How much are property taxes in San Luis Obispo, CA?
Homeowners in San Luis Obispo, CA pay a median of $5,847 (±$296) a year in real estate taxes (2020–2024 American Community Survey, table B25103).
Homes with a mortgage pay a median of $6,746.
Homes without a mortgage pay a median of $3,483.
That is about 0.6% of the median home value of $935,100.
In San Luis Obispo, the median real estate tax went from $3,732 in 2015–2019 to $5,847 in 2020–2024 (+56.7%).
Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.
Figures last updated on .
- Median real estate taxes
- $5,847 (±$296)
- With a mortgage
- $6,746
- Without a mortgage
- $3,483
- Share of median value
- 0.6%
Real estate taxes in San Luis Obispo against San Luis Obispo County, its state and the nation
| San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo County | California | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes | $5,847 (±$296) | $5,636 (±$132) | $5,124 (±$17) | $3,119 |
| Homes with a mortgage | $6,746 (±$351) | $6,068 (±$145) | $5,839 (±$17) | $3,489 |
| Homes without a mortgage | $3,483 (±$494) | $4,566 (±$248) | $3,825 (±$19) | $2,576 |
| Median home value | $935,100 (±$25,045) | $824,700 (±$12,237) | $734,700 (±$1,307) | $332,700 |
In San Luis Obispo, the median real estate tax is not measurably different from San Luis Obispo County ($5,636).
It is also higher than in California ($5,124).
It is higher than the national figure ($3,119).
In San Luis Obispo County, San Luis Obispo ranks 12 of 22 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest median real estate taxes.
Statewide, it ranks 340 of 1,056.
Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.
Taxes as a share of home value in San Luis Obispo
The median tax ($5,847) is 0.6% of the median home value ($935,100).
Across San Luis Obispo County the same ratio is 0.7%.
Across California it is 0.7%.
This is a ratio of two medians, a rough effective rate: not the tax rate or mill rate the town, county or school district sets, and not any one home’s bill.
Owners report what they paid and what they think their home is worth; the assessor’s office publishes the actual rates and assessments.
How property taxes in San Luis Obispo have changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes | $3,732 (±$263) | $5,847 (±$296) | +56.7% | Up after inflation |
| Median home value | $643,200 (±$14,523) | $935,100 (±$25,045) | +45.4% | Up after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $2,419 (±$94) | $3,110 (±$164) | +28.6% | 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.
Median real estate taxes in places near San Luis Obispo
| Place | Distance | Median real estate taxes | Compared with this place |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo | — | $5,847 (±$296) | — |
| California Polytechnic State University | 2.8 mi | $5,260 (±$1,315) | Not measurably different |
| Los Ranchos | 4.3 mi | $10,000 or more | — |
| Avila Beach | 5.5 mi | $10,000 or more | — |
| Pismo Beach | 7.8 mi | $7,023 (±$767) | Higher |
| Santa Margarita | 9.2 mi | $6,489 (±$1,179) | Not measurably different |
| Los Osos | 9.2 mi | $6,278 (±$358) | Not measurably different |
| Grover Beach | 10 mi | $4,399 (±$649) | Lower |
| Arroyo Grande | 11 mi | $5,211 (±$559) | Lower |
Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Grover Beach, CA ($4,399), Arroyo Grande, CA ($5,211).
Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Pismo Beach, CA ($7,023).
Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.
Median real estate taxes across San Luis Obispo County, place by place
| Rank | Place | Median real estate taxes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Santa Margarita | $6,489 (±$1,179) |
| 7 | Cambria | $6,443 (±$339) |
| 8 | Los Osos | $6,278 (±$358) |
| 9 | Templeton | $6,173 (±$1,142) |
| 10 | Morro Bay | $5,999 (±$776) |
| 11 | Cayucos | $5,896 (±$1,177) |
| 12 | San Luis Obispo | $5,847 (±$296) |
| 13 | Atascadero | $5,289 (±$387) |
| 14 | California Polytechnic State University | $5,260 (±$1,315) |
| 15 | Arroyo Grande | $5,211 (±$559) |
| 16 | Nipomo | $4,841 (±$478) |
| 17 | San Miguel (San Luis Obispo County) | $4,676 (±$712) |
| 18 | El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles) | $4,600 (±$321) |
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 San Luis Obispo
How much are property taxes in San Luis Obispo?
The median real estate tax paid by homeowners in San Luis Obispo, CA is $5,847 (±$296) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the property tax rate in San Luis Obispo?
The Census Bureau does not publish tax rates; as a rough guide, the median tax paid is 0.6% of the median home value in San Luis Obispo, and the actual rate is set by the town, county and school district.
Have property taxes in San Luis Obispo gone up?
In San Luis Obispo, the median real estate tax went from $3,732 in 2015–2019 to $5,847 in 2020–2024 (+56.7%).
Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.
Are property taxes in San Luis Obispo higher than in San Luis Obispo County?
In San Luis Obispo, the median real estate tax is not measurably different from San Luis Obispo County ($5,636).
It is also higher than in California ($5,124).
It is higher than the national figure ($3,119).
Sources
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 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
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — San Luis Obispo city, California
- Median Value (B25077), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — San Luis Obispo city, California
- Median Selected Monthly Owner Costs (B25088), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — San Luis Obispo city, California
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
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 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 B25103_001E, B25103_001M, B25077_001E, B25077_001M, B25088_002E, B25088_002M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
B25103_001E, B25103_001M, B25103_002E, B25103_002M, B25103_003E, B25103_003M, 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 .
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