What kinds of homes are in San Luis Obispo, CA?

Name: Types of homes in San Luis Obispo, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

San Luis Obispo, CA has 22,250 (±663) homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is about 1,631 homes per square mile of land.

46.1% are detached single-family houses.

14.0% are in buildings of two to four units.

24.9% are in buildings of five or more units.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Housing units: 22,250 (±663)
Detached houses: 46.1%
2–4 unit buildings: 14.0%
5+ unit buildings: 24.9%

Homes in San Luis Obispo by building size

Housing units by units in structure, 2020–2024
Building type	San Luis Obispo	San Luis Obispo County	California	United States
Single-family, detached	46.1% (±2.6 points)	67.8%	57.0%	61.3%
Single-family, attached (townhouse, rowhouse)	9.5% (±1.3 points)	6.1%	7.4%	6.2%
2 units	4.0% (±0.9 points)	2.9%	2.4%	3.4%
3 or 4 units	10.0% (±1.7 points)	5.3%	5.4%	4.3%
5 to 9 units	6.5% (±1.4 points)	3.6%	5.7%	4.5%
10 to 19 units	7.2% (±1.6 points)	2.6%	4.9%	4.3%
20 or more units	11.2% (±1.3 points)	3.8%	13.6%	10.3%
Mobile home	5.5% (±0.8 points)	7.7%	3.5%	5.6%
Boat, RV, van, etc.	0.0% (±0.2 points)	0.2%	0.1%	0.1%

In San Luis Obispo, the share of homes in buildings of five or more units is higher than in San Luis Obispo County (10.0%).

It is not measurably different from California (24.2%).

It is higher than the national figure (19.1%).

Homes in buildings of 5 or more units in places near San Luis Obispo

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with San Luis Obispo
Place	Distance	Homes in buildings of 5 or more units	Compared with this place
San Luis Obispo	—	24.9% (±2.5 points)	—
California Polytechnic State University	2.8 mi	39.4% (±57.1 points)	Not measurably different
Los Ranchos	4.3 mi	0.0% (±11.6 points)	Lower
Avila Beach	5.5 mi	2.0% (±6.7 points)	Lower
Pismo Beach	7.8 mi	9.6% (±3.2 points)	Lower
Santa Margarita	9.2 mi	0.0% (±10.4 points)	Lower
Los Osos	9.2 mi	2.9% (±1.2 points)	Lower
Grover Beach	10 mi	4.8% (±1.9 points)	Lower
Arroyo Grande	11 mi	16.0% (±4.1 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Los Ranchos, CA (0.0%), Avila Beach, CA (2.0%), Pismo Beach, CA (9.6%).

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

Homes in buildings of 5 or more units across San Luis Obispo County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes in buildings of 5 or more units
1	California Polytechnic State University	39.4% (±57.1 points)
2	San Luis Obispo	24.9% (±2.5 points)
3	Arroyo Grande	16.0% (±4.1 points)
4	El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles)	13.8% (±2.9 points)
5	Atascadero	12.5% (±2.9 points)
6	Pismo Beach	9.6% (±3.2 points)
7	Cayucos	8.8% (±5.0 points)
8	Nipomo	5.2% (±3.2 points)

Showing 8 of 22 places in San Luis Obispo County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about San Luis Obispo

How many homes are in San Luis Obispo?

San Luis Obispo, CA has an estimated 22,250 (±663) housing units, occupied and vacant (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Are most homes in San Luis Obispo houses or apartments?

46.1% are detached houses and 9.5% attached houses, while 38.9% are in buildings of two or more units.

How many two-family and small multifamily homes are in San Luis Obispo?

14.0% of homes in San Luis Obispo are in buildings of two to four units, the small rental buildings that are often owner-occupied.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — San Luis Obispo city, California

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 API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0007PE, DP04_0007PM, DP04_0008PE, DP04_0008PM, DP04_0009PE, DP04_0009PM, DP04_0010PE, DP04_0010PM, DP04_0011PE, DP04_0011PM, DP04_0012PE, DP04_0012PM, DP04_0013PE, DP04_0013PM, DP04_0014PE, DP04_0014PM, DP04_0015PE, DP04_0015PM

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.