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Is Morro Bay, CA a Good Place to Live?
Morro Bay is a small city of 10,766 in California, with a median household income of $88,547 and a 9.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Morro Bay stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Morro Bay is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Morro Bay city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 112.2Morro Bay's overall cost of living index is 112.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Morro Bay costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Morro Bay, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $802,700 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,734 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.7% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $88,547 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageMorro Bay's violent crime rate is 294.3 per 100,000 residents — 23% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Morro Bay is served primarily by San Luis Coastal Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.3:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Morro Bay, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | San Luis Coastal Unified | — |
| Elementary Schools | 9 | — |
| Middle Schools | 3 | — |
| High Schools | 3 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 21.3:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 43.2% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 93.4% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Morro Bay sees average highs of 65.1°F in January and 67.2°F in July, with 17.0 inches of annual precipitation and 0.1 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Morro Bay, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 65.1°F |
| Average High — July | 67.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" |
Demographics
| Metric | Morro Bay, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,766 | — |
| Median Age | 52.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 9.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 21.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 78.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.2% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.9% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 5.4% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 12.5% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 28.6% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Morro Bay
Morro Bay, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: