San Luis Obispo, California
Among the top 2% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 3% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 98% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 44% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 84% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 59% of US places
- top 1% for comfortable days
- top 2% for walkability
- bottom 1% for estimated total tax burden
San Luis Obispo is a mid-size city in California with about 48,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include comfortable days, walkability, and commute time. It rates lower on income tax and estimated total tax burden.
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Cool winters · Dry
cool
comfortable
warm
comf.
cool
82%63%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.5 in0.1 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$65k54th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$71kbetter than 5% of US places
Home Value$842k97th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 8% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 7% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.61%better than 80% of US places
Income Tax13.30%better than 3% of US places
Sales Tax8.85%better than 19% of US places
Estimated total tax burden24.17%better than 1% of US places
Unemployment6.9%better than 26% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)52°F92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)67°F5th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation22.4 in16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 94% of US places
Sunny Days259 daysbetter than 77% of US places
Summer Humidity55°Fbetter than 84% of US places
Comfortable Days195 daysbetter than 99% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk67.8better than 47% of US places
Air Quality28 AQIbetter than 93% of US places
School Quality83.2better than 77% of US places
Violent Crime1411/100kbetter than 19% of US places
Property Crime3636/100kbetter than 4% of US places
Community
Population47,52997th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age25.24th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3670th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0361st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+1318th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)70.4%31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.3%61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)17.9%83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)5.1%91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.2%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time15 minbetter than 97% of US places
Walkability14.4/20better than 98% of US places
Airport Distance158 mibetter than 15% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.3%better than 69% of US places
Amenities Nearby58.70better than 43% of US places
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 56% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is San Luis Obispo an affordable place to live?
- San Luis Obispo is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $71k, better than 5% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in San Luis Obispo?
- The median home value in San Luis Obispo is $842k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in San Luis Obispo?
- Median household income in San Luis Obispo is $65k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in San Luis Obispo?
- Median gross rent in San Luis Obispo is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is San Luis Obispo safe?
- San Luis Obispo is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1411/100k (better than 19%). Property crime is 3636/100k.
- What is the weather like in San Luis Obispo?
- San Luis Obispo averages 67°F in July and 52°F in January, with 22.4 in of annual precipitation and about 259 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in San Luis Obispo?
- Public-school quality in San Luis Obispo 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?
- The average one-way commute in San Luis Obispo is 15 min.
Other places in San Luis Obispo County
Places near San Luis Obispo
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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)