San Luis Obispo County, California - Wikipedia

County in California, United States For the California wine region, see San Luis Obispo County wine. County in California, United States

San Luis Obispo County
County
Hearst Castle in San SimeonSan Luis ObispoMorro BayAvila BeachPaso RoblesCaliente Range from Carrizo Plain
FlagSealLogo
Motto: "Not For Ourselves Alone"
Interactive map of San Luis Obispo County
Location in the state of California
Country	United States
State	California
Region	California Central Coast
Incorporated	February 18, 1850[1]
Named after	Saint Louis, Bishop of Toulouse
County seat	San Luis Obispo
Largest city (Population)	San Luis Obispo
Largest city (Area)	Atascadero
Government
• Type	Council–Administration
• Body	San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors
• Chair[2]	Jimmy Paulding (D)
• Vice Chair[2]	Bruce Gibson (D)
• Supervisors[2]	List • John Peschong (R)District 1 • Bruce Gibson (D)District 2 • Dawn Ortiz-Legg (D)District 3 • Jimmy Paulding (D)District 4 • Heather Moreno (R)District 5
• County Administrator[3]	Wade Horton
Area
• Total	3,616 sq mi (9,370 km2)
• Land	3,299 sq mi (8,540 km2)
• Water	317 sq mi (820 km2)
Highest elevation[4]	5,109 ft (1,557 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	282,424
• Estimate (2024)	281,843
• Density	85.61/sq mi (33.05/km2)
GDP[5]
• Total	$21.713 billion (2022)
Time zone	UTC-08:00 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-07:00 (PDT)
Postal code	93420 93445 93433 93401 93405
Area code	805
Congressional districts	19th, 24th
Website	https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/

San Luis Obispo County (/sænˌluːɪsoʊˈbɪspoʊ/ ⓘ), officially the County of San Luis Obispo, is a county on the Central Coast of California. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 282,424.[6] The county seat is San Luis Obispo.[7]

Junípero Serra founded the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa in 1772, and San Luis Obispo grew around it. The small size of the county's communities, scattered along the beaches, coastal hills, and mountains of the Santa Lucia range, provides a wide variety of coastal and inland hill ecologies to support fishing, agriculture, and tourist activities.

California Polytechnic State University has almost 20,000 students. Tourism, especially for the wineries, is popular. Grapes and other agriculture products are an important part of the economy. San Luis Obispo County is the third largest producer of wine in California, surpassed only by Sonoma and Napa counties. Strawberries are the largest agricultural crop in the county.[8]

The town of San Simeon is located at the foot of the ridge where newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst built Hearst Castle. Other coastal towns (listed from north to south) include Cambria, Cayucos, Morro Bay, and Los Osos -Baywood Park. These cities and villages are located northwest of the city of San Luis Obispo. To the south are Avila Beach and the Five Cities region. The Five Cities originally were: Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach (then known as Grover City), Oceano, Fair Oaks and Halcyon. Today, the Five Cities region consists of Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, Arroyo Grande, Oceano, and Shell Beach (which is actually part of Pismo Beach), i.e., essentially the area from Pismo Beach to Oceano. Just south of the Five Cities, San Luis Obispo County borders northern Santa Barbara County. Inland, the cities of Paso Robles, Templeton, and Atascadero lie along the Salinas River, near the Paso Robles wine region. San Luis Obispo lies south of Atascadero and north of the Five Cities region.

History

[edit]

The prehistory of San Luis Obispo County is strongly influenced by the Chumash people. There has been significant settlement here at least as early as the Millingstone Horizon thousands of years ago. Important settlements existed in coastal areas such as Morro Bay and Los Osos.[9][10]

Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa was founded on September 1, 1772, in the area that is now the city of San Luis Obispo. The namesake of the mission, city and county is Saint Louis of Toulouse, the young bishop of Toulouse ("Obispo de Tolosa" in Spanish) in 1297.

San Luis Obispo County was one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood.

The Salinas River Valley, a region that figures strongly in several John Steinbeck novels, stretches north from San Luis Obispo County.

Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,616 square miles (9,370 km2), of which 3,299 square miles (8,540 km2) is land and 317 square miles (820 km2) (comprising 8.8%) is water.[11]

Climate

[edit]

San Luis Obispo County has three main climate types. BSk climate can mainly be found in the eastern portions of the county, along with certain smaller areas in the north. Csa climate can mainly be found in the central portions of the county, in communities such as Paso Robles. The rest of the county is made up of the Csb climate type. The Csb warm-summer mediterranean type climate together with the county's varied landscapes reminds visitors of European locales.[12]

Adjacent counties

[edit] San LuisObispo Monterey Kings Kern Santa Barbara PacificOcean Areas adjacent to San Luis Obispo County, California

National protected areas

[edit]

• Carrizo Plain National Monument (part)
• Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge (part)
• Los Padres National Forest (part)

Marine Protected Areas

[edit]

• Cambria State Marine Conservation Area
• Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary
• Morro Bay State Marine Recreational Management Area and Morro Bay State Marine Reserve
• Piedras Blancas State Marine Reserve and Marine Conservation Area
• Point Buchon State Marine Reserve and Marine Conservation Area
• White Rock (Cambria) State Marine Conservation Area

Demographics

[edit] Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	336	—
1860	1,782	430.4%
1870	4,772	167.8%
1880	9,142	91.6%
1890	16,072	75.8%
1900	16,637	3.5%
1910	19,383	16.5%
1920	21,893	12.9%
1930	29,613	35.3%
1940	33,246	12.3%
1950	51,417	54.7%
1960	81,044	57.6%
1970	105,690	30.4%
1980	155,435	47.1%
1990	217,162	39.7%
2000	246,681	13.6%
2010	269,637	9.3%
2020	282,424	4.7%
2024 (est.)	281,843	[13]	−0.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[14]1790–1960[15] 1900–1990[16]1990–2000[17] 2010[18] 2020[19]

2020 census

[edit]

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 282,424. The median age was 41.4 years. 17.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.2 males age 18 and over.[20][21]

The racial makeup of the county was 70.2% White, 1.6% Black or African American, 1.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.7% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 9.7% from some other race, and 13.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 24.0% of the population.[21]

80.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 19.1% lived in rural areas.[22]

There were 107,797 households in the county, of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 26.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[20]

There were 123,715 housing units, of which 12.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 61.5% were owner-occupied and 38.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.6%.[20]

Racial and ethnic composition

[edit] San Luis Obispo County, California – Racial and ethnic compositionNote: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 1980[23]	Pop 1990[24]	Pop 2000[25]	Pop 2010[18]	Pop 2020[19]	% 1980	% 1990	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	132,809	176,246	187,840	191,696	183,468	85.44%	81.16%	76.15%	71.09%	64.96%
Black or African American alone (NH)	2,649	4,325	4,743	5,128	4,330	1.70%	1.99%	1.92%	1.90%	1.53%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	1,786	1,652	1,490	1,367	1,136	1.15%	0.76%	0.60%	0.51%	0.40%
Asian alone (NH)	3,204	5,774	6,342	8,106	10,001	2.06%	2.66%	2.57%	3.01%	3.54%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)	x [26]	x [27]	227	346	340	0.09%	0.13%	0.09%	0.13%	0.12%
Other race alone (NH)	195	242	365	784	1,614	0.13%	0.11%	0.15%	0.29%	0.57%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	x [28]	x [29]	5,478	6,237	13,614	x	x	2.22%	2.31%	4.82%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	14,792	28,923	40,196	55,973	67,921	9.52%	13.32%	16.29%	20.76%	24.05%
Total	155,435	217,162	246,681	269,637	282,424	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

2010 census

[edit]

The 2010 United States census reported that San Luis Obispo County had a population of 269,637. The racial makeup of San Luis Obispo County was 222,756 (82.6%) White, 5,550 (2.1%) African American, 2,536 (0.9%) Native American, 8,507 (3.2%) Asian (1.0% Filipino, 0.6% Chinese, 0.4% Japanese, 0.3% Indian, 0.3% Korean, 0.2% Vietnamese), 389 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 19,786 (7.3%) from other races, and 10,113 (3.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 55,973 persons (20.8%); 17.7% of San Luis Obispo County is Mexican, 0.3% Puerto Rican, and 0.2% Salvadoran.[30]

Population reported at 2010 United States census
The County	TotalPopulation	White	AfricanAmerican	NativeAmerican	Asian	PacificIslander	otherraces	two ormore races	Hispanicor Latino(of any race)
San Luis Obispo County	269,637	222,756	5,550	2,536	8,507	389	19,786	10,113	55,973
Incorporatedcities	TotalPopulation	White	AfricanAmerican	NativeAmerican	Asian	PacificIslander	otherraces	two ormore races	Hispanicor Latino(of any race)
Arroyo Grande	17,252	14,710	156	125	595	14	856	796	2,707
Atascadero	28,310	24,457	585	295	685	57	1,205	1,026	4,429
Grover Beach	13,156	9,964	146	186	542	35	1,582	701	3,840
Morro Bay	10,234	8,909	44	92	258	9	613	309	1,526
Paso Robles	29,793	23,158	622	297	593	56	3,916	1,151	10,275
Pismo Beach	7,655	6,976	50	41	203	11	170	204	715
San Luis Obispo	45,119	38,117	523	275	2,350	65	1,973	1,816	6,626
Census-designatedplaces	TotalPopulation	White	AfricanAmerican	NativeAmerican	Asian	PacificIslander	otherraces	two ormore races	Hispanicor Latino(of any race)
Avila Beach	1,627	1,507	13	7	33	0	34	33	111
Blacklake	930	865	8	7	24	0	14	12	70
Callender	1,262	1,003	7	22	48	0	128	54	355
Cambria	6,032	5,166	18	47	78	14	557	152	1,187
Cayucos	2,592	2,366	6	12	54	8	57	89	207
Creston	94	89	0	2	1	0	0	2	6
Edna	193	185	0	3	0	0	5	0	22
Garden Farms	386	348	2	2	5	0	21	8	40
Lake Nacimiento	2,411	2,153	12	44	24	5	75	98	256
Los Berros	641	527	4	1	12	1	45	51	153
Los Osos	14,276	12,304	79	97	748	18	552	478	1,977
Los Ranchos	1,477	1,389	1	2	31	0	18	36	58
Nipomo	16,714	12,281	177	200	421	33	2,821	781	6,645
Oak Shores	337	318	3	2	4	0	4	6	31
Oceano	7,286	5,105	62	120	165	7	1,509	318	3,484
San Miguel	2,336	1,638	65	58	19	1	474	81	1,196
San Simeon	462	270	4	5	9	2	160	12	258
Santa Margarita	1,259	1,077	8	28	34	0	42	70	206
Shandon	1,295	840	34	18	7	2	352	42	693
Templeton	7,674	6,833	59	80	123	10	337	232	1,171
Whitley Gardens	285	260	1	6	1	0	13	4	43
Woodlands	576	541	7	0	18	1	3	6	27
Otherunincorporated areas	TotalPopulation	White	AfricanAmerican	NativeAmerican	Asian	PacificIslander	otherraces	two ormore races	Hispanicor Latino(of any race)
All others not CDPs (combined)	47,973	39,400	2,854	462	1,422	40	2,250	1,545	7,659

2000 census

[edit]

As of the census[31] of 2000, there were 246,681 residents, 92,739 households, and 58,611 families in the county. The population density was 75 people per square mile (29 people/km2). There were 102,275 housing units at an average density of 31 units per square mile (12 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 84.6% White, 2.0% Black or African American, 1.0% Native American, 2.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 6.2% from other races, and 3.4% from two or more races. 16.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 13.9% were of German, 11.4% English, 9.7% Irish, 6.1% American and 5.7% Italian ancestry according to Census 2000. 85.7% spoke English and 10.7% Spanish as their first language.

There were 92,739 households, out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.40% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.7% under the age of 18, 13.6% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 105.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.2 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,428, and the median income for a family was $52,447. Males had a median income of $40,726 versus $27,450 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,864. About 6.8% of families and 12.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

[edit]

The mainstays of the economy are California Polytechnic State University with its almost 20,000 students, tourism, and agriculture. The economic indicators reveal that San Luis Obispo County aligns closely with California regarding median household income and poverty rates. However, the county distinguishes itself through higher educational attainment and homeownership rates, alongside a distinctive employment sector composition favoring agriculture and related industries. Despite these strengths, the county is not immune to challenges, as evidenced by a housing market that is significantly more expensive than the rest of California and growing income inequality. San Luis Obispo County's economy is primarily a service economy. Service jobs account for 38% of the county's jobs, government jobs accounts for 20.7%, and manufacturing jobs represent 6% of the county's jobs.

San Luis Obispo County is the third largest producer of wine in California, surpassed only by Sonoma and Napa counties. Wine grapes are the second largest agricultural crop in the county (after strawberries),[8] and the wine production they support creates a direct economic impact and a growing wine country vacation industry.

The county led the state in hemp cultivation in 2018 as hundreds of acres of the crop were grown in research partnerships.[32] In 2019, nine agricultural research permits were still active. Sixteen commercial permits were issued before a temporary ban on new applications running through June 2020 was passed by the Board of Supervisors.[33]

Media

[edit]

The San Luis Obispo Pioneer was the first newspaper published in San Luis Obispo County, California, between January 1, 1868, and December 1869. It was a weekly, owned and edited by Rome G. Vickers.[34] Vickers began the newspaper by announcing that it would be nonpartisan, but in the 1868 presidential election, he endorsed the Democratic Party ticket headed by Horatio Seymour, thus losing support from Republicans and paving the way for the successful launch in 1870 of the San Luis Obispo Tribune, which is still being published.[34] Vickers, who one article said came from New Orleans, Louisiana but was not, was 26 years old when he began the four-page Pioneer. The newspaper was said to be racist in tone and Vickers' writing was "often reactive, mean, poorly sourced and boastful." After the paper folded, the publisher moved to San Francisco.[34] The Pioneer, did, however, publish the first newspaper extra in the county's history, concerning the destruction of the coastal steamer Sierra Nevada, which ran ashore north of Piedras Blancas, California, in 1869.[34]

Politics

[edit]

Voter registration

[edit]

Population and registered voters
Total population[35]	267,871
Registered voters[36][note 1][37]	184,744	58.4%
Democratic[36]	70,180	38%
Republican[36]	63,687	34.5%
Democratic–Republican spread[36]	+6,493	+3.5%
American Independent[36]	7,116	3.9%
Green[36]	972	0.5%
Libertarian[36]	2,401	1.3%
Peace and Freedom[36]	566	0.3%
Other[36]	1,752	1%
No party preference[36]	37,366	20.2%

Cities by population and voter registration

[edit]

Cities by population and voter registration
City	Population[35]	Registered voters[36][note 1]	Democratic[36]	Republican[36]	D–R spread[36]	Other[36]	No party preference[36]
Arroyo Grande	17,132	65.5%	34.2%	41.8%	-7.6%	8.1%	18.7%
Atascadero	28,194	58.9%	30.8%	43.9%	-13.1%	8.2%	19.8%
El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles)	29,270	52.1%	29.6%	45.3%	-15.7%	8.2%	19.9%
Grover Beach	13,175	50.6%	37.3%	34.0%	+3.3%	9.3%	22.5%
Morro Bay	10,263	68.4%	39.5%	31.6%	+7.9%	9.5%	22.2%
Pismo Beach	7,753	70.4%	32.2%	41.5%	-9.3%	8.9%	20.3%
San Luis Obispo	45,130	59.2%	40.0%	29.1%	+10.9%	9.0%	24.6%

Overview

[edit]

San Luis Obispo County leaned toward the Republican Party in presidential and congressional elections during most of the 20th century; it has, however, become more Democratic starting in the 2000s. In 2008, Barack Obama won the county with 51.2 percent of the vote.[38] Prior to 2008, the last Democrat to win a majority in the county was Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, although Bill Clinton won a plurality in 1992. In 2012, Obama again won the county, this time with a slim plurality of the vote. Hillary Clinton won with a larger plurality in 2016; and in 2020, Joe Biden won a solid 55% of the vote, the largest for any Democrat since Johnson.

