San Luis Obispo, California Population 2019
San Luis Obispo is a city located in the state of California. It is located about halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles in San Luis Obispo County. This city is one of the oldest in California, as it was founded in 1772. The city's population according to recent estimates is 47,536.
San Luis Obispo History
The Chumash people were the original inhabitants of the area that is now San Luis Obispo. In the 18th century, Gaspar de Portola's expedition entered the city. The name at the time was recorded as Canada de Los Osos. During the 1770s, missions were established throughout California, and it was decided that the area known as La Canada de Los Osos would become the fifth mission. In 1772, the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa was built, and this would later become San Luis Obispo.
During its earliest history, the mission included a church, storerooms, barracks, the priests' home, a mill, tannery and land for farming. After the Mexican War of Independence, there was a call for the secularization of California's missions, although this didn't occur until the 1830s. In 1834, the mission became a parish, and the land holdings were broken into land grants known as ranchos. Despite the land grants, the community remained in the same place and is now the center of the modern city of San Luis Obispo.
When California was annexed to the U.S. following the Mexican-American War, San Luis Obispo was incorporated as a town and was the first town in San Luis Obispo County. The town quickly earned a reputation of violence because of the robberies and murders that occurred and became known as Tiger-Town.
The town's economy was thriving in the 1850s as the price of beef rose after gold was discovered. Cattle was a primary driver of the economy until a drought occurred in the 1860s. At that point, more of a focus was put on mined goods, agriculture and dairies.
The city continued to grow with the construction of the Pacific Coast Railway and roads. Growth continued through the 20th century with the addition of many new homes, businesses, and other establishments, although many historic buildings remain intact today. The Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa has been restored, and it is the city center, which is surrounded by shops, boutiques, and restaurants. The city is very appealing to visitors and residents of all ages particularly for its outdoor activities including hiking, diving, sailing, and surfing.
San Luis Obispo Population Statistics
San Luis Obispo has a current estimated population of over 47,000. The city's total area is just over 13 square miles, and it has a population density of over 3,619 people per square mile.
The largest group is people aged 18 to 24, which make up 34.7% of the population. Over 12% of the population is under the age of 18, while 12% are at least 65 years old. There are more males than females, with 110.2 men for every 100 women. About 26.6% of the population lives below the federal poverty line.
San Luis Obispo has a very diverse economy. Its top employer is California Polytechnic State University, which employs over 2,600 people. Other major employers include the County of San Luis Obispo, California Men's Colony, Pacific Gas, and Electric and the Cal Poly Corporation.
San Luis Obispo Population Growth
San Luis Obispo's population has continually grown since it was first established. In 1880, the city's population was over 2,000. This number had more than doubled to over 5,000 when the 1910 census was taken. By 1950, the population exceeded 14,000 and at the time of the next census, had grown to over 20,000.
The city's population experienced growth in the double-digit percentages until 2000, when it slowed slightly. However, it is continuing to grow at a steady and slow rate, with recent estimates showing that the population is up 5.3% since the last census was taken in 2010.
San Luis Obispo Demographics
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of San Luis Obispo was:
White: 84.72%
Asian: 5.55%
Two or more races: 3.59%
Other race: 3.47%
Black or African American: 2.20%
Native American: 0.47%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.00%
LatLng (35.2828, -120.6596)
Rank in State 190th
State California
County San Luis Obispo County
Time Zone Mountain Time Zone
Land Area (km²) 34.02 (13.13 mi²)
Water Area (km²) 0.39 (0.15 mi²)
Type City
GEOID 668154
Density (km²) 1,394.71
Density (mi²) 3,612.31
Area Code(s) 805
How Many People Live in San Luis Obispo, California?
Year Population Growth Annual Growth Rate
1930 8,276 2,381 3.45%
1900 3,021 26 0.09%
San Luis Obispo Population by Year
Source: 2018 Annual Estimates of the Resident Population
Year Total Population Growth Annual Growth Rate
2018 284,010 1,172 0.41%
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA Metro Area Population by Year
San Luis Obispo Population by Race
San Luis Obispo Population Pyramid 2019
San Luis Obispo Median Age
San Luis Obispo Adults
There are 40,969 adults, (5,790 of whom are seniors) in San Luis Obispo.
San Luis Obispo Age Dependency
San Luis Obispo Sex Ratio
San Luis Obispo Population by Age
San Luis Obispo Households and Families
San Luis Obispo Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type
San Luis Obispo Household Types
Married 5,787 3 66.6
San Luis Obispo Households by Type
San Luis Obispo Education
Less Than 9th Grade 937 3.82%
9th to 12th Grade 877 3.58%
San Luis Obispo Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)
San Luis Obispo Educational Attainment by Race
Asian 1,258 1,097 817
Other Race 822 641 202
Black 468 357 77
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 97.43%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 64.94%.
San Luis Obispo Earnings by Educational Attainment
San Luis Obispo Language
San Luis Obispo Language by Age
83.31% of San Luis Obispo residents speak only English, while 16.69% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 11.16% of the population.
San Luis Obispo Poverty
San Luis Obispo Poverty by Race
Hispanic 7,929 2,352 29.66%
Black 981 422 43.02%
Poverty in San Luis Obispo
The race most likely to be in poverty in San Luis Obispo is Black, with 43.02% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in San Luis Obispo is Native, with 21.27% below the poverty level.
San Luis Obispo Poverty Rate by Education
San Luis Obispo Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex
San Luis Obispo Income
San Luis Obispo Income by Household Type
Families $87,635 $109,998
Married Families $105,763 -
San Luis Obispo Marital Status
San Luis Obispo Married by Age and Sex
San Luis Obispo Marriage
San Luis Obispo Marital Status by Race
San Luis Obispo Veterans
San Luis Obispo Veterans by War
San Luis Obispo Veterans by Age
San Luis Obispo Veterans by Race
Black 65 8.44%
San Luis Obispo Veterans by Education
San Luis Obispo Employment Status
San Luis Obispo Employment by Age
San Luis Obispo Employment by Race
San Luis Obispo Employment by Education
San Luis Obispo Place of Birth
Origin of Non Citizens
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Origin of Naturalized Citizens
Born in California
Native Born
Foreign Born
Non Citizen
90.83% of San Luis Obispo residents were born in the United States, with 66.56% having been born in California. 4.63% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
2018 Annual Estimates of the Resident Population (PEPANNRES)
2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (S0101 - Age and Sex)
2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (S1101 - Households and Families)
2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (DP03 - Selected Economic Characteristics)
2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (DP04 - Selected Housing Characteristics)
2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (B02001 - Race)