The Town Files

Woodlands, California

Community in San Luis Obispo County · population 1,933 (2020 Census)

Map: where Woodlands is in CaliforniaWoodlands
Median home
$1,162,200
Household income
$136,618
Jan low / Jul high
41° / 73°
Snow a year
0 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
3
Median age
69.4

Woodlands is a community of 1,933 people in San Luis Obispo County, California. The median home is worth $1,162,200, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for retirees than 99% of California towns, quieter than 97% of California towns, more seaside character than 96% of California towns.

Woodlands in our rankings:

How Woodlands 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.

Woodlands lifestyle rankings vs other California townsRetirement99th pctFamilies87th pctQuiet97th pctWalkability22nd pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals49th pctVibrancy9th pctHip & trendy4th pctCollege town14th pctUpscale84th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside character96th pctCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving90th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Woodlands is worth $1,162,200, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.5 times the median household income of $136,618, which is more affordable than 21% of California towns. 88.6% of households own their home.

Woodlands vs San Luis Obispo County vs typical California townWoodlandsSan Luis Obispo CountyTypical California townHome value$1,162,200$824,700$596,900Household income$136,618$97,446$91,557
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of California towns with 500+ people.
HousingWoodlandsTypical California town
Median home value$1,162,200$596,900
Median rent—$1,827
Median household income$136,618$91,557
Home value ÷ income8.5×6.4×
Homeownership88.6%67.4%
Median year built20121977
Seasonal / vacation homes15.0%—

Who lives in Woodlands

PeopleWoodlandsTypical California town
Median age69.440.2
Age 65 and over76.0%17.7%
Under 180.0%—
Bachelor's degree or higher71.7%27.7%
Below the poverty line5.4%10.3%
Veterans10.6%—
Born outside the U.S.6.7%—
Work from home49.9%13.4%
Average commute23.0 min27.5 min
Homes with broadband100.0%93.3%

Weather in Woodlands

July highs average 73.3°F and January lows 41.0°F. About 13.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 9 nights at or below freezing.

Woodlands monthly temperatures and precipitation40°50°60°70°80°65°41°Jan65°43°Feb66°44°Mar68°45°Apr69°49°May71°52°Jun73°55°Jul74°55°Aug75°54°Sep75°50°Oct70°44°Nov64°40°DecPrecipitation (in)2.72.92.60.90.40.10.00.00.10.51.12.0
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Santa Maria Public Ap station (10.7 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Woodlands since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on February 7, 2024 about 7.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 7, 2024.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Woodlands by decade01950s01960s01970s01980s01990s22000s02010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Severe weather in San Luis Obispo County since 1996

Storm events in San Luis Obispo County since 1996 by typeHail5Flood11Tornado4Wildfire6High Wind30Heavy Rain8Waterspout2Debris Flow3
NOAA Storm Events Database, San Luis Obispo County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 3 deaths recorded.

San Luis Obispo County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
April 13, 2024Severe StormDR-4769: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
April 3, 2023Severe StormDR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
March 10, 2023FloodEM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
January 14, 2023FloodDR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
January 9, 2023FloodEM-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 Woodlands itself the ACS puts it at 0%.

Largest industries in San Luis Obispo CountyHotels & restaurants18,585 jobs · $30,411Health care & social assistan…15,923 jobs · $61,183Retail13,392 jobs · $43,803Construction8,820 jobs · $78,745Manufacturing8,323 jobs · $67,441Agriculture, forestry & fishi…5,682 jobs · $39,914
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in San Luis Obispo County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023San Luis Obispo 3.5%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Woodlands

Woodlands questions

Is Woodlands, California a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Woodlands scores better for retirees than 99% of California towns and quieter than 97%. 76.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 69.4).

How much does a house cost in Woodlands?

The median owner-occupied home in Woodlands is valued at $1,162,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $136,618, so homes cost about 8.5 times income. Median rent is — a month.

What is the weather like in Woodlands?

July highs average 73.3°F and January lows 41.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 13.3 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.

Does Woodlands get tornadoes?

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Woodlands since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on February 7, 2024. The typical California town has had 2.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Woodlands's Census boundary (GEOID 0686380). Comparisons use the median of California towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.