United States presidential election results for San Luis Obispo County, California[39]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
1880	830	47.81%	729	41.99%	177	10.20%
1884	1,233	51.44%	1,069	44.60%	95	3.96%
1888	1,689	49.68%	1,585	46.62%	126	3.71%
1892	1,433	38.10%	1,199	31.88%	1,129	30.02%
1896	1,671	43.74%	2,056	53.82%	93	2.43%
1900	1,564	45.81%	1,713	50.18%	137	4.01%
1904	2,015	54.95%	1,167	31.82%	485	13.23%
1908	2,008	50.76%	1,381	34.91%	567	14.33%
1912	13	0.23%	2,248	40.48%	3,292	59.28%
1916	2,854	40.20%	3,539	49.85%	706	9.95%
1920	4,123	61.31%	1,606	23.88%	996	14.81%
1924	3,804	49.01%	731	9.42%	3,226	41.57%
1928	5,425	60.82%	3,336	37.40%	159	1.78%
1932	3,449	28.59%	7,933	65.77%	680	5.64%
1936	4,812	37.28%	7,889	61.13%	205	1.59%
1940	7,204	45.25%	8,499	53.39%	217	1.36%
1944	7,793	48.90%	8,068	50.63%	75	0.47%
1948	10,325	53.49%	8,135	42.14%	844	4.37%
1952	17,716	65.37%	9,174	33.85%	213	0.79%
1956	16,223	58.47%	11,407	41.11%	118	0.43%
1960	17,862	54.04%	14,975	45.30%	218	0.66%
1964	14,906	40.08%	22,252	59.84%	28	0.08%
1968	19,420	51.27%	15,828	41.78%	2,633	6.95%
1972	28,566	55.98%	20,779	40.72%	1,688	3.31%
1976	27,785	51.17%	24,926	45.91%	1,587	2.92%
1980	38,631	55.56%	20,508	29.50%	10,388	14.94%
1984	49,035	63.72%	26,946	35.02%	969	1.26%
1988	46,613	55.85%	35,667	42.73%	1,187	1.42%
1992	36,384	34.78%	40,136	38.36%	28,099	26.86%
1996	46,733	46.50%	40,395	40.19%	13,372	13.31%
2000	56,859	52.22%	44,526	40.89%	7,501	6.89%
2004	67,995	52.69%	58,742	45.52%	2,313	1.79%
2008	61,055	45.85%	68,176	51.20%	3,924	2.95%
2012	59,967	47.61%	61,258	48.63%	4,741	3.76%
2016	56,164	40.94%	67,107	48.91%	13,931	10.15%
2020	67,436	42.22%	88,310	55.29%	3,968	2.48%
2024	64,932	43.05%	81,314	53.92%	4,566	3.03%

With respect to the United States House of Representatives, San Luis Obispo County is mostly in California's 24th congressional district, represented by Democrat Salud Carbajal, with the northern part of the county in California's 19th congressional district, represented by Democrat Jimmy Panetta.[40] From 2003 until 2013, the county was split between the Bakersfield-based 22nd district, which was represented by Republican Kevin McCarthy and included Paso Robles and most of the more conservative inland areas of the county, and Lois Capps' 23rd district, a strip which included most of the county's more liberal coastal areas as well as coastal areas of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

With respect to the California State Senate, the county is mostly in the 17th senatorial district, represented by Democrat John Laird, with part in the 21st senatorial district, represented by Democrat Monique Limón. With respect to the California State Assembly, the county is mostly in the 30th Assembly district, represented by Democrat Dawn Addis, with part in the 37th Assembly district, represented by Democrat Gregg Hart.[41]

In April 2008, the California Secretary of State reported that there were 147,326 registered voters in San Luis Obispo County. Of those voters, 61,226 (41.6%) were registered Republicans, 52,586 (35.7%) were registered Democratic, 8,030 (5.4%) are registered with other political parties, and 25,484 (17.3%) declined to state a political preference. The cities of Grover Beach, Morro Bay, and San Luis Obispo had pluralities or majorities of registered Democratic voters, whereas the rest of the county's towns, cities, and the unincorporated areas have a plurality or majority of registered Republican voters.[citation needed]

Crime

[edit]

The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense.

