HomeCaliforniaSan Luis Obispo County
San Luis Obispo County, California: commercial real estate data.
San Luis Obispo County, California had an estimated 281,843 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 282,448, across 3,299 square miles. County output reached $24.51 bn in 2024, 8,962 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 382 7(a) approvals worth $250.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
San Luis Obispo County
How many people live in San Luis Obispo County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024281,555
- Households109,503
- Average household size2.57
- Median household income$97,446
- Median age40.4
- Median gross rent$1,992 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$824,700
- Home value to household income8.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income24.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher39.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree15.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over190,352
- Population under 1849,244
- Share under 1817.5 percent
- Population 65 and over62,338
- Share 65 and over22.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64169,973
- Civilian labor force138,011
- Unemployment rate5.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over59.4 percent
- Rank by population among California counties24th of 58
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included256th of 3,222
San Luis Obispo County is the 24th largest of 58 California counties by population. A median home costs 8.5 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 22.1 percent against 17.5 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
San Luis Obispo County
Is San Luis Obispo County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024281,843
- Census 2020 base population282,448
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.21 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-164
- Births, 20242,226
- Deaths, 20242,553
- Natural change, 2024-327
- Net domestic migration, 2024-678
- Net international migration, 2024841
- Total net migration, 2024163
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-1,135
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1914th of 3,144
The county has lost 0.21 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 by more than net migration added, so the population fell even though more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
San Luis Obispo County
Where are people moving to San Luis Obispo County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving6,742
- People arriving, from those returns10,672
- Tax returns filed by households leaving7,034
- Net household movement-292
- Adjusted gross income arriving$701.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$100.1 m
- Average income of an arriving household$103,982
- Average income of a leaving household$85,441
- Largest single originSanta Barbara County (811 households)
- Largest single destinationSanta Barbara County (709 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Barbara County | 811 | 1,412 | $55.5 m |
| Los Angeles County | 688 | 1,047 | $80.0 m |
| Kern County | 335 | 521 | $25.0 m |
| Fresno County | 300 | 499 | $31.9 m |
| Orange County | 285 | 441 | $35.7 m |
| San Diego County | 278 | 404 | $23.3 m |
| Santa Clara County | 277 | 458 | $57.5 m |
| Ventura County | 185 | 287 | $27.1 m |
Households arriving report $18,541 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Santa Barbara County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
San Luis Obispo County
What is the San Luis Obispo County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$24.51 bn
- County GDP, 2023$23.06 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.3 percent
- GDP change over five years34.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among the California areas BEA publishes24th of 58
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes221st of 3,127
- GDP per resident$87,036
Output grew 6.3 percent in the latest year and 34.8 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
San Luis Obispo County
Employment by industry in San Luis Obispo County
- Covered employment, annual average121,958
- Establishments reporting11,662
- Average annual pay$61,334
- Average weekly wage$1,179
- Accommodation and food services, employment18,585
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$30,411
- Health care and social assistance, employment15,923
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$61,183
- Retail trade, employment13,392
- Retail trade, average annual pay$43,803
- Construction, employment8,820
- Construction, average annual pay$78,745
- Manufacturing, employment8,323
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment5,682
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 18,585 | 1,043 | $30,411 |
| Health care and social assistance | 15,923 | 3,019 | $61,183 |
| Retail trade | 13,392 | 992 | $43,803 |
| Construction | 8,820 | 1,174 | $78,745 |
| Manufacturing | 8,323 | 531 | $67,441 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 5,682 | 294 | $39,914 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 5,582 | 1,072 | $92,724 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 4,511 | 511 | $51,057 |
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 18,585 jobs, 15.2 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
San Luis Obispo County
How many businesses are in San Luis Obispo County?
