The Town FilesAvila Beach, California
Community in San Luis Obispo County · population 1,576 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,243,300
- Household income
- $218,259
- Jan low / Jul high
- 44° / 70°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 59.2
Avila Beach is a community of 1,576 people in San Luis Obispo County, California. The median home is worth $1,243,300, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for retirees than 99% of California towns, more seaside character than 96% of California towns, more of a college town than 94% of California towns.
- #6 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in California
- #9 in The 24 Best Affordable Small Towns to Retire in California With Mild Winters
- #9 in The 11 Most Affordable Seaside Small Towns in California
- #14 in The 25 Best Affordable Small Towns for Remote Workers in California
- #35 in 50 Small Towns in America With the Most Remote Workers
- #35 in 50 Places in America With the Most Remote Workers
How Avila Beach ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Avila Beach is worth $1,243,300, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.7 times the median household income of $218,259, which is more affordable than 63% of California towns. Median rent is $1,878 a month. 86.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Avila Beach | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,243,300 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,878 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $218,259 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.7× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 86.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 2000 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 22.4% | — |
Who lives in Avila Beach
| People | Avila Beach | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 59.2 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 34.7% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 4.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 80.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.8% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.3% | — |
| Work from home | 56.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 21.2 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.5% | 93.3% |
Weather in Avila Beach
July highs average 70.3°F and January lows 44.2°F. About 17.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 2 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Avila Beach since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on February 7, 2024 about 7.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 7, 2024.
Severe weather in San Luis Obispo County since 1996
San Luis Obispo County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4769: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in San Luis Obispo County
San Luis Obispo County had 121,958 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,334 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Avila Beach itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Avila Beach
- Pismo Beach, CA4.1 mi · 8,072 people · home $1,021,300
- Los Ranchos, CA5.3 mi · 1,516 people · home $1,244,900
- San Luis Obispo, CA5.5 mi · 47,063 people · home $935,100
- Grover Beach, CA7.9 mi · 12,701 people · home $727,500
- California Polytechnic State University, CA8.0 mi · 8,583 people · home $564,700
- Oceano, CA9.3 mi · 7,183 people · home $556,100
- Arroyo Grande, CA9.3 mi · 18,441 people · home $814,200
- Los Osos, CA9.5 mi · 14,465 people · home $805,800
Avila Beach questions
Is Avila Beach, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Avila Beach scores better for retirees than 99% of California towns and quieter than 77%. 34.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 59.2).
How much does a house cost in Avila Beach?
The median owner-occupied home in Avila Beach is valued at $1,243,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $218,259, so homes cost about 5.7 times income. Median rent is $1,878 a month.
What is the weather like in Avila Beach?
July highs average 70.3°F and January lows 44.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 17.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Avila Beach get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Avila Beach since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on February 7, 2024. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)