Population and crime rates
Population[35]	267,871
Violent crime[42]	694	2.59
Homicide[42]	4	0.01
Forcible rape[42]	89	0.33
Robbery[42]	106	0.40
Aggravated assault[42]	495	1.85
Property crime[42]	3,009	11.23
Burglary[42]	1,433	5.35
Larceny-theft[42][43]	4,169	15.56
Motor vehicle theft[42]	375	1.40
Arson[42]	88	0.33

Cities by population and crime rates

[edit]

Cities by population and crime rates
City	Population[44]	Violent crimes[44]	Violent crime rateper 1,000 persons	Property crimes[44]	Property crime rateper 1,000 persons
Arroyo Grande	17,568	60	3.42	358	20.38
Atascadero	28,825	192	6.66	658	22.83
Grover Beach	13,398	32	2.39	306	22.84
Morro Bay	10,423	21	2.01	140	13.43
Paso Robles	30,344	91	3.00	777	25.61
Pismo Beach	7,798	36	4.62	305	39.11
San Luis Obispo	45,947	119	2.59	1,971	42.90

Fire protection

[edit] San Luis Obispo County Fire Department

Agency overview
Annual calls	Approximately 20,000
Annual budget	25 million
Facilities and equipment
Battalions	5
Stations	21
Engines	17 - first run 5 - reserve
Rescues	2
Tenders	3
HAZMAT	1
USAR	2
Airport crash	2
Wildland	2 - type 3
Light and air	1
Website
Official website

In unincorporated parts of the county, fire protection and emergency response services have been provided by the San Luis Obispo County Fire Department, through a cooperative agreement with CAL FIRE, since 1930. The county fire department also serves Los Osos, Oceano, and Avila Beach.[45] The city of San Luis Obispo is served by the San Luis Obispo City Fire Department.

Transportation

[edit]

Major highways

[edit]

• U.S. Route 101
• State Route 1
• State Route 33
• State Route 41
• State Route 46
• State Route 58
• State Route 166
• State Route 227
• State Route 229

Public transportation

[edit]

San Luis Obispo County is served by Amtrak trains and Greyhound Lines buses. The San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority provides countywide service along US 101 as well as service to Morro Bay, Los Osos, Cambria and San Simeon.

The cities of San Luis Obispo, Atascadero and Paso Robles operate their own local bus services; all of these connect with SLORTA routes.

Intercity service is provided by Amtrak trains, Greyhound Lines and Orange Belt Stages buses.

The Amtrak Thruway 18 provides a daily connection to Visalia on the east, and Santa Maria on the west, with several stops in between.[46]

FlixBus boards from the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum at 1940 Santa Barbara Avenue.

Airports

[edit]

• San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP) is located just south of the City of San Luis Obispo. Commercial flights are available.
• Paso Robles Municipal Airport (PRB) is located north-east of the City of Paso Robles and is home to California Highway Patrol, CAL-FIRE and the Estrella Warbirds Museum.
• Oceano County Airport (L52) is located on the coast in the 5 Cities area.

Future

[edit]

In the future, SR 46 may be considered for a possible westward expansion of Interstate 40 via SR 58 from Barstow to Bakersfield, from Bakersfield to I-5 via Westside Parkway, and then following SR 46 to Paso Robles.[47] SR 46 is slowly being upgraded to Interstate standards, minus overpasses between Interstate 5 and US Route 101.[clarification needed]

Education

[edit]

School districts include:

K-12 unified:[48]

• Atascadero Unified School District
• Coast Unified School District (some areas for PK-12, some for 9-12 only)
• Cuyama Joint Unified School District
• Lucia Mar Unified School District
• Paso Robles Joint Unified School District (some areas for PK-12, some for 9-12 only)
• San Luis Coastal Unified School District
• Shandon Joint Unified School District
• Templeton Unified School District

