San Luis Obispo County, California Income Statistics
San Luis Obispo County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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B
San Luis Obispo County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | San Luis Obispo County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $97,610 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $69,265 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.3% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 16.8% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 17.4% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in San Luis Obispo County is about 2% lower than in California. Income has been growing slower in San Luis Obispo County (5.3%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 17% of adults in San Luis Obispo County 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 County, California grew by 74.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $97,610 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.3% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in San Luis Obispo County
| Metric | San Luis Obispo County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.557 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $79,210 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $66,728 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 15.8% | 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 County, it is 0.557, lower than California's 0.572, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 19% more than women's income in San Luis Obispo County, California. Over a 35-year career, a 19% wage gap accumulates to roughly $436,870 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 County, California has narrowed from about 30% to 16% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,696 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | San Luis Obispo County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 15.2% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 7,557 people are unemployed in San Luis Obispo County, California.
The average commute time in San Luis Obispo County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in San Luis Obispo County, California has fallen from 8.1% to 5.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.6% in 2012 and fell as low as 4.0% in 2019.
San Luis Obispo County, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
San Luis Obispo County, CA is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 281,514 residents against a local median of 437,328. Nothing separates San Luis Obispo County, CA sharply from the counties around it. Each measure below lands within 15% of the local median, close enough that the differences are within what survey sampling alone would produce.
The largest of those small differences is unemployment, 14% below the local median at 5.5% against 6.3%. San Luis Obispo County, CA has the 3rd lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo County, CA | 281,514 | $97,610 #3/6 | 5.3%/yr #4/6 | 5.5% #3/6 | 0.557 #2/6 |
| Kings County, CA | 153,298 | $71,135 | 5.3%/yr | 9.9% | 0.615 |
| Santa Barbara County, CA | 443,693 | $98,304 | 5.2%/yr | 6.3% | 0.577 |
| Monterey County, CA | 437,328 | $97,252 | 6.0%/yr | 5.0% | 0.579 |
| San Benito County, CA | 67,290 | $115,991 | 5.8%/yr | 5.4% | 0.536 |
| Fresno County, CA | 1,016,723 | $74,148 | 6.2%/yr | 8.7% | 0.594 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, San Luis Obispo County, California has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than California, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in San Luis Obispo County, California.
How Rich Is San Luis Obispo County, California?
San Luis Obispo County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $97,610, about 2% lower than the California average of $99,161.
Are incomes growing in San Luis Obispo County, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in San Luis Obispo County, California rose 75%, from $55,879 to $97,610. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +75% against +64%.
What was the median household income in San Luis Obispo County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in San Luis Obispo County, California was $93,737, up 4% from $90,192 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in San Luis Obispo County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in San Luis Obispo County, California was $78,214. By 2024 it had risen 25% to $97,610.
What is the Gini coefficient in San Luis Obispo County, California?
The Gini coefficient in San Luis Obispo County is 0.557. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in San Luis Obispo County, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in San Luis Obispo County, California has narrowed from about 30% to 16% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,696 since 2009.
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