Los Ranchos, California Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Los Ranchos is a small community located in California, within San Luis Obispo County. The total population is 1,467. It ranks as the 968th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Los Ranchos is 53.0 years. This is 40% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. With 28.1% of the population under 18, Los Ranchos has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community. 18.8% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Los Ranchos is $121,800. This is 23% higher than the state median of $99,122. It is also 51% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 0.4%. This is 97% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Los Ranchos, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $1,244,900. Housing costs are 69% higher than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 10.2x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 93.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 68% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Los Ranchos has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 85.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 11.6%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (85.1% vs 33.8%). The Hispanic or Latino population (11.6%) is well below the state average of 40.2%. The Asian population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

70.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Los Ranchos in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 89% higher than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample. Notably, 33.1% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Los Ranchos, California is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against California state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,570 Census-designated places in California. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.