Elementary:[48]

• Cayucos Elementary School District
• Pleasant Valley Joint Union Elementary School District
• San Miguel Joint Union Elementary School District

Communities

[edit]

Cities

[edit]

• Arroyo Grande
• Atascadero
• Grover Beach
• Morro Bay
• Paso Robles
• Pismo Beach
• San Luis Obispo (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

[edit]

• Avila Beach[note 2]
• Baywood Park
• Blacklake[note 2]
• California Polytechnic State University[note 2]
• California Valley
• Callender[note 2]
• Cambria[note 2]
• Cayucos[note 2]
• Creston[note 2]
• Cholame
• Edna[note 2]
• Garden Farms[note 2]
• Halcyon
• Harmony
• Huasna
• Lake Nacimiento[note 2]
• Los Berros[note 2]
• Los Osos[note 2]
• Los Ranchos[note 2]
• Nipomo[note 2]
• Oak Shores[note 2]
• Oceano[note 2]
• Pozo
• San Miguel[note 2]
• San Simeon[note 2]
• Santa Margarita[note 2]
• Shandon[note 2]
• Templeton[note 2]
• Whitley Gardens[note 2]
• Woodlands[note 2]

Population ranking

[edit]

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of San Luis Obispo County.[49]

† county seat

Rank	City/Town/etc.	Municipal type	Population (2020 Census)
1	† San Luis Obispo	City	47,063
2	Paso Robles (El Paso de Robles)	City	31,490
3	Atascadero	City	29,773
4	Arroyo Grande	City	18,441
5	Nipomo	CDP	18,176
6	Los Osos	CDP	14,465
7	Grover Beach	City	12,701
8	Morro Bay	City	10,757
9	Templeton	CDP	8,386
10	Pismo Beach	City	8,072
11	Oceano	CDP	7,183
12	Cambria	CDP	5,678
13	San Miguel	CDP	3,172
14	Lake Nacimiento	CDP	2,956
15	Cayucos	CDP	2,505
16	Woodlands	CDP	1,933
17	Avila Beach	CDP	1,576
18	Los Ranchos	CDP	1,516
19	Santa Margarita	CDP	1,291
20	Callender	CDP	1,282
21	Shandon	CDP	1,168
22	Blacklake	CDP	1,016
23	Los Berros	CDP	623
24	Garden Farms	CDP	449
25	San Simeon	CDP	445
26	Whitley Gardens	CDP	325
27	Oak Shores	CDP	316
28	Edna	CDP	184
29	Creston	CDP	98

See also

[edit]

• San Luis Obispo County Search and Rescue
• List of museums in the California Central Coast
• List of school districts in San Luis Obispo County, California
• National Register of Historic Places listings in San Luis Obispo County, California
• Dalidio Ranch Project, a development proposal in San Luis Obispo County
• Amphibious Training Base Morro Bay

Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b Percentage of registered voters with respect to total population. Percentages of party members with respect to registered voters follow.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w For statistical purposes, defined by the United States Census Bureau as a census-designated place (CDP).

Footnotes

[edit]

