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Living in
Los Osos.
Los Osos is an unincorporated community in San Luis Obispo County, CA. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Los Osos
This unincorporated town of roughly 15,000 on California's Central Coast functions primarily as a bedroom community for San Luis Obispo, sitting just 10.6 miles away—which means your commute will likely be under 21 minutes on average, a genuine advantage if you're working eastward. The trade-off is that Los Osos itself is almost entirely residential with a small business district concentrated along a few blocks of Los Osos Valley Road, so you're dependent on nearby towns for most services, dining, and employment. Housing costs reflect the broader California coastal reality: median home values hover around $806,000 and median rent runs $2,047 monthly, though the median household income of $108,932 suggests many residents manage this through dual incomes or established equity.
Los Osos at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
48.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.1%
Foreign-Born
5.8%
Broadband Internet
93.9%
of households
Population Growth
-9.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.8% foreign-born, most often from Philippines
Who lives in Los Osos: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Los Osos, the largest foreign-born group is from Philippines (31.0%), and 5.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
18.5%
of residents
65 and Older
29.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
24.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.9%
of households
Married Couples
51.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.34
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 about average for CA
Rent, home values, and income in Los Osos
In Los Osos, home values are 10% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
43.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,278
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
72.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1976
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $866,742 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.1 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Los Osos
Unemployment in San Luis Obispo County, which includes Los Osos, is 1.1 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
Los Osos: San Luis Obispo County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
San Luis Obispo County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Los Osos Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19.3 min avg
How Los Osos residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Los Osos, most residents drive alone to work (71%), and 80% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 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 9% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office, which covers Los Osos, runs 9% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
299.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
427.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
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 Los Osos, 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.
101 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 Los Osos, 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
Climate68°F summers, 47°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Los Osos has cool summers (avg high 68°F) and warm winters (avg low 47°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
67°/50°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
68°/56°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
71°/54°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
65°/47°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
17.0"
Annual Snowfall
0.1"
Hot Days/Year
1
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
2
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
42
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 65°F | 46°F | 3.64" |
| Feb | 65°F | 48°F | 3.62" |
| Mar | 66°F | 49°F | 3.19" |
| Apr | 67°F | 49°F | 0.99" |
| May | 67°F | 52°F | 0.42" |
| Jun | 66°F | 54°F | 0.20" |
| Jul | 67°F | 57°F | 0.07" |
| Aug | 70°F | 57°F | 0.02" |
| Sep | 72°F | 56°F | 0.09" |
| Oct | 73°F | 54°F | 0.68" |
| Nov | 69°F | 50°F | 1.33" |
| Dec | 65°F | 46°F | 2.75" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Los Osos
Uninsured
4.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Los Osos's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Adventist Health Sierra Vista
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.5 mi away · San Luis Obispo
French Hospital Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.5 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.
Education19.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Los Osos
Los Osos's student/teacher ratio is 19.3:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 53.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
3
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
53.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
19.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Los Osos (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, 84 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Los Osos
Los Osos has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Pinnacles National Park (84 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pinnacles National Park
National Park
84 mi awayPublic Libraries in Los Osos
Los Osos Library
2075 Palisades Ave., Los Osos
Cities Near Los Osos
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Los Osos?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Los Osos FAQ
Is Los Osos, California affordable?⌄
Los Osos's median rent is $2,047/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $108,932/year. Median home value is $805,800.
Is Los Osos, California safe?⌄
Los Osos is policed by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 300 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 428 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Los Osos, California?⌄
San Luis Obispo County, which includes Los Osos, has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Los Osos, California?⌄
The cost of living in Los Osos is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,047/month and median household income is $108,932/year. The median home value is $805,800. About 43% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Los Osos, California?⌄
The average commute in Los Osos is 19 minutes, which is shorter than 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