Madonna Mountain is in the center of the City of San Luis Obispo.

Courtesy of the the City of San Luis Obispo

Home > 2018 Top 100 Best Places to Live > San Luis Obispo, CA
liv score
662
How We Calculate Our Data
Civics 71
Demographics 38
Economy 69
Education 86
Health 75
Housing 69
Infrastructure 54

#17. San Luis Obispo, CA

Midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco lies San Luis Obispo, a city graced with stunning natural attractions and home to prestigious California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly). A warm climate allows year-round activities like biking, hiking, kayaking, sailing and surfing, and residents also enjoy a robust network of parks and trails — it’s no wonder SLO is known as the happiest place in America.

The city scores high in health care with three major medical facilities. An eye-pleasing downtown features a wide array of local restaurants and boutiques, and a number of technology-based companies help drive the strong economy in San Luis Obispo. While you might never want to leave this great city, San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport makes it easy to travel near and far, with nonstop commercial flights to LA, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver and Phoenix.

Find out more about why San Luis Obispo is a Best Place to Live!

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