San Luis Obispo, CA?

In 2025, the San Luis Obispo Police Department reported 175 violent crimes and 1,035 property crimes to the FBI.

That is 347 violent and 2,054 property crimes per 100,000 of the 50,385 residents it serves.

Across California the rates were 435 and 1,822.

Nationally they were 330 and 1,552.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Violent per 100,000: 347
Property per 100,000: 2,054
Violent crimes: 175
Property crimes: 1,035

Crime reported by the San Luis Obispo Police Department, 2023 to 2025

Offenses known to law enforcement, reported to the FBI; rates per 100,000 residents of the area the department serves
Year	Violent crimes	Violent per 100,000	Property crimes	Property per 100,000	Residents served
2023	254	519	1,290	2,636	48,947
2024	212	424	1,335	2,673	49,948
2025	175	347	1,035	2,054	50,385

Violent crimes reported went from 254 in 2023 to 175 in 2025.

Property crimes reported went from 1,290 in 2023 to 1,035 in 2025.

In a small town a handful of incidents moves these numbers a long way, so one year’s change says little on its own.

San Luis Obispo against California and the nation

Crimes per 100,000 residents, 2025
	Violent crime	Property crime
San Luis Obispo	347	2,054
San Luis Obispo County	280	959
California	435	1,822
United States	330	1,552

These are rates per resident; they are not adjusted for visitors, commuters or the size of the area, which raise or lower a town’s figures without changing anybody’s risk.

Crime reported in places near San Luis Obispo, 2025

Each place’s own police department; rates per 100,000 residents served
Place	Distance	Violent per 100,000	Property per 100,000
San Luis Obispo	—	347	2,054
Pismo Beach	7.8 mi	314	1,770
Grover Beach	10 mi	216	664
Arroyo Grande	11 mi	126	571
Morro Bay	13 mi	199	1,033
Atascadero	15 mi	148	730
Guadalupe	22 mi	147	620
Santa Maria	26 mi	626	1,813

Neighboring departments count the same offenses the same way, but their areas, populations and visitors differ, so a difference between two towns is a starting point for a question, not an answer.

How to read these numbers

These are offenses known to the police and reported to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program: crimes nobody reported, or that a department did not record, are not in them.

Violent crime is murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property crime is burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft and arson.

A department reports the crimes in the area it polices, which can differ from the town’s boundaries, and the FBI estimates the population it serves.

The FBI asks that these figures not be used to rank places or to judge how safe a neighborhood is: crime depends on many local factors, and the counts describe a whole town, not any street or home.

A year is shown only when the department reported all twelve months.

FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use

What you can do on Seayora in San Luis Obispo

One account for renting, owning, managing and fixing homes, with these figures beside you.

Looking for a place to rent?

Browse homes for rent near San Luis Obispo, save the ones you like and apply online.

Browse rentals · Create a renter account

Own or manage a rental?

List it, sign the lease and collect rent online, with the figures for San Luis Obispo beside you.

Create a landlord account · See what landlords get

Do repairs, renovations or maintenance?

Get found by owners and renters near San Luis Obispo, and send estimates and invoices from your phone.

Join as a pro · Find a pro

Questions about San Luis Obispo