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Living in
Nipomo.
Nipomo 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 Nipomo
Living in Nipomo means settling into a quiet, family-oriented community on California's Central Coast where you're not paying San Francisco prices but you're also not getting big-city job options without a commute. The median home price sits around $723,700 with a median household income of $110,022, which means housing is accessible compared to coastal California but still requires serious consideration—and rents average $2,106 a month if you're not ready to buy. The job market here is modest; unemployment is a healthy 4.4%, but most residents work in nearby Santa Maria or San Luis Obispo (about 27 minutes away on average), so you'll need to embrace commuting or find remote work to truly enjoy what the area offers.
Nipomo at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.7%
Foreign-Born
18.3%
Broadband Internet
91.9%
of households
Population Growth
-1.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics18.3% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Nipomo: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Nipomo, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (78.1%), and 27.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.5%
of residents
65 and Older
15.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
40.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
16.0%
of households
Married Couples
60.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.07
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 Nipomo
Rent and home values here are close to the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
46.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
15.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,841
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
65.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1990
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $942,168 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.1 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Nipomo
Unemployment in San Luis Obispo County, which includes Nipomo, is 1.1 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
Nipomo: San Luis Obispo County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
San Luis Obispo County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Nipomo Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute28 min avg
How Nipomo residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Nipomo, most residents drive alone to work (83%), and 69% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 11 mi
Santa Maria Public Airport Captain G Allan Hancock Field (SMX)
Regional airport · few flights17k passengers boarded in 2025
- 142 mi
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Major hub36.5M 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 Nipomo, 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 Nipomo, 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.
89 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 Nipomo, 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
Climate76°F summers, 41°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Nipomo has mild summers (avg high 76°F) and mild winters (avg low 41°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
68°/46°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
76°/52°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
74°/48°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
62°/41°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
18.2"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
26
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
15
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
50
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63°F | 41°F | 4.04" |
| Feb | 63°F | 43°F | 3.43" |
| Mar | 65°F | 44°F | 3.25" |
| Apr | 68°F | 45°F | 1.47" |
| May | 70°F | 48°F | 0.55" |
| Jun | 75°F | 50°F | 0.10" |
| Jul | 77°F | 53°F | 0.04" |
| Aug | 78°F | 54°F | 0.01" |
| Sep | 78°F | 52°F | 0.07" |
| Oct | 75°F | 49°F | 0.88" |
| Nov | 68°F | 44°F | 1.40" |
| Dec | 61°F | 39°F | 2.96" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Nipomo
Uninsured
7.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Nipomo's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Marian Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.2 mi away · Santa Maria
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 Nipomo
Nipomo's student/teacher ratio is 19.3:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 25.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
25.0%
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
Parks & Recreationclosest: Channel Islands National Park, 80 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Nipomo
Nipomo has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Channel Islands National Park (80 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Channel Islands National Park
National Park
80 mi awayPublic Libraries in Nipomo
Nipomo Library
918 W. Tefft, Nipomo
Cities Near Nipomo
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Nipomo?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Nipomo FAQ
Is Nipomo, California affordable?⌄
Nipomo's median rent is $2,106/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $110,022/year. Median home value is $723,700.
Is Nipomo, California safe?⌄
Nipomo 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 Nipomo, California?⌄
San Luis Obispo County, which includes Nipomo, has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Nipomo, California?⌄
The cost of living in Nipomo is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,106/month and median household income is $110,022/year. The median home value is $723,700. About 47% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Nipomo, California?⌄
The average commute in Nipomo is 28 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