Signals
San Luis Obispo
Los Osos
Opportunity
56 · Top 50%
vs51 · Bottom 39%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
31 · Bottom 24%
vs31 · Bottom 24%
Housing affordability
24 · Bottom 1%
vs54 · Bottom 13%
Access
83 · Bottom 26%
vs79 · Bottom 21%
Economic stability
39 · Bottom 16%
vs58 · Bottom 46%
Measured values
| Metric | San Luis Obispo | Los Osos | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 48,491 | 14,166 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,685 | $108,932 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,106 | $56,892 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,555/sq mi | 1,110/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $935,100 | $805,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,965 | $2,047 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 40.3% | 72.9% | 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% | 53.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 30.4% | 8.1% | 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 | 28 mi | 35 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.0 min | 20.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 26.3 | 48.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.18 | 21.09 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 38.6% | 47.6% | 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
San Luis Obispo
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, earthquake.
Los Osos
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.
San Luis Obispo
54
Your Score
52
Area Score
Los Osos
60
Your Score
—
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: San Luis Obispo, CA · Los Osos, CA · How this is calculated: methodology