San Luis Obispo County, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
San Luis Obispo County
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| County of San Luis Obispo | ||
      Images, from top down, left to right: Cerro San Luis (Mountain) in San Luis Obispo, a vineyard in Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, Mission San Miguel Arcángel, Neptune Pool at Hearst Castle, Morro Rock
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| Motto(s):
"Not For Ourselves Alone"
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Location in the state of California
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| Country | United States | |
| State | California | |
| Region | California Central Coast | |
| Incorporated | February 18, 1850 | |
| Named for | Saint Louis, Bishop of Toulouse | |
| County seat | San Luis Obispo | |
| Largest city (Population) | San Luis Obispo | |
| Largest city (Area) | Atascadero | |
| Government | ||
| • Body | San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors | |
| 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 | 5,109 ft (1,557 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 282,424 | |
| • Density | 86/sq mi (33/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific Time Zone) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (Pacific Daylight Time) | |
| Area code(s) | 805 | |
| Website | www.slocounty.ca.gov | |
San Luis Obispo County, officially the County of San Luis Obispo, is a county on the Central Coast of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 282,424. The county seat is San Luis Obispo.
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.
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 Halcyon (basically 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
The prehistory of San Luis Obispo County is strongly influenced by the Chumash people who had significant settlement here at least as early as the Millingstone Horizon thousands of years before the present age. Important settlements existed, for example, in many coastal areas such as Morro Bay and Los Osos.
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 and 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 Steinbeck novels, stretches north from San Luis Obispo County. The remote California Valley near Soda Lake is the region most untouched by modernity. Travels through this area and the hills east of highway 101 during wildflower season are very beautiful and can be incorporated with wine tasting at local vineyards.
Geography
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) (8.8%) is water.
Adjacent counties
National protected areas
- Carrizo Plain National Monument (part)
- Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge (part)
- Los Padres National Forest (part)
Marine Protected Areas
- Piedras Blancas State Marine Reserve and Marine Conservation Area
- Cambria State Marine Conservation Area
- White Rock (Cambria) State Marine Conservation Area
- Morro Bay State Marine Recreational Management Area and Morro Bay State Marine Reserve
- Point Buchon State Marine Reserve and Marine Conservation Area
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 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% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 191,696 | 183,468 | 71.09% | 64.96% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 5,128 | 4,330 | 1.90% | 1.53% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 1,367 | 1,136 | 0.51% | 0.40% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 8,106 | 10,001 | 3.01% | 3.54% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 346 | 340 | 0.13% | 0.12% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 784 | 1,614 | 0.29% | 0.57% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 6,237 | 13,614 | 2.31% | 4.82% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 55,973 | 67,921 | 20.76% | 24.05% |
| Total | 269,637 | 282,424 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Note: 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 can be of any race.
2011
| Population, race, and income | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 267,871 | ||||
| White | 224,800 | 83.9% | |||
| Black or African American | 5,882 | 2.2% | |||
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 2,625 | 1.0% | |||
| Asian | 8,693 | 3.2% | |||
| Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander | 280 | 0.1% | |||
| Some other race | 16,666 | 6.2% | |||
| Two or more races | 8,925 | 3.3% | |||
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 54,537 | 20.4% | |||
| Per capita income | $30,204 | ||||
| Median household income | $58,630 | ||||
| Median family income | $74,841 | ||||
