Is San Luis Obispo, CA a Good Place to Live?
San Luis Obispo is a small city of 47,529 in California, with a median household income of $65,000 and a 6.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 111 (US average = 100), which is 11% above the national average.
Strengths: San Luis Obispo stands out for solid school ratings (A-), 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 San Luis Obispo is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All San Luis Obispo 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: 110.8San Luis Obispo's overall cost of living index is 110.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in San Luis Obispo costs roughly 11% more than the average American city.
| Metric | San Luis Obispo, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $841,700 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,850 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 38.0% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $65,000 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Near National AverageSan Luis Obispo's violent crime rate is 424.4 per 100,000 residents — 12% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
San Luis Obispo 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 | San Luis Obispo, 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 | 52.8% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 95.4% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
San Luis Obispo sees average highs of 65.0°F in January and 78.0°F in July, with 17.9 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | San Luis Obispo, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 65.0°F |
| Average High — July | 78.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | San Luis Obispo, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 47,529 | — |
| Median Age | 25.2 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 15.4 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 79.1% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.1% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 5.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 10.6% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 13.5% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: