Signals
Los Osos
San Luis Obispo
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 39%
vs56 · Top 50%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
31 · Bottom 24%
vs31 · Bottom 24%
Housing affordability
54 · Bottom 13%
vs24 · Bottom 1%
Access
79 · Bottom 21%
vs83 · Bottom 26%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 46%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Measured values
| Metric | Los Osos | San Luis Obispo | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,166 | 48,491 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $108,932 | $73,685 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $56,892 | $48,106 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,110/sq mi | 3,555/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $805,800 | $935,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,047 | $1,965 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.9% | 40.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.2% | -3.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.7% | 54.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 30.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 78°F | 78°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 17.9" | 17.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 28 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 17.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 48.6 | 26.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.09 | 22.18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 47.6% | 38.6% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Los Osos
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, earthquake.
San Luis Obispo
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Los Osos
60
Your Score
—
Area Score
San Luis Obispo
54
Your Score
52
Area Score
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Full profiles: Los Osos, CA · San Luis Obispo, CA · How this is calculated: methodology