Oak Shores, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 128, Oak Shores's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Oak Shores is a small community located in California, within San Luis Obispo County. The total population is 128. It ranks as the 1434th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Oak Shores is 63.5 years. This is 68% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. 13.3% 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 Oak Shores is $66,750. This is 33% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 17% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 33.6%. This is 180% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 23.6%. This is 258% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $525,000. Housing costs are 29% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 7.9x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 54.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 2% lower than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in Oak Shores was recorded as White (non-Hispanic). A figure of exactly 100.0% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

14.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 60% lower than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 80.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Oak Shores, 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.