San Luis Obispo County, California

San Luis Obispo County, officially the County of San Luis Obispo, is a county in Southern California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 269,637.[4] The county seat is San Luis Obispo.[6]

San Luis Obispo County
County
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
Seal
Motto(s):  "Not For Ourselves Alone"
Location in the state of California
California's location in the United States
Country	United States
State	California
Region	California Central Coast
Incorporated	February 18, 1850[1]
Named for	Saint Louis, Bishop of Toulouse
County seat	San Luis Obispo
Largest city	San Luis Obispo
Government
• Body	San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors
• Supervisors	List • John Peschong(R) District 1, Chair • Bruce Gibson(D) District 2 • Adam Hill(D) District 3 • Lynn Compton(R) District 4 • Debbie Arnold(R) District 5, Vice Chair
• Assemblymember	Jordan Cunningham (R)[2]
• State senator	Bill Monning (D)[2]
Area
• Total	3,616 sq mi (9,370 km^2)
• Land	3,299 sq mi (8,540 km^2)
• Water	317 sq mi (820 km^2)
Highest elevation [3]	5,109 ft (1,557 m)
Population  (April 1, 2010)[4]
• Total	269,637
• Estimate  (2019)[5]	283,111
• Density	86/sq mi (33/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific Time Zone)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (Pacific Daylight Time)
Area code(s)	805
Website	www.slocounty.ca.gov

The entrance lobby and belfry of the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa. A statue of Fray Junípero Serra stands outside the church.

Robert Jack House, built c. 1882

Junípero Serra founded the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa in 1772 and downtown San Luis Obispo grew around the Mission. 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.[7]

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. 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.[8][9]

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 John 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 often include wine tasting at numerous wineries.

Geography

San Luis Obispo

Sand dunes - Oceano CA

Morro Bay Docks

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.[10]

Adjacent counties

San Luis
Obispo

Monterey

Kings

Kern

Santa Barbara

Pacific
Ocean

Areas adjacent to San Luis Obispo County, California

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, an elephant seal rookery.

• 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

2011

Population, race, and income
Total population[11]	267,871
White[11]	224,800	83.9%
Black or African American[11]	5,882	2.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native[11]	2,625	1.0%
Asian[11]	8,693	3.2%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander[11]	280	0.1%
Some other race[11]	16,666	6.2%
Two or more races[11]	8,925	3.3%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)[12]	54,537	20.4%
Per capita income[13]	$30,204
Median household income[14]	$58,630
Median family income[15]	$74,841

Places by population, race, and income

Places by population and race
Place	Type[16]	Population[11]	White[11]	Other[11] [note 1]	Asian[11]	Black or African American[11]	Native American[11] [note 2]	Hispanic or Latino (of any race)[12]
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[16]	Population[17]	Per capita income[13]	Median household income[14]	Median family income[15]
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.[18]

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

2000

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%
Est. 2019	283,111	[5]	5.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[19] 1790–1960[20] 1900–1990[21] 1990–2000[22] 2010–2015[4]

As of the census[23] 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/km²). There were 102,275 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile (12/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

Clubhair mariposa lily near SLO city, 2014

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),[7] 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.[24] 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.[25]

Politics

Voter registration

Population and registered voters
Total population[11]	267,871
Registered voters[26][note 3]	156,516	58.4%
Democratic[26]	52,937	33.8%
Republican[26]	61,640	39.4%
Democratic–Republican spread[26]	-8,703	-5.6%
Independent[26]	4,303	2.7%
Green[26]	1,394	0.9%
Libertarian[26]	1,303	0.8%
Peace and Freedom[26]	327	0.2%
Americans Elect[26]	4	0.0%
Other[26]	1,846	1.2%
No party preference[26]	32,762	20.9%

Cities by population and voter registration

Cities by population and voter registration
City	Population[11]	Registered voters[26] [note 3]	Democratic[26]	Republican[26]	D–R spread[26]	Other[26]	No party preference[26]
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

San Luis Obispo County leaned toward the Republican Party in presidential and congressional elections during the most of the 20th century; it has, however, become more Democratic during the 2000s and 2010s. In 2008, Barack Obama won the county with 51.2 percent of the vote.[27] Prior to 2008, the last Democrat to win a majority in the county was Lyndon 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.

Presidential election results

San Luis Obispo County vote
by party in presidential elections[28]

Year	GOP	DEM	Others
2016	40.94% 56,164	48.91% 67,107	10.15% 13,931
2012	47.61% 59,967	48.63% 61,258	3.76% 4,741
2008	45.85% 61,055	51.20% 68,176	2.95% 3,924
2004	52.69% 67,995	45.52% 58,742	1.79% 2,313
2000	52.22% 56,859	40.89% 44,526	6.89% 7,501
1996	46.50% 46,733	40.19% 40,395	13.30% 13,372
1992	34.78% 36,384	38.36% 40,136	26.86% 28,099
1988	55.85% 46,613	42.73% 35,667	1.42% 1,187
1984	63.72% 49,035	35.02% 26,946	1.26% 969
1980	55.56% 38,631	29.50% 20,508	14.94% 10,388
1976	51.17% 27,785	45.91% 24,926	2.92% 1,587
1972	55.98% 28,566	40.72% 20,779	3.31% 1,688
1968	51.27% 19,420	41.78% 15,828	6.95% 2,633
1964	40.08% 14,906	59.84% 22,252	0.08% 28
1960	54.04% 17,862	45.30% 14,975	0.66% 218
1956	58.47% 16,223	41.11% 11,407	0.43% 118
1952	65.37% 17,716	33.85% 9,174	0.79% 213
1948	53.49% 10,325	42.14% 8,135	4.38% 844
1944	48.90% 7,793	50.63% 8,068	0.47% 75
1940	45.25% 7,204	53.39% 8,499	1.36% 217
1936	37.28% 4,812	61.13% 7,889	1.59% 205
1932	28.59% 3,449	65.77% 7,933	5.64% 680
1928	60.82% 5,425	37.40% 3,336	1.78% 159
1924	49.01% 3,804	9.42% 731	41.57% 3,226
1920	61.31% 4,123	23.88% 1,606	14.81% 996
1916	40.20% 2,854	49.85% 3,539	9.95% 706
1912	0.23% 13	40.48% 2,248	59.28% 3,292
1908	50.76% 2,008	34.91% 1,381	14.33% 567
1904	54.95% 2,015	31.82% 1,167	13.23% 485
1900	45.81% 1,564	50.18% 1,713	4.01% 137
1896	43.74% 1,671	53.82% 2,056	2.43% 93
1892	38.10% 1,433	31.88% 1,199	30.02% 1,129

