San Luis Obispo County, CA elected officials: supervisors, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in San Luis Obispo County: 8 seats on 4 elected bodies. 3 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Board of Supervisors

San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it now
Supervisor, District 1John Peschong source
Supervisor, District 2Bruce Gibson source
Supervisor, District 3Dawn Ortiz-Legg source
Supervisor, District 4Jimmy Paulding source
Supervisor, District 5Heather Moreno source

Official website

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
AssessorTom Bordanaro sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
District AttorneyDan Dow sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Sheriff-CoronerIan Parkinson sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments San Luis Obispo County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 62 local governments in San Luis Obispo County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
County government11
Cities, towns, villages and townships70
School districts (school boards)110
Special districts (elected boards)430

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments (1 in San Luis Obispo County), though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in San Luis Obispo County

281,555people
40.4median ageU.S.: 38.9
$97,446 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
12.9%below the U.S.: 12.5%
39.8%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$824,700median home valueU.S.: $332,700
5.5%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
9.9%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
6.3%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
5.7%U.S.: 8.4%
57.6%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
39%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 25% · White 64.5% · Black 1.1% · Asian 3.4% · Other or more than one race 6% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in San Luis Obispo County

4.6%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.7%. California: 5.1%.
6,080people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
127,200people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
133,280in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, San Luis Obispo County 0.0%2.1%4.3%6.4%8.5% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)4.6%6,080127,200133,280
August 20264.7%6,203126,062132,265
July 20264.5%5,978126,026132,004
June 20264.3%5,749126,676132,425
May 20263.6%4,755127,581132,336
April 20264.0%5,225126,472131,697
March 20264.1%5,452126,908132,360
February 20264.4%5,866126,886132,752
January 20264.6%5,958124,657130,615
December 20254.3%5,669126,705132,374
November 20254.6%6,119127,393133,512
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.7%6,368128,801135,169
August 20254.9%6,620128,702135,322
July 20254.9%6,705130,363137,068
June 20254.5%6,225130,836137,061
May 20253.6%4,978132,957137,935
April 20253.8%5,246131,103136,349
March 20254.1%5,666131,956137,622
February 20254.3%5,789130,114135,903
January 20254.3%5,807128,338134,145
December 20243.8%5,113127,743132,856
November 20244.1%5,484129,127134,611
October 20244.0%5,475130,612136,087
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.4%5,927129,752135,679
20244.0%5,399129,511134,910
20233.6%4,752128,471133,223
20223.2%4,264127,265131,529
20215.5%7,237123,263130,500
20208.1%10,459118,873129,332
20193.0%4,101130,760134,861
20183.1%4,245130,678134,923
20173.8%5,139130,343135,482
20164.5%6,106128,522134,628

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. California's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 5.1% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Crime reported in San Luis Obispo County

279.0 per 100,0002025. California: 432.7.
949.9 per 100,0002025. California: 1,792.2.
4murders2025, 785 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
2025785279.02,673949.9
20241,084378.83,3031,154.1
20231,357479.03,4581,220.7
20221,194419.84,6681,641.3
2020756268.34,3431,541.3
2019581205.04,8221,701.3
2018567200.25,2261,845.4
2017592207.95,4831,925.3
2016823274.26,6432,213.5
By police agency (8)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office2025360512120,480
San Luis Obispo Police Department20251751,03250,385
Paso Robles Police Department202511048731,588
Atascadero Police Department20254221329,742
Arroyo Grande Police Department20238321618,360
Grover Beach Police Department20244014612,496
Morro Bay Police Department20252010610,549
Pismo Beach Police Department2025301387,964

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in California · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.82 per 1,000 residents2025, 8 agencies serving 281,412 people.
512sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
229civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (8), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office288133120,480
San Luis Obispo Police Department583350,385
Paso Robles Police Department522131,588
Atascadero Police Department331729,742
Pismo Beach Police Department20127,964
Arroyo Grande Police Department22518,203
Grover Beach Police Department21612,501
Morro Bay Police Department18210,549
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
20255121.822298
20245081.782228
20235251.852048
20225191.821928
20215061.801938
20205021.781928
20195071.791948
20184931.741818
20174701.651768
20164891.741738

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the San Luis Obispo County Assessor?
Tom Bordanaro is the Assessor of San Luis Obispo County, California. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney?
Dan Dow is the District Attorney of San Luis Obispo County, California. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff-Coroner?
Ian Parkinson is the Sheriff-Coroner of San Luis Obispo County, California. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the San Luis Obispo County commissioners?
John Peschong (Supervisor, District 1); Bruce Gibson (Supervisor, District 2); Dawn Ortiz-Legg (Supervisor, District 3); Jimmy Paulding (Supervisor, District 4); Heather Moreno (Supervisor, District 5).
What is the population of San Luis Obispo County?
About 281,555 people, with a median age of 40.4; the median household income is $97,446 and 12.9% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in San Luis Obispo County?
4.6% in September 2026 (preliminary): 6,080 people unemployed in a labor force of 133,280, against 4.7% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in San Luis Obispo County?
62 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 7 municipal, 11 school district and 43 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the Secretary of State's California Roster; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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