San Luis Obispo County vs Santa Cruz County
A side-by-side comparison of San Luis Obispo County and Santa Cruz County: population, income, housing, and more.
San Luis Obispo County and Santa Cruz 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 266,021 in Santa Cruz County). Santa Cruz County has the higher median household income ($109,266 vs $93,398 in San Luis Obispo County). Santa Cruz County has the higher median home value ($1,015,200 vs $777,200 in San Luis Obispo County).
Population, income & housing
| San Luis Obispo County | Santa Cruz County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 281,486 | 266,021 |
| Median age | 40.2 yrs | 39.6 yrs |
| Median household income | $93,398 | $109,266 |
| Median home value | $777,200 | $1,015,200 |
| Median gross rent | $1,899 | $2,172 |
| Housing units | 124,871 | 106,635 |
| Homeownership rate | 61.9% | 60.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.2% | 43.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 5.6% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| San Luis Obispo County | Santa Cruz County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 282,165 → 281,486 (-0.2%) | 273,962 → 266,021 (-2.9%) |
| Median household income | $73,518 → $93,398 (+27.0%) | $82,234 → $109,266 (+32.9%) |
| Median home value | $574,000 → $777,200 (+35.4%) | $756,600 → $1,015,200 (+34.2%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,476 → $1,899 (+28.7%) | $1,717 → $2,172 (+26.5%) |
San Luis Obispo County
282,165281,486
$73,518$93,398
$574,000$777,200
$1,476$1,899
Santa Cruz County
273,962266,021
$82,234$109,266
$756,600$1,015,200
$1,717$2,172
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| San Luis Obispo County | Santa Cruz County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.4% | 4.5% |
| 5 to 17 | 13.2% | 14.2% |
| 18 to 24 | 14.8% | 13.7% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.2% | 12.0% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.6% | 12.0% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.8% | 13.0% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| 75 and over | 8.6% | 6.8% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| San Luis Obispo County | Santa Cruz County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 65.4% | 54.6% |
| Black or African American | 1.1% | 0.7% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 3.4% | 4.5% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.6% | 0.7% |
| Two or more races | 4.6% | 4.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 24.5% | 35.0% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| San Luis Obispo County | Santa Cruz County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 8.2% | 11.5% |
| High school graduate | 18.2% | 15.2% |
| Some college or associate's | 34.4% | 29.7% |
| Bachelor's degree | 24.3% | 25.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 14.9% | 18.3% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| San Luis Obispo County | Santa Cruz County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 70.2% | 63.4% |
| Carpooled | 8.2% | 8.5% |
| Public transit | 0.8% | 1.9% |
| Walked | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Bicycle | 1.4% | 2.1% |
| Worked from home | 14.0% | 17.6% |
| Other means | 1.0% | 2.3% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| San Luis Obispo County | Santa Cruz County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 68.1% | 63.8% |
| 1-unit, attached | 5.8% | 8.4% |
| 2 to 4 units | 8.6% | 8.2% |
| 5 to 19 units | 6.0% | 6.4% |
| 20 or more units | 3.8% | 6.4% |
| Mobile home & other | 7.8% | 6.8% |
Poverty & households
| San Luis Obispo County | Santa Cruz County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.8% | 11.2% |
| Average household size | 2.45 | 2.60 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 21 | 27 |
| Median year structure built | 1983 | 1973 |
Full profiles
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