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Living in
Atascadero.
About
Life in Atascadero
If you're considering a move here, understand that Atascadero is a fundamentally car-dependent place — U.S. 101 bisects the entire city, and most daily life revolves around driving. The upside is that your commute average is under 22 minutes, and you're positioned strategically between major regions: the coast is accessible via State Route 41 (about 20 miles to Morro Bay), and the Central Valley sprawls eastward. The median home price sits around $717,000 with a healthy owner-occupancy rate of 64.6%, though rental inventory is tighter.
Atascadero at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
11.4%
Foreign-Born
7.6%
Broadband Internet
94.6%
of households
Population Growth
-1.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Atascadero: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Atascadero, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (50.4%), and 10.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.0%
of residents
65 and Older
18.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
30.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
25.4%
of households
Married Couples
51.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.52
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 9% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Atascadero
In Atascadero, rent runs 9% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
49.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,289
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
64.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1983
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $782,615 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.7 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Atascadero
Unemployment in Atascadero is 1.7 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Atascadero Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.9 min avg
How Atascadero residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Atascadero, most residents drive alone to work (75%), and 76% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 18 mi
San Luis County Regional Airport (SBP)
Regional airport · few flights399k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 55% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Atascadero runs 55% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
147.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
729.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Atascadero Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 6 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
95.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
San Luis Obispo County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In San Luis Obispo County, which includes Atascadero, the most common type is high wind, with 6 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | Wildfire | $4,000 |
| 2024 | 8 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 12 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 2 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 1 | Flash Flood | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
117 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
San Luis Obispo County, county-wide
Air Quality50 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in San Luis Obispo County, which includes Atascadero, is typically good — 191 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
50
Good Days
191
per year
Moderate Days
167
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
San Luis Obispo County, county-wide
Climate90°F summers, 35°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Atascadero has warm summers (avg high 90°F) and mild winters (avg low 35°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
74°/42°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
90°/52°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
80°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
62°/35°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
31.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
80
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
54
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
52
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62°F | 34°F | 3.44" |
| Feb | 64°F | 37°F | 3.24" |
| Mar | 68°F | 40°F | 2.84" |
| Apr | 73°F | 41°F | 0.81" |
| May | 80°F | 46°F | 0.36" |
| Jun | 87°F | 50°F | 0.04" |
| Jul | 91°F | 53°F | 0.10" |
| Aug | 92°F | 53°F | 0.02" |
| Sep | 89°F | 50°F | 0.08" |
| Oct | 81°F | 43°F | 0.66" |
| Nov | 69°F | 37°F | 1.16" |
| Dec | 61°F | 33°F | 2.51" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Atascadero
Uninsured
5.6%
of residents
No hospitals inside Atascadero's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Adventist Health Twin Cities
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.3 mi away · Templeton
Adventist Health Sierra Vista
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.3 mi away · San Luis Obispo
French Hospital Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.3 mi away · San Luis Obispo
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education22.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Atascadero
Atascadero's student/teacher ratio is 22.2:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 31.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
31.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
22.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Atascadero (within 15 miles)
Private for-profit · 2-year · 1,116 students · 39% graduate · median earnings $40,324 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Pinnacles National Park, 75 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Atascadero
Atascadero has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Pinnacles National Park (75 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pinnacles National Park
National Park
75 mi awayPublic Libraries in Atascadero
Atascadero Library
6555 Capistrano, Atascadero
Cities Near Atascadero
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Atascadero?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Atascadero FAQ
Is Atascadero, California affordable?⌄
Atascadero's median rent is $1,854/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $91,429/year. Median home value is $716,500.
Is Atascadero, California safe?⌄
Atascadero's violent crime rate was 148 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 730 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Atascadero, California?⌄
Atascadero has an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Atascadero, California?⌄
The cost of living in Atascadero is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,854/month and median household income is $91,429/year. The median home value is $716,500. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Atascadero, California?⌄
The average commute in Atascadero is 23 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from