Marin County vs San Luis Obispo County
A side-by-side comparison of Marin County and San Luis Obispo County: population, income, housing, and more.
Marin County and San Luis Obispo County are counties in California. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
San Luis Obispo County has the higher population (281,486 vs 258,765 in Marin County). Marin County has the higher median household income ($142,785 vs $93,398 in San Luis Obispo County). Marin County has the higher median home value ($1,390,000 vs $777,200 in San Luis Obispo County).
Population, income & housing
| Marin County | San Luis Obispo County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 258,765 | 281,486 |
| Median age | 47.3 yrs | 40.2 yrs |
| Median household income | $142,785 | $93,398 |
| Median home value | $1,390,000 | $777,200 |
| Median gross rent | $2,584 | $1,899 |
| Housing units | 111,860 | 124,871 |
| Homeownership rate | 63.9% | 61.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 60.5% | 39.2% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.1% | 5.1% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Marin County | San Luis Obispo County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 259,943 → 258,765 (-0.5%) | 282,165 → 281,486 (-0.2%) |
| Median household income | $115,246 → $142,785 (+23.9%) | $73,518 → $93,398 (+27.0%) |
| Median home value | $995,800 → $1,390,000 (+39.6%) | $574,000 → $777,200 (+35.4%) |
| Median gross rent | $2,069 → $2,584 (+24.9%) | $1,476 → $1,899 (+28.7%) |
Marin County
259,943258,765
$115,246$142,785
$995,800$1,390,000
$2,069$2,584
San Luis Obispo County
282,165281,486
$73,518$93,398
$574,000$777,200
$1,476$1,899
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Marin County | San Luis Obispo County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.4% | 4.4% |
| 5 to 17 | 15.3% | 13.2% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.9% | 14.8% |
| 25 to 34 | 8.5% | 11.2% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.9% | 10.4% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.0% | 12.8% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.1% | 12.9% |
| 75 and over | 10.2% | 8.6% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Marin County | San Luis Obispo County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 66.6% | 65.4% |
| Black or African American | 2.1% | 1.1% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Asian | 6.1% | 3.4% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Some other race | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Two or more races | 5.2% | 4.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.0% | 24.5% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Marin County | San Luis Obispo County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 7.3% | 8.2% |
| High school graduate | 10.8% | 18.2% |
| Some college or associate's | 21.5% | 34.4% |
| Bachelor's degree | 33.2% | 24.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 27.2% | 14.9% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Marin County | San Luis Obispo County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 53.7% | 70.2% |
| Carpooled | 7.7% | 8.2% |
| Public transit | 4.9% | 0.8% |
| Walked | 3.5% | 4.4% |
| Bicycle | 1.0% | 1.4% |
| Worked from home | 27.9% | 14.0% |
| Other means | 1.3% | 1.0% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Marin County | San Luis Obispo County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 62.9% | 68.1% |
| 1-unit, attached | 7.7% | 5.8% |
| 2 to 4 units | 8.5% | 8.6% |
| 5 to 19 units | 10.4% | 6.0% |
| 20 or more units | 8.7% | 3.8% |
| Mobile home & other | 1.6% | 7.8% |
Poverty & households
| Marin County | San Luis Obispo County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.8% | 12.8% |
| Average household size | 2.44 | 2.45 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 28 | 21 |
| Median year structure built | 1966 | 1983 |
Full profiles
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