Places by population, race, and income
| Places by population and race | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place | Type | Population | White | Other |
Asian | Black or African American |
Native American |
Hispanic or Latino (of any race) |
| Arroyo Grande | City | 17,132 | 85.8% | 6.7% | 5.0% | 1.6% | 0.8% | 12.7% |
| Atascadero | City | 28,194 | 88.5% | 5.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 2.4% | 13.7% |
| Avila Beach | CDP | 1,086 | 91.4% | 8.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2.2% |
| Blacklake | CDP | 1,014 | 97.1% | 0.0% | 1.5% | 0.0% | 1.4% | 0.8% |
| Callender | CDP | 1,531 | 96.3% | 2.2% | 1.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 42.5% |
| Cambria | CDP | 6,229 | 91.7% | 4.3% | 2.7% | 0.0% | 1.3% | 17.1% |
| Cayucos | CDP | 2,822 | 97.5% | 1.8% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 6.0% |
| Creston | CDP | 94 | 79.8% | 20.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Edna | CDP | 80 | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles) | City | 29,270 | 76.6% | 15.1% | 2.0% | 4.5% | 1.8% | 35.1% |
| Garden Farms | CDP | 335 | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Grover Beach | City | 13,175 | 81.6% | 9.9% | 6.0% | 1.4% | 1.0% | 21.0% |
| Lake Nacimiento | CDP | 2,397 | 96.0% | 4.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 12.3% |
| Los Berros | CDP | 920 | 86.2% | 13.8% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 19.8% |
| Los Osos | CDP | 14,950 | 85.3% | 7.5% | 6.3% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 12.4% |
| Los Ranchos | CDP | 1,578 | 91.4% | 3.1% | 1.5% | 0.8% | 3.2% | 2.1% |
| Morro Bay | City | 10,263 | 96.0% | 1.7% | 1.8% | 0.1% | 0.4% | 17.8% |
| Nipomo | CDP | 16,622 | 84.1% | 12.7% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 0.6% | 35.0% |
| Oak Shores | CDP | 187 | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 5.3% |
| Oceano | CDP | 7,456 | 77.3% | 19.4% | 1.5% | 0.0% | 1.8% | 47.6% |
| Pismo Beach | City | 7,753 | 87.6% | 7.7% | 2.8% | 0.6% | 1.3% | 10.3% |
| San Luis Obispo | City | 45,130 | 83.2% | 8.4% | 6.4% | 1.6% | 0.6% | 16.6% |
| San Miguel | CDP | 2,782 | 64.6% | 29.6% | 1.3% | 0.0% | 4.6% | 50.8% |
| San Simeon | CDP | 571 | 48.0% | 52.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 72.5% |
| Santa Margarita | CDP | 1,429 | 95.7% | 4.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 18.0% |
| Shandon | CDP | 1,150 | 82.3% | 6.9% | 0.0% | 10.6% | 0.3% | 46.1% |
| Templeton | CDP | 7,645 | 88.9% | 9.5% | 0.7% | 0.5% | 0.4% | 16.4% |
| Whitley Gardens | CDP | 244 | 58.6% | 33.6% | 0.0% | 7.8% | 0.0% | 41.4% |
| Woodlands | CDP | 417 | 89.2% | 3.6% | 3.8% | 0.0% | 3.4% | 11.8% |
| Places by population and income | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place | Type | Population | Per capita income | Median household income | Median family income |
| Arroyo Grande | City | 17,132 | $34,489 | $64,900 | $79,188 |
| Atascadero | City | 28,194 | $32,153 | $68,502 | $79,818 |
| Avila Beach | CDP | 1,086 | $45,863 | $65,483 | $42,107 |
| Blacklake | CDP | 1,014 | $43,698 | $81,417 | $105,152 |
| Callender | CDP | 1,531 | $25,222 | $72,917 | $91,852 |
| Cambria | CDP | 6,229 | $46,892 | $76,271 | $99,550 |
| Cayucos | CDP | 2,822 | $38,525 | $59,130 | $69,861 |
| Creston | CDP | 94 | $43,934 | $85,357 | $81,250 |
| Edna | CDP | 80 | $71,853 | $115,962 | $115,962 |
| El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles) | City | 29,270 | $26,547 | $57,927 | $63,864 |
| Garden Farms | CDP | 335 | $61,822 | $111,360 | $111,360 |
| Grover Beach | City | 13,175 | $25,232 | $47,708 | $63,354 |
| Lake Nacimiento | CDP | 2,397 | $31,410 | $58,542 | $62,760 |
| Los Berros | CDP | 920 | $15,603 | $36,096 | $36,776 |
| Los Osos | CDP | 14,950 | $30,967 | $57,500 | $73,027 |
| Los Ranchos | CDP | 1,578 | $59,646 | $99,028 | $104,455 |
| Morro Bay | City | 10,263 | $33,137 | $52,582 | $65,833 |
| Nipomo | CDP | 16,622 | $26,014 | $61,265 | $68,386 |
| Oak Shores | CDP | 187 | $44,498 | $97,639 | $98,542 |
| Oceano | CDP | 7,456 | $18,363 | $37,219 | $40,489 |
| Pismo Beach | City | 7,753 | $44,250 | $65,682 | $88,971 |
| San Luis Obispo | City | 45,130 | $25,775 | $42,528 | $80,560 |
| San Miguel | CDP | 2,782 | $17,371 | $49,097 | $42,296 |
| San Simeon | CDP | 571 | $20,490 | $44,583 | $51,786 |
| Santa Margarita | CDP | 1,429 | $19,328 | $49,032 | $58,672 |
| Shandon | CDP | 1,150 | $19,050 | $65,260 | $59,167 |
| Templeton | CDP | 7,645 | $35,743 | $70,820 | $92,169 |
| Whitley Gardens | CDP | 244 | $21,938 | $106,250 | $129,000 |
| Woodlands | CDP | 417 | $54,163 | $96,250 | $89,250 |
2010
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.
