San Luis Obispo, California

San Luis Obispo
Clockwise from top: Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, Downtown San Luis, California Polytechnic State University, Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, Higuera Street.
Nickname(s): 
"SLO", "San Luis", "SLO Town", "SLOcal"
Location in San Luis Obispo County and the state of California
San Luis Obispo
Location within the United States
Coordinates: 35°16′27″N 120°39′47″W / 35.27417°N 120.66306°W / 35.27417; -120.66306
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountySan Luis Obispo
FoundedSeptember 1, 1772
IncorporatedFebruary 16, 1856
Named afterSt. Louis of Toulouse
Government
  TypeMayor–council
  BodySan Luis Obispo City Council
  MayorErica A. Stewart (D)
  Councilmembers
List
  City managerWhitney McDonald
  State & Federal Congressmen
List
Area
  Total
13.45 sq mi (34.84 km2)
  Land13.31 sq mi (34.46 km2)
  Water0.15 sq mi (0.38 km2)  1.09%
Elevation
233 ft (71 m)
Population
 (2020)
  Total
47,063
  Density3,537/sq mi (1,366/km2)
DemonymSan Luis Obispan
Time zoneUTC−8 (Pacific)
  Summer (DST)UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Codes
93401–93403, 93405–93410, 93412
Area code805
FIPS code06-68154
GNIS feature IDs1652788, 2411796
Congressional district24th
Websitewww.slocity.org

San Luis Obispo (Spanish for 'St. Louis the Bishop'; /sæn ˌlɪs əˈbɪsp/ san LOO-iss ə-BISS-poh; Spanish: [san ˈlwis oˈβispo]; Chumash: tiłhini) is a city and county seat of San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. Located on the Central Coast of California, San Luis Obispo is roughly halfway between the San Francisco Bay Area in the north and Greater Los Angeles in the south. The population was 47,063 at the 2020 census.

San Luis Obispo was founded by the Spanish in 1772, when Saint Junípero Serra established Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa. The town grew steadily through the Mexican period before a rapid expansion of San Luis Obispo following the American Conquest of California. San Luis Obispo is a popular tourist destination, known for its historic architecture, vineyards, and hospitality, as well as for being home to California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.