San Luis Obispo and Arroyo Grande receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | San Luis Obispo | Arroyo Grande | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 48,491 | 18,372 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,685 | $102,553 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,106 | $50,623 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,555/sq mi | 3,093/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $935,100 | $814,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,965 | $2,173 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 40.3% | 60.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.2% | -3.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 54.4% | 45.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 30.4% | 4.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 220 | 19 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.5 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 20.9% | -20.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| 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 | 28 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.0 min | 24.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 26.3 | 45.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.18 | 20.89 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 38.6% | 49.1% | 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
San Luis Obispo
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, earthquake.
Arroyo Grande
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, earthquake.
Your best match
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Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: San Luis Obispo, CA · Arroyo Grande, CA · How this is calculated: methodology