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San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA is $2,512 per month, ranking #22 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $93,398, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 32.3% of income on housing. The area has a population of 281K, with 38.1% of households renting.

32.3%
Rent Burdened
of income → rent
$2,512
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$93,398
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$1,899
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
281K
Population
Census ACS
38.1%
Renters
of occupied housing
$777,200
Median Home Value
12.8%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
12.8%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$1,732
Studio
$1,914
1 Bedroom
$2,512
2 Bedroom
$3,370
3 Bedroom
$3,861
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA, a household earning the area median income of $93,398 would spend 32.3% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. HUD considers households spending more than 30% of income on housing to be "cost-burdened." This means many renters in this area face financial strain from housing costs.

Income Needed for 2BR
$100,480
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$48
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$1,899
$613 below FMR

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in California is $16.50/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 117.1 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles is 12.8%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$16.50/hr
Hours/Week Needed
117.1 hrs
Poverty Rate
12.8%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles is $777,200. At a median income of $93,398, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 8.3x. 12.8% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is above the national average and may indicate softer demand or seasonal housing.

Rent vs. Buy
$5,440 est. mortgage
vs $2,512 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
12.8%
of housing units

Other Areas in California

Santa Cruz-Watsonville
$4,214/mo
2BR FMR · 46.3% burden
San Francisco
$3,604/mo
2BR FMR · 32.3% burden
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
$3,483/mo
2BR FMR · 26.5% burden
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine
$3,236/mo
2BR FMR · 41.5% burden
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
$3,124/mo
2BR FMR · 39.1% burden

Compare San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles

vs Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CAvs San Francisco, CAvs San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

Areas With Similar Rent to San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA is $2,512 per month. A studio is $1,732/mo, a 1-bedroom is $1,914/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $3,370/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $1,899/mo.

San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles has a rent burden of 32.3%, meaning a household earning the median income of $93,398 would spend 32.3% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. HUD considers spending 30%+ on housing to be cost-burdened. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $100,480.

San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $2,512/mo is $1,262 above the national median of $1,250/mo. San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles ranks #22 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $100,480, or a full-time hourly wage of $48/hour. The area median income is $93,398.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.