Population 30,321 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Arroyo Grande
Household size in Arroyo Grande
| Period | Arroyo Grande | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.49 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.58 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.58 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.49 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Arroyo Grande run a little small, averaging 2.49 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northeast. Arroyo Grande has smaller households than the great majority of California cities.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Arroyo Grande
| Period | Arroyo Grande | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.3 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.1 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.4 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.8 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Arroyo Grande skews older: half of its residents are older than 47.4, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 45.6 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Arroyo Grande
| Period | Arroyo Grande | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.9% of households in Arroyo Grande, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 2.4 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Arroyo Grande has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five California cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Arroyo Grande
Renters in Arroyo Grande
| Period | Arroyo Grande | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.1% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.4% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.5% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.3% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Arroyo Grande is about as common as it is nationally: 32.3% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in California as a whole (44.1%). Among owners, 36.9% have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 6.2 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Arroyo Grande
| Period | Arroyo Grande | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.0% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.3% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Arroyo Grande as nationally: 8.3%, against 9.6%. Vacancy is down 1.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Arroyo Grande
| Period | Arroyo Grande | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1982 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1983 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Arroyo Grande are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1984, versus 1980 across the U.S. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Arroyo Grande
| Period | Arroyo Grande | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,170 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,407 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,673 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,206 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,035 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Arroyo Grande pays $2,206 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,035 a month from 2006–10, an 88% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 32.4% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the northeast; the most affordable are in the southeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Arroyo Grande
Bachelor's degrees in Arroyo Grande
| Period | Arroyo Grande | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.1% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.9% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.5% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 45.0% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.9 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in Arroyo Grande than nationally: 45.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 9.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the southwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Arroyo Grande
| Period | Arroyo Grande | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.3% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.6% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.4% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.4% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Arroyo Grande: 95.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.1 points, as it has nationally. Arroyo Grande has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five California cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Arroyo Grande
| Period | Arroyo Grande | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.5% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Arroyo Grande than nationally: unemployment was 4.0%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 2.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Arroyo Grande compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arroyo Grande | 2.49 | 47.4 | 5.9% | 32.3% | 8.3% | 1984 | $2,206 | 45.0% | 95.4% | 4.0% |
| Oceano | 2.33 | 45.3 | 10.7% | 41.1% | 12.2% | 1978 | $1,773 | 21.4% | 81.0% | 3.5% |
| Grover Beach | 2.53 | 42.1 | 20.1% | 49.6% | 18.0% | 1977 | $2,038 | 30.3% | 85.0% | 4.2% |
| Los Berros | 2.68 | 52.1 | 14.4% | 14.7% | 21.7% | 1985 | $2,243 | 39.0% | 96.7% | 3.7% |
| Pismo Beach | 2.02 | 53.1 | 6.1% | 35.4% | 29.9% | 1985 | $2,286 | 53.0% | 97.8% | 4.5% |
| Halcyon | 3.02 | 44.0 | 7.7% | 29.2% | 23.7% | 1989 | $2,610 | 51.2% | 89.8% | 5.2% |
| Shell Beach | 2.22 | 52.1 | 2.0% | 44.9% | 15.9% | 2001 | $2,389 | 70.6% | 98.9% | 2.6% |
| Nipomo | 2.89 | 44.4 | 9.9% | 31.0% | 9.4% | 1994 | $2,120 | 30.2% | 87.3% | 2.7% |
| Avila Beach | 2.25 | 56.4 | 1.4% | 25.7% | 27.3% | 2001 | $2,273 | 79.7% | 98.4% | 0.9% |
| Huasna | 3.12 | 45.6 | 16.0% | 10.1% | 25.8% | 1981 | $2,494 | 43.1% | 96.0% | 5.1% |
| San Luis Obispo | 2.42 | 32.3 | 4.6% | 57.2% | 9.6% | 1978 | $2,069 | 51.8% | 94.8% | 7.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Maryland Heights, MO · Imperial, MO · Wasco, CA · Tualatin, OR · Terrell, TX · Englewood, NJ · Sugar Hill, GA · Glen Cove, NY · Gloucester, MA · Gulf Breeze, FL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Arroyo Grande. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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