San Luis Obispo County, California - wikipedia San Luis Obispo County, California San Luis Obispo County SLO County County County of San Luis Obispo Images, from top down, left to right : Cerro San Luis ( Mountain ) in San Luis Obispo, a vineyard in Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, Mission San Miguel Arcángel, Neptune Pool at Hearst Castle, Morro Rock Seal Motto ( s ) : `` Not For Ourselves Alone '' Location in the state of California California 's location in the United States Country United States State California Region California Central Coast Incorporated February 18, 1850 Named for Saint Louis, Bishop of Toulouse County seat San Luis Obispo Area Total 3,616 sq mi ( 9,370 km ) Land 3,299 sq mi ( 8,540 km ) Water 317 sq mi ( 820 km ) Highest elevation 5,109 ft ( 1,557 m ) Population ( April 1, 2010 ) Total 269,637 Estimate ( 2016 ) 282,887 Density 86 / sq mi ( 33 / km ) Time zone Pacific Time Zone ( UTC - 8 ) Summer ( DST ) Pacific Daylight Time ( UTC - 7 ) Website www.slocounty.ca.gov The entrance lobby and belfry of the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa. A statue of Fray Junípero Serra stands outside the church. Robert Jack House, built c. 1882 San Luis Obispo County, officially the County of San Luis Obispo, is a county located in California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 269,637. The county seat is San Luis Obispo. San Luis Obispo County ( locally, SLO County ) comprises the San Luis Obispo - Paso Robles - Arroyo Grande, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county is located along the Pacific Ocean in Central California, between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. Father Junipero Serra founded the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa in 1772 and the Mission is today an active part of downtown San Luis Obispo ( popularly referred to as SLO or SLO - town ). The small size of the county 's communities, scattered along the beaches, coastal hills, and mountains of the Santa Lucia range, provides a wide variety of coastal and inland hill ecologies to support many kinds of fishing, agriculture, and tourist activities. The mainstays of the economy are California Polytechnic State University with its almost 20,000 students, tourism, and agriculture. San Luis Obispo County is the third largest producer of wine in California, surpassed only by Sonoma and Napa Counties. Wine grapes are the second largest agricultural crop in the county ( after strawberries ), and the wine production they support creates a direct economic impact and a growing wine country vacation industry. The town of San Simeon is located at the foot of the ridge where newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst built Hearst Castle. Other coastal towns ( listed from North to South ) include Cambria, Cayucos, Morro Bay, and Los Osos - Baywood Park. These cities and villages are located northwest of San Luis Obispo city, and Avila Beach and the Five Cities Region to the south which were originally : Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach ( then known as Grover City ), Oceano, Fair Oaks and Halcyon. Today, the Five Cities Region consists of Pismo Beach, Grover Beach and Oceano ( County ), basically the area from Pismo Beach to Oceano. Nipomo, just south of the Five Cities, borders northern Santa Barbara County. Inland, the cities of Paso Robles, Templeton, and Atascadero lie along the Salinas River, near the Paso Robles wine region. San Luis Obispo lies south of Atascadero and north of the Five Cities region. Contents 1 History 2 Geography 2.1 Adjacent counties 2.2 National protected areas 2.3 Marine Protected Areas 3 Demographics 3.1 2011 3.1. 1 Places by population, race, and income 3.2 2010 3.3 2000 4 Politics 4.1 Voter registration 4.1. 1 Cities by population and voter registration 4.2 Overview 5 Crime 5.1 Cities by population and crime rates 6 Economy 7 Transportation 7.1 Major highways 7.2 Public transportation 7.3 Airports 8 Communities 8.1 Cities 8.2 Census - designated places 8.3 Unincorporated communities 8.4 Population ranking 9 See also 10 Notes 11 Footnotes 12 Further reading 13 External links History The prehistory of San Luis Obispo County is strongly influenced by the Chumash people who had significant settlement here at least as early as the Millingstone Horizon thousands of years before the present age. Important settlements existed, for example, in many coastal areas such as Morro Bay and Los Osos. Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa was founded on September 1, 1772 in the area that is now the city of San Luis Obispo. The namesake of the mission, city and county is Saint Louis of Toulouse, the young bishop of Toulouse ( Obispo and Tolosa in Spanish ) in 1297. San Luis Obispo County was one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood. The Salinas River Valley, a region that figures strongly in several Steinbeck novels, stretches north from San Luis Obispo County. The remote California Valley near Soda Lake is the region most untouched by modernity. Travels through this area and the hills east of highway 101 during wildflower season are very beautiful and can be incorporated with wine tasting at local vineyards. Geography San Luis Obispo Sand dunes - Oceano CA Morro Bay Docks According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,616 square miles ( 9,370 km ), of which 3,299 square miles ( 8,540 km ) is land and 317 square miles ( 820 km ) ( 8.8 % ) is water. Adjacent counties San Luis Obispo Monterey Kings Kern Santa Barbara Pacific Ocean Areas adjacent to San Luis Obispo County, California National protected areas Carrizo Plain National Monument ( part ) Guadalupe - Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge ( part ) Los Padres National Forest ( part ) Marine protected areas Piedras Blancas State Marine Reserve and Marine Conservation Area, an elephant seal rookery. Piedras Blancas State Marine Reserve and Marine Conservation Area Cambria State Marine Conservation Area White Rock ( Cambria ) State Marine Conservation Area Morro Bay State Marine Recreational Management Area and Morro Bay State Marine Reserve Point Buchon State Marine Reserve and Marine Conservation Area Demographics 2011 Population, race, and income Total population 267,871 White 224,800 83.9 % Black or African American 5,882 2.2 % American Indian or Alaska Native 2,625 1.0 % Asian 8,693 3.2 % Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 280 0.1 % Some other race 16,666 6.2 % Two or more races 8,925 3.3 % Hispanic or Latino ( of any race ) 54,537 20.4 % Per capita income $30,204 Median household income $58,630 Median family income $74,841 Places by population, race, and income Places by population and race Place Type Population White Other Asian Black or African American Native American Hispanic or Latino ( of any race ) Arroyo Grande City 17,132 85.8 % 6.7 % 5.0 % 1.6 % 0.8 % 12.7 % Atascadero City 28,194 88.5 % 5.7 % 1.7 % 1.7 % 2.4 % 13.7 % Avilla Beach CDP 1,086 91.4 % 8.6 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 2.2 % Blacklake CDP 1,014 97.1 % 0.0 % 1.5 % 0.0 % 1.4 % 0.8 % Callender CDP 1,531 96.3 % 2.2 % 1.6 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 42.5 % Cambria CDP 6,229 91.7 % 4.3 % 2.7 % 0.0 % 1.3 % 17.1 % Cayucos CDP 2,822 97.5 % 1.8 % 0.5 % 0.0 % 0.2 % 6.0 % Creston CDP 94 79.8 % 20.2 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % Edna CDP 80 100.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % El Paso de Robles ( Paso Robles ) City 29,270 76.6 % 15.1 % 2.0 % 4.5 % 1.8 % 35.1 % Garden Farms CDP 335 100.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % Grover Beach City 13,175 81.6 % 9.9 % 6.0 % 1.4 % 1.0 % 21.0 % Lake Nacimiento CDP 2,397 96.0 % 4.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 12.3 % Los Berros CDP 920 86.2 % 13.8 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 19.8 % Los Osos CDP 14,950 85.3 % 7.5 % 6.3 % 0.4 % 0.5 % 12.4 % Los Ranchos CDP 1,578 91.4 % 3.1 % 1.5 % 0.8 % 3.2 % 2.1 % Morro Bay City 10,263 96.0 % 1.7 % 1.8 % 0.1 % 0.4 % 17.8 % Nipomo CDP 16,622 84.1 % 12.7 % 1.3 % 1.3 % 0.6 % 35.0 % Oak Shores CDP 187 100.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 5.3 % Oceano CDP 7,456 77.3 % 19.4 % 1.5 % 0.0 % 1.8 % 47.6 % Pismo Beach City 7,753 87.6 % 7.7 % 2.8 % 0.6 % 1.3 % 10.3 % San Luis Obispo City 45,130 83.2 % 8.4 % 6.4 % 1.6 % 0.6 % 16.6 % San Miguel CDP 2,782 64.6 % 29.6 % 1.3 % 0.0 % 4.6 % 50.8 % San Simeon CDP 571 48.0 % 52.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 72.5 % Santa Margarita CDP 1,429 95.7 % 4.3 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 18.0 % Shandon CDP 1,150 82.3 % 6.9 % 0.0 % 10.6 % 0.3 % 46.1 % Templeton CDP 7,645 88.9 % 9.5 % 0.7 % 0.5 % 0.4 % 16.4 % Whitley Gardens CDP 244 58.6 % 33.6 % 0.0 % 7.8 % 0.0 % 41.4 % Woodlands CDP 417 89.2 % 3.6 % 3.8 % 0.0 % 3.4 % 11.8 % Places by population and income Place Type Population Per capita income Median household income Median family income Arroyo Grande City 17,132 $34,489 $64,900 $79,188 Atascadero City 28,194 $32,153 $68,502 $79,818 Avilla Beach CDP 1,086 $45,863 $65,483 $42,107 Blacklake CDP 1,014 $43,698 $81,417 $105,152 Callender CDP 1,531 $25,222 $72,917 $91,852 Cambria CDP 6,229 $46,892 $76,271 $99,550 Cayucos CDP 2,822 $38,525 $59,130 $69,861 Creston CDP 94 $43,934 $85,357 $81,250 Edna CDP 80 $71,853 $115,962 $115,962 El Paso de Robles ( Paso Robles ) City 29,270 $26,547 $57,927 $63,864 Garden Farms CDP 335 $61,822 $111,360 $111,360 Grover Beach City 13,175 $25,232 $47,708 $63,354 Lake Nacimiento CDP 2,397 $31,410 $58,542 $62,760 Los Berros CDP 920 $15,603 $36,096 $36,776 Los Osos CDP 14,950 $30,967 $57,500 $73,027 Los Ranchos CDP 1,578 $59,646 $99,028 $104,455 Morro Bay City 10,263 $33,137 $52,582 $65,833 Nipomo CDP 16,622 $26,014 $61,265 $68,386 Oak Shores CDP 187 $44,498 $97,639 $98,542 Oceano CDP 7,456 $18,363 $37,219 $40,489 Pismo Beach City 7,753 $44,250 $65,682 $88,971 San Luis Obispo City 45,130 $25,775 $42,528 $80,560 San Miguel CDP 2,782 $17,371 $49,097 $42,296 San Simeon CDP 571 $20,490 $44,583 $51,786 Santa Margarita CDP 1,429 $19,328 $49,032 $58,672 Shandon CDP 1,150 $19,050 $65,260 $59,167 Templeton CDP 7,645 $35,743 $70,820 $92,169 Whitley Gardens CDP 244 $21,938 $106,250 $129,000 Woodlands CDP 417 $54,163 $96,250 $89,250 The 2010 United States Census reported that San Luis Obispo County had a population of 269,637. The racial makeup of San Luis Obispo County was 222,756 ( 82.6 % ) White, 5,550 ( 2.1 % ) African American, 2,536 ( 0.9 % ) Native American, 8,507 ( 3.2 % ) Asian ( 1.0 % Filipino, 0.6 % Chinese, 0.4 % Japanese, 0.3 % Indian, 0.3 % Korean, 0.2 % Vietnamese ), 389 ( 0.1 % ) Pacific Islander, 19,786 ( 7.3 % ) from other races, and 10,113 ( 3.8 % ) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 55,973 persons ( 20.8 % ) ; 17.7 % of San Luis Obispo County is Mexican, 0.3 % Puerto Rican, and 0.2 % Salvadoran. Population reported at 2010 United States Census The County Total Population White African American Native American Asian Pacific Islander other races two or more races Hispanic or Latino ( of any race ) San Luis Obispo County 269,637 222,756 5,550 2,536 8,507 389 19,786 10,113 55,973 Incorporated cities Total Population White African American Native American Asian Pacific Islander other races two or more races Hispanic or Latino ( of any race ) Arroyo Grande 17,252 14,710 156 125 595 14 856 796 2,707 Atascadero 28,310 24,457 585 295 685 57 1,205 1,026 4,429 Grover Beach 13,156 9,964 146 186 542 35 1,582 701 3,840 Morro Bay 10,234 8,909 44 92 258 9 613 309 1,526 Paso Robles 29,793 23,158 622 297 593 56 3,916 1,151 10,275 Pismo Beach 7,655 6,976 50 41 203 11 170 204 715 San Luis Obispo 45,119 38,117 523 275 2,350 65 1,973 1,816 6,626 Census - designated places Total Population White African American Native American Asian Pacific Islander other races two or more races Hispanic or Latino ( of any race ) Avila Beach 1,627 1,507 13 7 33 0 34 33 111 Blacklake 930 865 8 7 24 0 14 12 70 Callender 1,262 1,003 7 22 48 0 128 54 355 Cambria 6,032 5,166 18 47 78 14 557 152 1,187 Cayucos 2,592 2,366 6 12 54 8 57 89 207 Creston 94 89 0 0 0 6 Edna 193 185 0 0 0 5 0 22 Garden Farms 386 348 5 0 21 8 40 Lake Nacimiento 2,411 2,153 12 44 24 5 75 98 256 Los Berros 641 527 12 45 51 153 Los Osos 14,276 12,304 79 97 748 18 552 478 1,977 Los Ranchos 1,477 1,389 31 0 18 36 58 Nipomo 16,714 12,281 177 200 421 33 2,821 781 6,645 Oak Shores 337 318 0 6 31 Oceano 7,286 5,105 62 120 165 7 1,509 318 3,484 San Miguel 2,336 1,638 65 58 19 474 81 1,196 San Simeon 462 270 5 9 160 12 258 Santa Margarita 1,259 1,077 8 28 34 0 42 70 206 Shandon 1,295 840 34 18 7 352 42 693 Templeton 7,674 6,833 59 80 123 10 337 232 1,171 Whitley Gardens 285 260 6 0 13 43 Woodlands 576 541 7 0 18 6 27 Unincorporated communities Total Population White African American Native American Asian Pacific Islander other races two or more races Hispanic or Latino ( of any race ) All others not CDPs ( combined ) 47,973 39,400 2,854 462 1,422 40 2,250 1,545 7,659 2000 Historical population Census Pop. % ± 1850 336 -- 1860 1,782 430.4 % 1870 4,772 167.8 % 1880 9,142 91.6 % 1890 16,072 75.8 % 1900 16,637 3.5 % 1910 19,383 16.5 % 1920 21,893 12.9 % 1930 29,613 35.3 % 1940 33,246 12.3 % 1950 51,417 54.7 % 1960 81,044 57.6 % 1970 105,690 30.4 % 1980 155,435 47.1 % 217,162 39.7 % 2000 246,681 13.6 % 269,637 9.3 % Est. 2016 282,887 4.9 % U.S. Decennial Census 1790 -- 1960 1900 -- 1990 1990 -- 2000 2010 -- 2015 As of the census of 2000, there were 246,681 residents, 92,739 households, and 58,611 families in the county. The population density was 75 people per square mile ( 29 / km2 ). There were 102,275 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile ( 12 / km2 ). The racial makeup of the county was 84.6 % White, 2.0 % Black or African American, 1.0 % Native American, 2.7 % Asian, 0.1 % Pacific Islander, 6.2 % from other races, and 3.4 % from two or more races. 16.3 % of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 13.9 % were of German, 11.4 % English, 9.7 % Irish, 6.1 % American and 5.7 % Italian ancestry according to Census 2000. 85.7 % spoke English and 10.7 % Spanish as their first language. There were 92,739 households out of which 28.2 % had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.40 % were married couples living together, 9.1 % had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8 % were non-families. 26.0 % of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3 % had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.01. In the county, the population was spread out with 21.7 % under the age of 18, 13.6 % from 18 to 24, 27.0 % from 25 to 44, 23.3 % from 45 to 64, and 14.5 % who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 105.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.2 males. The median income for a household in the county was $42,428, and the median income for a family was $52,447. Males had a median income of $40,726 versus $27,450 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,864. About 6.8 % of families and 12.8 % of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.4 % of those under age 18 and 5.9 % of those age 65 or over. Politics Voter registration Population and registered voters Total population 267,871 Registered voters 156,516 58.4 % Democratic 52,937 33.8 % Republican 61,640 39.4 % Democratic -- Republican spread - 8,703 - 5.6 % Independent 4,303 2.7 % Green 1,394 0.9 % Libertarian 1,303 0.8 % Peace and Freedom 327 0.2 % Americans Elect 0.0 % Other 1,846 1.2 % No party preference 32,762 20.9 % Cities by population and voter registration Cities by population and voter registration City Population Registered voters Democratic Republican D -- R spread Other No party preference Arroyo Grande 17,132 65.5 % 34.2 % 41.8 % - 7.6 % 8.1 % 18.7 % Atascadero 28,194 58.9 % 30.8 % 43.9 % - 13.1 % 8.2 % 19.8 % El Paso de Robles ( Paso Robles ) 29,270 52.1 % 29.6 % 45.3 % - 15.7 % 8.2 % 19.9 % Grover Beach 13,175 50.6 % 37.3 % 34.0 % + 3.3 % 9.3 % 22.5 % Morro Bay 10,263 68.4 % 39.5 % 31.6 % + 7.9 % 9.5 % 22.2 % Pismo Beach 7,753 70.4 % 32.2 % 41.5 % - 9.3 % 8.9 % 20.3 % San Luis Obispo 45,130 59.2 % 40.0 % 29.1 % + 10.9 % 9.0 % 24.6 % Overview San Luis Obispo County vote by party in presidential elections Year GOP DEM Others 2016 40.94 % 56,164 48.91 % 67,107 10.15 % 13,931 2012 47.61 % 59,967 48.63 % 61,258 3.76 % 4,741 2008 45.85 % 61,055 51.20 % 68,176 2.95 % 3,924 52.69 % 67,995 45.52 % 58,742 1.79 % 2,313 2000 52.22 % 56,859 40.89 % 44,526 6.89 % 7,501 46.50 % 46,733 40.19 % 40,395 13.30 % 13,372 1992 34.78 % 36,384 38.36 % 40,136 26.86 % 28,099 55.85 % 46,613 42.73 % 35,667 1.42 % 1,187 1984 63.72 % 49,035 35.02 % 26,946 1.26 % 969 1980 55.56 % 38,631 29.50 % 20,508 14.94 % 10,388 1976 51.17 % 27,785 45.91 % 24,926 2.92 % 1,587 1972 55.98 % 28,566 40.72 % 20,779 3.31 % 1,688 1968 51.27 % 19,420 41.78 % 15,828 6.95 % 2,633 1964 40.08 % 14,906 59.84 % 22,252 0.08 % 28 1960 54.04 % 17,862 45.30 % 14,975 0.66 % 218 1956 58.47 % 16,223 41.11 % 11,407 0.43 % 118 1952 65.37 % 17,716 33.85 % 9,174 0.79 % 213 1948 53.49 % 10,325 42.14 % 8,135 4.38 % 844 1944 48.90 % 7,793 50.63 % 8,068 0.47 % 75 1940 45.25 % 7,204 53.39 % 8,499 1.36 % 217 1936 37.28 % 4,812 61.13 % 7,889 1.59 % 205 1932 28.59 % 3,449 65.77 % 7,933 5.64 % 680 1928 60.82 % 5,425 37.40 % 3,336 1.78 % 159 1924 49.01 % 3,804 9.42 % 731 41.57 % 3,226 1920 61.31 % 4,123 23.88 % 1,606 14.81 % 996 1916 40.20 % 2,854 49.85 % 3,539 9.95 % 706 1912 0.23 % 13 40.48 % 2,248 59.28 % 3,292 1908 50.76 % 2,008 34.91 % 1,381 14.33 % 567 1904 54.95 % 2,015 31.82 % 1,167 13.23 % 485 1900 45.81 % 1,564 50.18 % 1,713 4.01 % 137 1896 43.74 % 1,671 53.82 % 2,056 2.43 % 93 1892 38.10 % 1,433 31.88 % 1,199 30.02 % 1,129 San Luis Obispo County, as a whole, leans toward the Republican Party in presidential and congressional elections ; it has, however, become somewhat more Democratic during the 2000s and 2010s. In 2008, Barack Obama won the county with 51.2 percent of the vote. Prior to 2008, the last Democrat to win a majority in the county was Lyndon Johnson in 1964, although Bill Clinton won a plurality in 1992. In 2012, Obama again won the county, this time with a slim plurality of the vote. The county backed Democrat Jerry Brown during his 2014 re-election campaign after having supported his Republican opponent, Meg Whitman, in 2010. Prior to this, the last Democrat to carry the county in a gubernatorial election was Gray Davis in 1998. With respect to the United States House of Representatives, San Luis Obispo County is in California 's 24th congressional district, represented by Democrat Salud Carbajal. From 2003 until 2013, the county was split between the Bakersfield - based 22nd district, which was represented by Republican Kevin McCarthy and included Paso Robles and most of the more conservative inland areas of the county, and Capps ' 23rd district, a strip which included most of the county 's more liberal coastal areas as well as coastal areas of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. With respect to the California State Senate, the county is in the 17th Senate District, represented by Democrat Bill Monning. With respect to the California State Assembly, it is split between the 35th Assembly District, represented by Republican Jordan Cunningham, and the 37th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Monique Limón. In April 2008, the California Secretary of State reported that there were 147,326 registered voters in San Luis Obispo County. Of those voters, 61,226 ( 41.6 % ) were registered Republicans, 52,586 ( 35.7 % ) were registered Democratic, 8,030 ( 5.4 % ) are registered with other political parties, and 25,484 ( 17.3 % ) declined to state a political preference. The cities of Grover Beach, Morro Bay, and San Luis Obispo had pluralities or majorities of registered Democratic voters, whereas the rest of the county 's towns, cities, and the unincorporated areas have a plurality or majority of registered Republican voters. Crime The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense. Population and crime rates Population 267,871 Violent crime 694 2.59 Homicide 0.01 Forcible rape 89 0.33 Robbery 106 0.40 Aggravated assault 495 1.85 Property crime 3,009 11.23 Burglary 1,433 5.35 Larceny - theft 4,169 15.56 Motor vehicle theft 375 1.40 Arson 88 0.33 Cities by population and crime rates Cities by population and crime rates City Population Violent crimes Violent crime rate per 1,000 persons Property crimes Property crime rate per 1,000 persons Arroyo Grande 17,568 60 3.42 358 20.38 Atascadero 28,825 192 6.66 658 22.83 Grover Beach 13,398 32 2.39 306 22.84 Morro Bay 10,423 21 2.01 140 13.43 Paso Robles 30,344 91 3.00 777 25.61 Pismo Beach 7,798 36 4.62 305 39.11 San Luis Obispo 45,947 119 2.59 1,971 42.90 Economy Clubhair mariposa lily near SLO city, 2014 San Luis Obispo County 's economy is primarily a service economy. Service jobs account for 38 % of the County 's jobs, government jobs accounts for 20.7 %, and manufacturing jobs represent 6 % of the County 's jobs. Transportation Major highways U.S. Route 101 State Route 1 State Route 41 State Route 46 State Route 58 State Route 166 State Route 227 State Route 229 Public transportation San Luis Obispo County is served by