First he had to get some specifics on the county's cost of living, something easier said than done. Many studies he came across focused on national figures, McCaleb said, with numbers that didn't apply to San Luis Obispo, one of the most expensive regions in the country to live in. He found specific figures for average county wages and housing costs from the state Employment Development and Housing and Finance departments. McCaleb said that he used the Consumer Price Index to recalculate and adjust costs for 2000. That median has not kept pace with gains in the rest of the state, according to the forecast.
Rents also continue to rise.
As anyone who rents in the city of San Luis knows, those numbers are low. Meanwhile, local wages continue to stagnate. It acknowledges other concerns as well. While the median income of households throughout California is increasing, that of SLO County households is not. The gap is widening, with county residents falling further behind.