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.
- The median home value in San Luis Obispo County is $727k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in San Luis Obispo County is $90k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in San Luis Obispo County is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- San Luis Obispo County has a violent crime rate of 886/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in San Luis Obispo County is 22 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
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$67kbetter than 9% 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 100% 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
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)
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. Median rent is $2k.
- 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.