Amtrak trains and Greyhound Lines buses. The San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority provides countywide service along US 101 as well as service to Morro Bay, Los Osos, Cambria and San Simeon. The cities of San Luis Obispo, Atascadero and Paso Robles operate their own local bus services ; all of these connect with SLORTA routes. Oceano County Airport in 2013 Intercity service is provided by Amtrak trains, Greyhound and Orange Belt Stages buses. Airports San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport ( SBP ) is located just south of the City of San Luis Obispo. Commercial flights are available. Paso Robles Municipal Airport ( PRB ) is located north - east of the City of Paso Robles and is home to California Highway Patrol, CAL - FIRE and the Estrella Warbirds Museum. Oceano County Airport ( L52 ) is located on the coast in the 5 Cities area. Communities Cities Arroyo Grande Atascadero Grover Beach Morro Bay Paso Robles Pismo Beach San Luis Obispo ( county seat ) The `` Five Cities '' as they are known today are : Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Oceano and Pismo Beach. Some people think that Shell Beach is separate from Pismo Beach, and while it was originally developed in the County, it was annexed into the City of Pismo Beach and is part of that City. Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Pismo Beach are the only incorporated cities. Oceano is a census - designated place, and Shell Beach is part of Pismo Beach. Census - designated places Avila Beach Blacklake Callender Cambria Cayucos Creston Edna Garden Farms Lake Nacimiento Los Berros Los Osos Los Ranchos Nipomo Oak Shores Oceano San Miguel San Simeon Santa Margarita Shandon Templeton Whitley Gardens Woodlands Pair of Bat stars near Los Osos Unincorporated communities Baywood Park California Valley Cholame Halcyon Harmony Pozo Population ranking The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of San Luis Obispo County. † county seat Rank City / Town / etc. Municipal type Population ( 2010 Census ) † San Luis Obispo City 45,119 Paso Robles ( El Paso de Robles ) City 29,793 Atascadero City 28,310 Arroyo Grande City 17,252 5 Nipomo CDP 16,714 6 Los Osos CDP 14,276 7 Grover Beach City 13,156 8 Morro Bay City 10,234 9 Templeton CDP 7,674 10 Pismo Beach City 7,655 11 Oceano CDP 7,286 12 Cambria CDP 6,032 13 Cayucos CDP 2,592 14 Lake Nacimiento CDP 2,411 15 San Miguel CDP 2,336 16 Avila Beach CDP 1,627 17 Los Ranchos CDP 1,477 18 Shandon CDP 1,295 19 Callender CDP 1,262 20 Santa Margarita CDP 1,259 21 Blacklake CDP 930 22 Los Berros CDP 641 23 Woodlands CDP 576 24 San Simeon CDP 462 25 Garden Farms CDP 386 26 Oak Shores CDP 337 27 Whitley Gardens CDP 285 28 Edna CDP 193 29 Creston CDP 94 See also California portal San Luis Obispo County Search and Rescue List of museums in the California Central Coast List of school districts in San Luis Obispo County, California National Register of Historic Places listings in San Luis Obispo County, California Notes Jump up ^ Other = Some other race + Two or more races Jump up ^ Native American = Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander + American Indian or Alaska Native ^ Jump up to : Percentage of registered voters with respect to total population. Percentages of party members with respect to registered voters follow. Footnotes Jump up ^ `` Chronology ''. California State Association of Counties. Retrieved February 6, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Caliente Mountain ''. Peakbagger.com. Retrieved March 18, 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` State & County QuickFacts ''. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 6, 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Population and Housing Unit Estimates ''. Retrieved June 9, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Find a County ''. National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011 - 06 - 07. Jump up ^ Settevendemie, Marty. `` 2012 Crop Report '' ( PDF ). San Luis Obispo County Department of Agriculture. Jump up ^ Terry L. Jones and Kathryn Klar ( 2007 ) California Prehistory : Colonization, Culture, and Complexity, Published by Rowman Altamira ISBN 0 - 7591 - 0872 - 2, 408 pages Jump up ^ C. Michael Hogan ( 2008 ) Morro Creek, ed. by A. Burnham Jump up ^ `` 2010 Census Gazetteer Files ''. United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2015. ^ Jump up to : U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5 - Year Estimates, Table B02001. American FactFinder. Retrieved 2013 - 10 - 26. ^ Jump up to : U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5 - Year Estimates, Table B03003. American FactFinder. Retrieved 2013 - 10 - 26. ^ Jump up to : U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5 - Year Estimates, Table B19301. American FactFinder. Retrieved 2013 - 10 - 21. ^ Jump up to : U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5 - Year Estimates, Table B19013. American FactFinder. Retrieved 2013 - 10 - 21. ^ Jump up to : U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5 - Year Estimates, Table B19113. American FactFinder. Retrieved 2013 - 10 - 21. ^ Jump up to : U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5 - Year Estimates. American FactFinder. Retrieved 2013 - 10 - 21. Jump up ^ U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5 - Year Estimates, Table B01003. American FactFinder. Retrieved 2013 - 10 - 21. Jump up ^ `` 2010 Census P.L. 94 - 171 Summary File Data ''. United States Census Bureau. Jump up ^ `` U.S. Decennial Census ''. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 4, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Historical Census Browser ''. University of Virginia Library. Retrieved October 4, 2015. Jump up ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. ( March 27, 1995 ). `` Population of Counties by Decennial Census : 1900 to 1990 ''. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 4, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Census 2000 PHC - T - 4. Ranking Tables for Counties : 1990 and 2000 '' ( PDF ). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved October 4, 2015. Jump up ^ `` American FactFinder ''. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011 - 05 - 14. ^ Jump up to : California Secretary of State. February 10, 2013 - Report of Registration. Retrieved 2013 - 10 - 31. Jump up ^ http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/ Jump up ^ Map of Election Results, County - by - County : The New York Times Jump up ^ `` California 's 24th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map ''. Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved September 25, 2014. ^ Jump up to : Office of the Attorney General, Department of Justice, State of California. Table 11 : Crimes -- 2009. Retrieved 2013 - 11 - 14. Jump up ^ Only larceny - theft cases involving property over $400 in value are reported as property crimes. ^ Jump up to : United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Crime in the United States, 2012, Table 8 ( California ). Retrieved 2013 - 11 - 14. Jump up ^ https://www.census.gov/2010census/ Further reading Charles Montville Gidney, Benjamin Brooks, and Edwin M. Sheridan, History of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura Counties, California. In Two Volumes. Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co., 1917. Volume 1 Volume 2 Yda Addis Storke, A Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura, California... Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co., 1891. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to San Luis Obispo County, California. Wikivoyage has a travel guide for San Luis Obispo County. Economic Vitality Corp. Official website San Luis Obispo County Visitors & Conference Bureau website SLOweather.com has weather conditions, web cams, and weather forecasts for the County seat and surrounding areas Coordinates : 35 ° 23 ′ N 120 ° 27 ′ W ﻿ / ﻿ 35.38 ° N 120.45 ° W ﻿ / 35.38 ; - 120.45 Municipalities and communities of San Luis Obispo County, California, United States County seat : San Luis Obispo Cities Arroyo Grande Atascadero Grover Beach Morro Bay Paso Robles Pismo Beach San Luis Obispo CDPs Avila Beach Blacklake Callender Cambria Cayucos Creston Edna Garden Farms Lake Nacimiento Los Berros Los Osos Los Ranchos Nipomo Oak Shores Oceano San Miguel San Simeon Santa Margarita Shandon Templeton Whitley Gardens Woodlands Unincorporated communities Adelaida Asuncion Baywood - Los Osos Bee