- Establishments, all industries8,962
- Employment at those establishments98,720
- Annual payroll$5.70 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents31.8
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
San Luis Obispo County
Building permits in San Luis Obispo County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20241,104
- Declared construction value permitted$282.2 m
- Single family units authorized821
- Multifamily units authorized283
- Multifamily share of units25.6 percent
- Average declared value per unit$255,612
- Units authorized per 1,000 households10.1
Single-family homes are 74.4 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
San Luis Obispo County
SBA loans in San Luis Obispo County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded382
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$250.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$655,204
- Median 7(a) approval$321,850
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,740,400
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)4,957
- Jobs per approval13.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active74
- Distinct industries receiving approvals167
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer22.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms85
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter283
- Franchise loans21
- Franchise share of approvals5.5 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (21)
- Most active lenderAmerican Riviera Bank (40)
- 504 approvals recorded179
- 504 gross approval dollars$134.5 m
- Average 504 approval$751,385
- Median 504 approval$524,000
- Distinct CDCs active12
- 504 jobs per approval11.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved14.8
- Most active CDCCen Cal Business Finance Group (90)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$384.8 m
The average approval of $655,204 sits well above the median of $321,850, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 22.3 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
San Luis Obispo County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in San Luis Obispo County
Do SBA loans in San Luis Obispo County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded69
- Paid in full68
- Charged off1
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans1.4 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure246
- Status: Paid in full68
- Status: Cancelled48
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed19
Of the 69 loans that have reached a final outcome, 1.4 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
San Luis Obispo County
SBA lending by place in San Luis Obispo County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending17
- San Luis Obispo, approvals125
- Paso Robles, approvals65
- Atascadero, approvals55
- Arroyo Grande, approvals36
- Nipomo, approvals19
- Morro Bay, approvals18
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo | 125 | $85,687,500 |
| Paso Robles | 65 | $47,475,800 |
| Atascadero | 55 | $35,864,300 |
| Arroyo Grande | 36 | $19,185,600 |
| Nipomo | 19 | $5,001,100 |
| Morro Bay | 18 | $11,894,300 |
| Grover Beach | 16 | $10,148,000 |
| Pismo Beach | 10 | $11,394,200 |
| 9 other borrower cities | 38 | $23,637,200 |
San Luis Obispo accounts for 125 approvals against 65 in Paso Robles. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
San Luis Obispo County
How large is San Luis Obispo County?
- Land area3,299 sq mi
- Rank by land area among California counties16th of 58
- Width, east to west105.7 mi
- Height, north to south62 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land85
- Establishments per square mile2.72
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
San Luis Obispo County
Flood risk in San Luis Obispo County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community San Luis Obispo County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 060304
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book8
- Of those, participating in the NFIP8
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 7
- Communities carrying a CRS class2
- Radon levels in San Luis Obispo County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated San Luis Obispo County (community 060304), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places San Luis Obispo County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 7, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a San Luis Obispo County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a San Luis Obispo County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024281,555
- Households109,503
- Average household size2.57
- Median household income$97,446
- Median age40.4
Common questions
San Luis Obispo County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in San Luis Obispo County, California?
The Census Bureau estimates 281,843 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 281,555, in 109,503 households, ranking 24th of 58 California counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is San Luis Obispo County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.21 percent since the 2020 census base of 282,448, to 281,843 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 2,226 births against 2,553 deaths, with net migration of 163. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in San Luis Obispo County?
$97,446. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $824,700, which is 8.5 times income, and median gross rent is $1,992 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in San Luis Obispo County?
8,962 establishments, employing 98,720 people with an annual payroll of $5.70 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in San Luis Obispo County?
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 18,585 jobs, 15.2 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 121,958 jobs at an average annual pay of $61,334, or $1,179 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in San Luis Obispo County?
382 7(a) approvals totaling $250.3 m since FY2020, across 74 lenders, with a median approval of $321,850, plus 179 504 approvals worth $134.5 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in San Luis Obispo County get paid back?
Of the 69 loans that have reached a final outcome, 68 were paid in full and 1 charged off, a charge-off rate of 1.4 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in San Luis Obispo County?
1,104 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $282.2 m. Multifamily was 25.6 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for San Luis Obispo County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to San Luis Obispo County come from?
The largest single origin is Santa Barbara County, with 811 households. Arriving households report an average income of $103,982 against $85,441 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for San Luis Obispo County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for San Luis Obispo County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
San Luis Obispo County
Cities and places in San Luis Obispo.
30 Census places lie wholly or partly in San Luis Obispo County. All 30 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo | city | 48,491 | 125 | Wholly in this county |
| El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles) | city | 31,446 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Atascadero | city | 29,712 | 55 | Wholly in this county |
| Arroyo Grande | city | 18,372 | 36 | Wholly in this county |
| Nipomo | CDP | 17,516 | 19 | Wholly in this county |
| Los Osos | CDP | 14,166 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Grover Beach | city | 12,604 | 16 | Wholly in this county |
| Morro Bay | city | 10,692 | 18 | Wholly in this county |
| Templeton | CDP | 9,580 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Pismo Beach | city | 8,014 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| California Polytechnic State University | CDP | 7,915 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Oceano | CDP | 7,128 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cambria | CDP | 5,978 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Nacimiento | CDP | 3,339 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| San Miguel | CDP | 3,227 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Cayucos | CDP | 2,427 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Callender | CDP | 2,230 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Woodlands | CDP | 2,061 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Los Ranchos | CDP | 1,467 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Avila Beach | CDP | 1,303 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Shandon | CDP | 1,169 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Santa Margarita | CDP | 1,149 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Blacklake | CDP | 983 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Edna | CDP | 330 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Whitley Gardens | CDP | 244 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Garden Farms | CDP | 241 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| San Simeon | CDP | 217 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Los Berros | CDP | 145 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Oak Shores | CDP | 128 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Creston | CDP | 0 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
A further 65 of the county's 382 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in San Luis Obispo County, the largest being Paso Robles (65). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby