Overview

Introduction to Morro Bay, California

Morro Bay, California, in San Luis Obispo county, is 36 miles NW of Santa Maria, California and 113 miles SW of Fresno, California. The city is conveniently located inside the San Luis Obispo - Atascadero - Paso Robles metropolitan area. 

Morro Bay History

The history of Morro Bay dates back to the times of the Chumash settlement near the mouth of Morro Creek. In 1542, Portuguese navigator Juan Rodr'guez Cabrillo named the bay's most striking rock 'El Moro.' This could be because the rock resembled the turban worn on the head of Moors, or because it had the butte shape of a 'morro,' the Spanish word for pebble. On October 18, 1587, the first Filipino immigrants arrived in Morro Bay. In 1870, Franklin Riley founded the town of Morro Bay. The year 1964 saw the incorporation of Morro Bay as a general law city.

Morro Bay and Nearby Attractions

  • Morro Creek.
  • Morro Bay Boat Launch.
  • Morro Bay Museum of Natural History.
  • Veterans Memorial Building.
  • Morro Bay Branch San Luis Obispo City-County Library.
  • Estero Bay United Methodist Church.

Things To Do In Morro Bay

The city of Morro Bay has a number of beautiful creeks that are the haunts of a large variety of birds. The Museum of Natural History is a great place to get a feel of the historical and cultural heritage of Morro Bay. There are also several memorial buildings, libraries and churches that one can visit. The amusement parks like the Lila Keiser Park and the Del Mar Park offer some amazing rides and entertainment facilities that can be enjoyed by both parents and children. Morro Bay also has an 18-hole golf course called the Black Mountain Golf Course where one can enjoy a round of golf with friends.

Morro Bay Transportation

Air transportation is available from Paso Robles Municipal Airport.

Morro Bay Higher Education

Cuesta College is located nearby.

Demographics

People

Total Population10,592
Male Share of the Population48.8%
Female Share of the Population51.2%
Senior Citizens28.6%
Employed Population 16+4,558
Age of the Population49

Families

% of people married45.2%
Average household size2

Education and Earnings

Population % with Bachelor Degree or Higher26.8%
Median Earnings25+$36,178
Median Earnings Without High School Qualification$20,682
Median Earnings With High School Degree$0

Wealth

Median Family Income$75,873
% Above Poverty Level90.2%
% Below Poverty Level9.8%

Commute & Sprawl

Average Commute Time21 minutes
% Working from Home5.9%
% Walking and Biking to Work4.7%
% Using Public Transportation0.8%

Housing

People Living Alone38.5%
Median Gross Rent$1,464
Median House Value$582,400

Ancestry

Other(often includes Hispanic and African American)21.9%
English12.5%
Irish11.1%
French Except Basque4.9%
Italian4.1%
Scottish4%
Swedish3.7%
Portuguese3.5%
Dutch3.4%
Norwegian2.7%
Danishn2.1%
Swiss2.1%
Arab1.9%
Syrian1.7%
Polish1.6%
Russian1.1%
Welsh0.9%
Ukrainian0.4%
Hungarian0.4%
Canadian0.4%
Greek0.3%
Iranian0.3%
US/American0.3%
Austrian0.3%
Czech0.2%
Egyptian0.1%
Australian0.1%
Belgian0.1%
Finnish0.1%
Lithuanian0.1%
Icelander0.1%
German0.1%
+ Show More

Morro Bay Almanac

CategoryValue
CountySan Luis Obispo County
Standard Zip Codes93442
P.O. Box Zip Codes93443
Phone Area Codes805
Time ZoneAmerica/Los_Angeles
Approximate Latitude35.38
Approximate Longitude-120.78

Morro Bay Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

Notes:

  • Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
  • Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

StationMORRO BAY FIRE DEPT
Distance0.1 miles
Jan Temp42 to 62 F
Apr Temp45 to 63 F
Jul Temp52 to 65 F
Oct Temp50 to 69 F
Annual Precip17.6 inches
StationPISMO BEACH
Distance16.7 miles
Jan Temp43 to 65 F
Apr Temp46 to 69 F
Jul Temp53 to 71 F
Oct Temp51 to 73 F
Annual Precip17.7 inches
StationTWITCHELL DAM
Distance40.1 miles
Jan Temp41 to 66 F
Apr Temp45 to 71 F
Jul Temp53 to 80 F
Oct Temp50 to 78 F
Annual Precip17.8 inches

Nearby Cities and Towns

LocationPopulationMedian Family Income
Arroyo Grande18,039$105,820
Atascadero30,037$91,797
Grover Beach13,538$67,905
Pismo Beach8,116$103,636
San Luis Obispo47,160$94,222

Morro Bay Public Schools

Del Mar Elementary
501 Sequoia St.
ZIP: 93442
Primary
Total Enrollment 443
Morro Bay High
235 Atascadero Rd.
ZIP: 93442
High
Total Enrollment 867
Sources :
Our Partner Listings
Additional Resources
Info for Morro Bay Government Officials


Are you an official in the Morro Bay government or quasi-government agency such as the chamber of commerce, visitors bureau or economic development council? If so, visit our information page for government officials to see how CityTownInfo can support you.