San Luis Obispo County, California
Among the top 1% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 3% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 99% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 24% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 75% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 49% of US counties
- top 1% for comfortable days
- top 6% for walkability
- bottom 1% for estimated total tax burden
San Luis Obispo County is a county in California with about 282,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include comfortable days, walkability, and broadband access. It rates lower on income tax and estimated total tax burden.
Official websiteslocounty.ca.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Cool winters · Dry
cool
comfortable
warm
comf.
cool
82%62%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.6 in0.1 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$90k94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$71kbetter than 2% of US counties
Home Value$727k99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 2% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 2% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.70%better than 64% of US counties
Income Tax13.30%better than 1% of US counties
Sales Tax8.85%better than 17% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden21.84%better than 1% of US counties
Unemployment5.0%better than 45% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)52°F92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)67°F5th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation18.0 in10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 92% of US counties
Sunny Days259 daysbetter than 75% of US counties
Summer Humidity55°Fbetter than 86% of US counties
Comfortable Days168 daysbetter than 99% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk95.9better than 4% of US counties
Air Quality47 AQIbetter than 26% of US counties
School Quality72.8better than 77% of US counties
Violent Crime886/100kbetter than 43% of US counties
Property Crime1765/100kbetter than 19% of US counties
Community
Population281,71292nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.036th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3965th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0267th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+1311th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)66.9%31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.2%40th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)23.4%87th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)3.4%91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.2%80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time22 minbetter than 71% of US counties
Walkability10.4/20better than 94% of US counties
Airport Distance150 mibetter than 26% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.4%better than 93% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 49% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is San Luis Obispo County an affordable place to live?
- San Luis Obispo County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $71k, better than 2% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in San Luis Obispo County?
- The median home value in San Luis Obispo County is $727k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in San Luis Obispo County?
- Median household income in San Luis Obispo County is $90k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in San Luis Obispo County?
- Median gross rent in San Luis Obispo County is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is San Luis Obispo County safe?
- San Luis Obispo County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 886/100k (better than 43%). Property crime is 1765/100k.
- What is the weather like in San Luis Obispo County?
- San Luis Obispo County averages 67°F in July and 52°F in January, with 18.0 in of annual precipitation and about 259 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in San Luis Obispo County?
- Public-school quality in San Luis Obispo County is above average, scoring better than 77% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in San Luis Obispo County?
- The average one-way commute in San Luis Obispo County is 22 min.
Other counties in California
Explore California
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)