The county backed Democrat Jerry Brown during his 2014 re-election campaign after supporting his Republican opponent, Meg Whitman, in 2010. Prior to this, the last Democrat to carry the county in a gubernatorial election was Gray Davis in 1998.

With respect to the United States House of Representatives, San Luis Obispo County is in California's 24th congressional district, represented by Democrat Salud Carbajal.[29] 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 in the 17th Senate District, represented by Democrat Bill Monning. With respect to the California State Assembly, the county is in the 35th Assembly District, represented by Republican Jordan Cunningham.

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.

Crime

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[11]	267,871
Violent crime[30]	694	2.59
Homicide[30]	4	0.01
Forcible rape[30]	89	0.33
Robbery[30]	106	0.40
Aggravated assault[30]	495	1.85
Property crime[30]	3,009	11.23
Burglary[30]	1,433	5.35
Larceny-theft[30][31]	4,169	15.56
Motor vehicle theft[30]	375	1.40
Arson[30]	88	0.33

Cities by population and crime rates

Cities by population and crime rates
City	Population[32]	Violent crimes[32]	Violent crime rate per 1,000 persons	Property crimes[32]	Property crime rate per 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

Transportation

Major highways

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

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.

Oceano County Airport in 2013

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.[33] 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)

Unincorporated communities

• Avila Beach[note 4]
• Baywood Park
• Blacklake[note 4]
• California Valley
• Callender[note 4]
• Cambria[note 4]
• Cayucos[note 4]
• Creston[note 4]
• Cholame
• Edna[note 4]
• Garden Farms[note 4]
• Halcyon
• Harmony
• Lake Nacimiento[note 4]
• Los Berros[note 4]
• Los Osos[note 4]
• Los Ranchos[note 4]
• Nipomo[note 4]
• Oak Shores[note 4]
• Oceano[note 4]
• Pozo
• San Miguel[note 4]
• San Simeon
• Santa Margarita[note 4]
• Shandon[note 4]
• Templeton[note 4]
• Whitley Gardens[note 4]
• Woodlands[note 4]

Pair of Bat stars near Los Osos

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of San Luis Obispo County.[34]

† 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

See also

• 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
• San Luis Obispo Pioneer, the county's first newspaper
• Dalidio Ranch Project controversy, a controversy involving San Luis Obispo County

Notes

1. Other = Some other race + Two or more races
2. Native American = Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander + American Indian or Alaska Native
3. Percentage of registered voters with respect to total population. Percentages of party members with respect to registered voters follow.
4. For statistical purposes, defined by the United States Census Bureau as a census-designated place (CDP).

Footnotes

1. "Chronology". California State Association of Counties. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
2. "Statewide Database". UC Regents. Archived from the original on February 1, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
3. "Caliente Mountain". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
4. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
5. "American FactFinder". Archived from the original on June 2, 2013. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
6. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
7. Settevendemie, Marty. "2012 Crop Report" (PDF). San Luis Obispo County Department of Agriculture.
8. Terry L. Jones and Kathryn Klar (2007) California Prehistory: Colonization, Culture, and Complexity, Published by Rowman Altamira ISBN 0-7591-0872-2, 408 pages
9. C.Michael Hogan (2008) Morro Creek, ed. by A. Burnham
10. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
11. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B02001. U.S. Census website. Retrieved 2013-10-26.
12. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B03003. U.S. Census website. Retrieved 2013-10-26.
13. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19301. U.S. Census website. Retrieved 2013-10-21.
14. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19013. U.S. Census website. Retrieved 2013-10-21.
15. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19113. U.S. Census website. Retrieved 2013-10-21.
16. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census website. Retrieved 2013-10-21.
17. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B01003. U.S. Census website. Retrieved 2013-10-21.
18. "2010 Census P.L. 94-171 Summary File Data". United States Census Bureau.
19. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
20. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
21. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
22. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
23. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
24. 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.
25. 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.
26. California Secretary of State. February 10, 2013 - Report of Registration Archived July 27, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2013-10-31.
27. Map of Election Results, County-by-County: The New York Times
28. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
29. "California's 24th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
30. Office of the Attorney General, Department of Justice, State of California. Table 11: Crimes – 2009 Archived December 2, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2013-11-14.
31. Only larceny-theft cases involving property over $400 in value are reported as property crimes.
32. United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Crime in the United States, 2012, Table 8 (California). Retrieved 2013-11-14.
33. Report on the Status of the Federal-Aid Highway Program. United States Senate. April 15, 1970. p. 89.
34. https://www.census.gov/2010census/

Further reading

• 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

• Economic Vitality Corp.
• Official website
• San Luis Obispo County Visitors & Conference Bureau website
• SLOweather.com has weather conditions, web cams, and weather forecasts for the County seat and surrounding areas