What percentage of people rent in San Luis Obispo, CA?

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

59.7% (±2.0 points) of the occupied homes in San Luis Obispo, CA are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 12,213 renting households against 8,228 that own their home.

In San Luis Obispo, the share of households that rent went from 61.2% in 2015–2019 to 59.7% in 2020–2024 (−1.5 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 59.7% (±2.0 points)
Renting households: 12,213 (±646)
Median renter income: $48,522 (±$4,137)

Who rents and who owns in San Luis Obispo

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	San Luis Obispo	San Luis Obispo County	California	United States
Renter-occupied share	59.7% (±2.0 points)	37.9% (±1.0 points)	44.1% (±0.2 points)	34.8%
Renting households	12,213 (±646)	41,517 (±1,182)	5,980,523 (±22,985)	45,017,354
Owning households	8,228 (±457)	67,986 (±1,080)	7,567,568 (±37,334)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	2.4 (±0.1)	2.4 (±0.1)	2.7 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	2.2 (±0.1)	2.5 (±0.0)	3.0 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$48,522 (±$4,137)	$65,806 (±$3,300)	$71,186 (±$298)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$130,467 (±$12,198)	$121,308 (±$2,885)	$127,456 (±$424)	$100,009

In San Luis Obispo, the renter share is higher than in San Luis Obispo County (37.9%).

It is also higher than in California (44.1%).

It is higher than the national figure (34.8%).

In San Luis Obispo County, San Luis Obispo ranks 1 of 22 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 78 of 1,076.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How renting in San Luis Obispo has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	61.2% (±1.8 points)	59.7% (±2.0 points)	−1.5 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Median gross rent	$1,575 (±$52)	$1,965 (±$82)	+24.8%	No measurable change after inflation
Median household income	$56,071 (±$3,576)	$73,685 (±$7,262)	+31.4%	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.

Households that rent in places near San Luis Obispo

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with San Luis Obispo
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
San Luis Obispo	—	59.7% (±2.0 points)	—
California Polytechnic State University	2.8 mi	39.4% (±34.0 points)	Not measurably different
Los Ranchos	4.3 mi	6.1% (±7.8 points)	Lower
Avila Beach	5.5 mi	13.5% (±11.4 points)	Lower
Pismo Beach	7.8 mi	35.4% (±5.8 points)	Lower
Santa Margarita	9.2 mi	46.8% (±32.8 points)	Not measurably different
Los Osos	9.2 mi	27.1% (±5.2 points)	Lower
Grover Beach	10 mi	49.5% (±7.4 points)	Lower
Arroyo Grande	11 mi	39.4% (±4.9 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Los Ranchos, CA (6.1%), Avila Beach, CA (13.5%), Pismo Beach, CA (35.4%).

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

Households that rent across San Luis Obispo County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
1	San Luis Obispo	59.7% (±2.0 points)
2	Grover Beach	49.5% (±7.4 points)
3	Santa Margarita	46.8% (±32.8 points)
4	San Miguel (San Luis Obispo County)	42.0% (±14.5 points)
5	Callender	39.8% (±23.0 points)
6	Cayucos	39.6% (±10.4 points)
7 (tie)	Arroyo Grande	39.4% (±4.9 points)

Showing 7 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 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).

Is renting growing in San Luis Obispo?

In San Luis Obispo, the share of households that rent went from 61.2% in 2015–2019 to 59.7% in 2020–2024 (−1.5 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How big are renting households in San Luis Obispo?

A renting household in San Luis Obispo has 2.4 people on average, against 2.2 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in San Luis Obispo?

The median renting household in San Luis Obispo, CA has an income of $48,522 (±$4,137) a year, against $130,467 for households that own their home.

Sources

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 DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M

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.