1. ^ "Chronology". California State Association of Counties. Archived from the original on January 29, 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
2. ^ a b c "Board of Supervisors - County of San Luis Obispo".
3. ^ "Contact - County of San Luis Obispo".
4. ^ "Caliente Mountain". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
5. ^ "Total Gross Domestic Product for San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA (MSA)". Federal Reserve Economic Data. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
6. ^ "San Luis Obispo County, California". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
7. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
8. ^ a b Settevendemie, Marty. "2020 Crop Report" (PDF). San Luis Obispo County Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 8, 2022. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
9. ^ Terry L. Jones and Kathryn Klar (2007) California Prehistory: Colonization, Culture, and Complexity, Published by Rowman Altamira ISBN 0-7591-0872-2, 408 pages
10. ^ C. Michael Hogan (2008) Morro Creek, ed. by A. Burnham
11. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
12. ^ "Places in San Luis Obispo County that look like Europe, Africa, & South America". www.slocal.com. March 2, 2021. Archived from the original on March 9, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
13. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
14. ^ "Census of Population and Housing from 1790-2000". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
15. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
16. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
17. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
18. ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – San Luis Obispo County, California". United States Census Bureau.
19. ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – San Luis Obispo County, California". United States Census Bureau.
20. ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
21. ^ a b "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
22. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
23. ^ "California: 1980, General Social and Economic Characteristics, Part 1 - Table 59: Persons by Race, Hispanic Origin, and Sex" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
24. ^ "California: 1990, Part 1 - Table 5: Race and Hispanic Origin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
25. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – San Luis Obispo County, California". United States Census Bureau.
26. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
27. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
28. ^ not an option in the 1980 Census
29. ^ not an option in the 1990 Census
30. ^ "2010 Census P.L. 94-171 Summary File Data". United States Census Bureau.
31. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
32. ^ Vaughan, Monica (June 18, 2019). "Hemp could be big money for SLO County farmers. Did politicians scare away investors?". San Luis Obispo Tribune. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
33. ^ Wilson, Nick (October 31, 2019). "SLO County hemp harvest is in full swing, but here's why it's not as big as it could be". San Luis Obispo Tribune. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
34. ^ a b c d David Middlecamp, "Racist Editor Launched SLO's First Newspaper 150 Years Ago. It Lasted 24 Months," The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, January 6, 2018, pages 3A and 5A
35. ^ a b c U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B02001. U.S. Census website. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
36. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p California Secretary of State. February 10, 2013 - Report of Registration Archived July 27, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
37. ^ "Report of Registration as of August 30, 2021 - Registration by County" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 11, 2021.
38. ^ Map of Election Results, County-by-County: The New York Times
39. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
40. ^ "California's 24th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
41. ^ "Final Maps | California Citizens Redistricting Commission". Retrieved November 4, 2025.
42. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Office of the Attorney General, Department of Justice, State of California. Table 11: Crimes – 2009 Archived December 2, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 14, 2013.
43. ^ Only larceny-theft cases involving property over $400 in value are reported as property crimes.
44. ^ a b c United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Crime in the United States, 2012, Table 8 (California). Retrieved November 14, 2013.
45. ^ "San Luis Obispo County Fire Department". calfireslo.org. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
46. ^ "Route18 - Amtrak San Joaquins". Archived from the original on December 1, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
47. ^ Report on the Status of the Federal-Aid Highway Program. United States Senate. April 15, 1970. p. 89.
48. ^ a b Geography Division (December 18, 2020). "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: San Luis Obispo County, CA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved June 1, 2025. - Text list
49. ^ "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 27, 2021.

Further reading

[edit]

• Charles Montville Gidney, Benjamin Brooks, and Edwin M. Sheridan, History of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura Counties, California. In Two Volumes. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1917. Volume 1 | Volume 2
• Yda Addis Storke, A Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura, California... Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1891.

External links

[edit] Wikimedia Commons has media related to San Luis Obispo County, California.

35°23′N 120°27′W / 35.38°N 120.45°W / 35.38; -120.45

v t e Municipalities and communities of San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
County seat: San Luis Obispo
Cities	Arroyo Grande Atascadero Grover Beach Morro Bay Paso Robles Pismo Beach San Luis Obispo
CDPs	Avila Beach Blacklake California Polytechnic State University Callender Cambria Cayucos Creston Edna Garden Farms Lake Nacimiento Los Berros Los Osos Los Ranchos Nipomo Oak Shores Oceano San Miguel San Simeon Santa Margarita Shandon Templeton Whitley Gardens Woodlands
Unincorporatedcommunities	Adelaida Asuncion Baywood-Los Osos Bee Rock California Valley Cambria Pines Cholame Halcyon Harmony Huasna Pozo Simmler
Ghost towns	La Panza
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v t e California Central Coast
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Cities and towns100k-250k	Oxnard Salinas Santa Maria Ventura
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Cities and towns10k-25k	Arroyo Grande Capitola Carpinteria Greenfield Grover Beach Isla Vista King City Live Oak Los Osos Marina Montecito Morro Bay Nipomo Pacific Grove Port Hueneme Prunedale Scotts Valley
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