| Population reported at 2010 United States Census | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The County | Total Population |
White | African American |
Native American |
Asian | Pacific Islander |
other races |
two or more races |
Hispanic or 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 |
| Incorporated cities |
Total Population |
White | African American |
Native American |
Asian | Pacific Islander |
other races |
two or more races |
Hispanic or 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-designated places |
Total Population |
White | African American |
Native American |
Asian | Pacific Islander |
other races |
two or more races |
Hispanic or 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 |
| Other unincorporated areas |
Total Population |
White | African American |
Native American |
Asian | Pacific Islander |
other races |
two or more races |
Hispanic or 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 |
Transportation
Major highways
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
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Public transportation
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 and Orange Belt Stages buses.
Airports
- 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
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. SR 46 is slowly being upgraded to Interstate standards, minus overpasses between Interstate 5 and US Route 101.
Communities
Cities
- Arroyo Grande
- Atascadero
- Grover Beach
- Morro Bay
- Paso Robles
- Pismo Beach
- San Luis Obispo (county seat)
The "Five Cities" are: Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Oceano, Pismo Beach and Shell Beach. Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Pismo Beach are the only incorporated cities. Oceano is a Community Service District, and Shell Beach is part of Pismo Beach.
Census-designated places
Unincorporated communities
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of San Luis Obispo County.
† county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2010 Census) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | † San Luis Obispo | City | 45,119 |
| 2 | Paso Robles (El Paso de Robles) | City | 29,793 |
| 3 | Atascadero | City | 28,310 |
| 4 | Arroyo Grande | City | 17,252 |
| 5 | Nipomo | CDP | 16,714 |
| 6 | Los Osos | CDP | 14,276 |
| 7 | Grover Beach | City | 13,156 |
| 8 | Morro Bay | City | 10,234 |
| 9 | Templeton | CDP | 7,674 |
| 10 | Pismo Beach | City | 7,655 |
| 11 | Oceano | CDP | 7,286 |
| 12 | Cambria | CDP | 6,032 |
| 13 | Cayucos | CDP | 2,592 |
| 14 | Lake Nacimiento | CDP | 2,411 |
| 15 | San Miguel | CDP | 2,336 |
| 16 | Avila Beach | CDP | 1,627 |
| 17 | Los Ranchos | CDP | 1,477 |
| 18 | Shandon | CDP | 1,295 |
| 19 | Callender | CDP | 1,262 |
| 20 | Santa Margarita | CDP | 1,259 |
| 21 | Blacklake | CDP | 930 |
| 22 | Los Berros | CDP | 641 |
| 23 | Woodlands | CDP | 576 |
| 24 | San Simeon | CDP | 462 |
| 25 | Garden Farms | CDP | 386 |
| 26 | Oak Shores | CDP | 337 |
| 27 | Whitley Gardens | CDP | 285 |
| 28 | Edna | CDP | 193 |
| 29 | Creston | CDP | 94 |
Economy
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The mainstays of the economy are California Polytechnic State University with its almost 20,000 students, tourism, and agriculture.
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), 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. 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.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de San Luis Obispo para niños