Rock Bern Bromela California Valley Cambria Pines Cholame Chorro Halcyon Harmony Huasna La Panza Pozo Ghost towns La Panza California Central Coast Counties Monterey San Benito San Luis Obispo Santa Barbara Santa Cruz Ventura Cities and towns 100k - 250k Oxnard Salinas Santa Maria Ventura Cities and towns 25k - 100k Atascadero Camarillo Goleta Hollister Lompoc Monterey Orcutt Paso Robles San Luis Obispo Santa Barbara Santa Cruz Seaside Soledad Watsonville Cities and towns 10k - 25k Arroyo Grande Capitola Carpinteria Greenfield Grover Beach Isla Vista King City Live Oak Los Osos Marina Montecito Morro Bay Nipomo Pacific Grove Port Hueneme Prunedale Scotts Valley Sub-regions Big Sur Channel Islands of California Monterey Bay Oxnard Plain Salinas Valley Santa Maria Valley Santa Ynez Valley Counties in italics sometimes included in the definition of the Central Coast State of California Sacramento ( capital ) Topics Culture Food Music Myth Sports Demographics Earthquakes Economy Education Environment Geography Climate Ecology Flora Fauna Government Capitol Districts Governor Legislature Supreme Court Healthcare History Law National Historic Landmarks National Natural Landmarks NRHP listings Politics Congressional delegations Elections People Protected areas State Parks State Historic Landmarks Symbols Transportation Water Index of articles Regions Antelope Valley Big Sur California Coast Ranges Cascade Range Central California Central Coast Central Valley Channel Islands Coachella Valley Coastal California Conejo Valley Cucamonga Valley Death Valley East Bay ( SF Bay Area ) East County ( SD ) Eastern California Emerald Triangle Gold Country Great Basin Greater San Bernardino Inland Empire Klamath Basin Lake Tahoe Greater Los Angeles Los Angeles Basin Lost Coast Mojave Desert Mountain Empire North Bay ( SF ) North Coast North Coast ( SD ) Northern California Owens Valley Oxnard Plain Peninsular Ranges Pomona Valley Sacramento Valley Salinas Valley San Fernando Valley San Francisco Bay Area San Francisco Peninsula San Gabriel Valley San Joaquin Valley Santa Clara Valley Santa Clara River Valley Santa Clarita Valley Santa Ynez Valley Shasta Cascade Sierra Nevada Silicon Valley South Bay ( LA ) South Bay ( SD ) South Bay ( SF ) South Coast Southern Border Region Southern California Tech Coast Transverse Ranges Tri-Valley Victor Valley Wine Country Metro regions Metropolitan Fresno Los Angeles metropolitan area Greater Sacramento San Bernardino - Riverside metropolitan area San Francisco metropolitan area San Diego -- Tijuana Counties Alameda Alpine Amador Butte Calaveras Colusa Contra Costa Del Norte El Dorado Fresno Glenn Humboldt Imperial Inyo Kern Kings Lake Lassen Los Angeles Madera Marin Mariposa Mendocino Merced Modoc Mono Monterey Napa Nevada Orange Placer Plumas Riverside Sacramento San Benito San Bernardino San Diego San Francisco San Joaquin San Luis Obispo San Mateo Santa Barbara Santa Clara Santa Cruz Shasta Sierra Siskiyou Solano Sonoma Stanislaus Sutter Tehama Trinity Tulare Tuolumne Ventura Yolo Yuba Most populous cities Los Angeles San Diego San Jose San Francisco Fresno Sacramento Long Beach Oakland Bakersfield Anaheim Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=San_Luis_Obispo_County,_California&oldid=814904778 '' Categories : California counties San Luis Obispo County, California 1850 establishments in California Populated places established in 1850 Hidden categories : Use mdy dates from December 2014 All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from April 2008 Coordinates on Wikidata Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikivoyage Bân - lâm - gú Български Boarisch Cebuano Čeština Dansk Deutsch Diné bizaad Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Français Հայերեն বিষ্ণুপ্রিয়া মণিপুরী Italiano Kapampangan Ladino Latina Limburgs Magyar Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk پنجابی Plattdüütsch Polski Português Русский Shqip Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Svenska Tagalog Türkçe Українська اردو Tiếng Việt Winaray 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 11 December 2017, at 16 : 32. 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Question: what cities are in san luis obispo county
Answer: Arroyo Grande