San Luis Obispo, California Income Statistics
San Luis Obispo Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
San Luis Obispo Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | San Luis Obispo | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $72,306 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $66,840 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.8% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 13.1% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 14.8% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in San Luis Obispo is about 27% lower than in California. Income has been growing faster in San Luis Obispo (5.8%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 13% of adults in San Luis Obispo earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in San Luis Obispo, California grew by 92.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $72,306 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.8% per year.
San Luis Obispo has stayed well below the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024 and has never reached it. It came closest in 2020, at 9.6% lower. The gap has narrowed from 27% in 2009 to 10% in 2024.
Income Distribution in San Luis Obispo
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 5,073 households (40.0% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 27.2% of households in San Luis Obispo had an income under $35,000 and 23.2% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., San Luis Obispo has a larger share of households earning $15,000 to $24,999 (9.4% vs 6.4%) and a smaller share earning $75,000 to $99,999 (8.6% vs 12.6%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 919 | 7.2% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 559 | 4.4% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 1,195 | 9.4% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 783 | 6.2% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 1,444 | 11.4% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 1,625 | 12.8% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 1,090 | 8.6% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 2,134 | 16.8% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 1,065 | 8.4% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 1,874 | 14.8% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 12,689 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 3,646 residents (13.1% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 14.7% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 10.9% of San Luis Obispo residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 41.0% had some income but less than $25,000, and 20.6% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., San Luis Obispo has a larger share of residents earning $1 to $9,999 (21.6% vs 11.2%) and a smaller share earning $50,000 to $74,999 (10.4% vs 14.3%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 3,042 | 10.9% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 6,024 | 21.6% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 2,459 | 8.8% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 2,930 | 10.5% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 2,038 | 7.3% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 2,731 | 9.8% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 2,907 | 10.4% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 2,080 | 7.5% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 3,646 | 13.1% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 27,858 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 10.9% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in San Luis Obispo
| Metric | San Luis Obispo | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.603 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $76,633 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $65,760 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 14.2% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In San Luis Obispo, it is 0.603, higher than California's 0.572, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 17% more than women's income in San Luis Obispo, California. Over a 35-year career, a 17% wage gap accumulates to roughly $380,555 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in San Luis Obispo, California has narrowed from about 19% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 31% in 2020, and was narrowest at 7% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,319 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | San Luis Obispo | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 16.4% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 13 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 1,223 people are unemployed in San Luis Obispo, California.
The average commute time in San Luis Obispo is 13 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in San Luis Obispo, California has fallen from 8.6% to 6.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.7% in 2013 and fell as low as 3.6% in 2019.
San Luis Obispo started 0.1 points below the U.S. unemployment rate in 2011 but had risen above it by 2020, and has not been below it since. In 2024 its rate was 1.7 points higher.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, San Luis Obispo, California has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than California, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in San Luis Obispo, California.
How Rich Is San Luis Obispo, California?
San Luis Obispo has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $72,306, about 27% lower than the California average of $99,161.
Are incomes growing in San Luis Obispo, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in San Luis Obispo, California rose 92%, from $37,571 to $72,306. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +92% against +64%.
What was the median household income in San Luis Obispo in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in San Luis Obispo, California was $67,482, up 4% from $64,882 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in San Luis Obispo in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in San Luis Obispo, California was $58,569. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $72,306.
What is the Gini coefficient in San Luis Obispo, California?
The Gini coefficient in San Luis Obispo is 0.603. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in San Luis Obispo, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in San Luis Obispo, California has narrowed from about 19% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 31% in 2020, and was narrowest at 7% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,319 since 2009.
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