Population 8,425 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Pismo Beach
Household size in Pismo Beach
| Period | Pismo Beach | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.11 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.23 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.01 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.02 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Pismo Beach is a place of small households, averaging 2.02 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has edged down from 2.11 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only 12 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
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 Pismo Beach
| Period | Pismo Beach | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.4 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.6 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 55.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 53.1 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.7 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 53.1, Pismo Beach is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 50.4 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 19 are older.
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 Pismo Beach
| Period | Pismo Beach | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.8% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Pismo Beach: 6.1% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has edged up 0.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Pismo Beach 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 Pismo Beach
Renters in Pismo Beach
| Period | Pismo Beach | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.1% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 47.3% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.1% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 35.4% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a third of households in Pismo Beach rent their homes (35.4%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in California overall (44.1%). Among homeowners, 42.9% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 1.6 points, even as the national share rose.
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 Pismo Beach
| Period | Pismo Beach | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.9% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.8% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 27.7% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.9% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 29.9% of the housing in Pismo Beach, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is up 3.9 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Pismo Beach
| Period | Pismo Beach | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1985 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Pismo Beach is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1985, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1979 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the west 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 Pismo Beach
| Period | Pismo Beach | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,488 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,695 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,960 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,286 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$798 | +$931 | +$606 |
Rent in Pismo Beach runs $2,286 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $798 a month from 2006–10, a 54% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.1% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Pismo Beach
Bachelor's degrees in Pismo Beach
| Period | Pismo Beach | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.2% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 35.9% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 46.2% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 53.0% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +16.8 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Pismo Beach: 53.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 16.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Pismo Beach
| Period | Pismo Beach | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.3% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.9% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.0% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.8% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Pismo Beach: 97.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 4.5 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 49 have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Pismo Beach
| Period | Pismo Beach | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.0% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Pismo Beach runs below the national rate: 4.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 0.5 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. 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).
Pismo Beach 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pismo Beach | 2.02 | 53.1 | 6.1% | 35.4% | 29.9% | 1985 | $2,286 | 53.0% | 97.8% | 4.5% |
| Shell Beach | 2.22 | 52.1 | 2.0% | 44.9% | 15.9% | 2001 | $2,389 | 70.6% | 98.9% | 2.6% |
| Grover Beach | 2.53 | 42.1 | 20.1% | 49.6% | 18.0% | 1977 | $2,038 | 30.3% | 85.0% | 4.2% |
| Oceano | 2.33 | 45.3 | 10.7% | 41.1% | 12.2% | 1978 | $1,773 | 21.4% | 81.0% | 3.5% |
| Arroyo Grande | 2.49 | 47.4 | 5.9% | 32.3% | 8.3% | 1984 | $2,206 | 45.0% | 95.4% | 4.0% |
| Avila Beach | 2.25 | 56.4 | 1.4% | 25.7% | 27.3% | 2001 | $2,273 | 79.7% | 98.4% | 0.9% |
| Halcyon | 3.02 | 44.0 | 7.7% | 29.2% | 23.7% | 1989 | $2,610 | 51.2% | 89.8% | 5.2% |
| Los Berros | 2.68 | 52.1 | 14.4% | 14.7% | 21.7% | 1985 | $2,243 | 39.0% | 96.7% | 3.7% |
| San Luis Obispo | 2.42 | 32.3 | 4.6% | 57.2% | 9.6% | 1978 | $2,069 | 51.8% | 94.8% | 7.9% |
| Nipomo | 2.89 | 44.4 | 9.9% | 31.0% | 9.4% | 1994 | $2,120 | 30.2% | 87.3% | 2.7% |
| Huasna | 3.12 | 45.6 | 16.0% | 10.1% | 25.8% | 1981 | $2,494 | 43.1% | 96.0% | 5.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Elmer, NJ · Toronto, OH · Topsham, ME · Timmonsville, SC · Folkston, GA · Firebaugh, CA · Farr West, UT · Farmington, AR · Farmersville, TX · Fairview, PA
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 Pismo Beach. 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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