Overview

Introduction to Arroyo Grande, California

Arroyo Grande, California, in San Luis Obispo county, is 14 miles NW of Santa Maria, California (center to center) and 121 miles SW of Fresno, California. The city benefits from easy access to the nearby cities and towns with which it shares the San Luis Obispo - Atascadero - Paso Robles metropolitan area. 

Arroyo Grande History

The Chumash Indians were the first inhabitants of the Arroyo Grande valley. Spanish explorer Juan Cabrillo was the first European to visit the area. Gradually, agricultural activities started developing in the area as it proved to be extremely fertile. The area was thus named 'Arroyo Grande', which is Spanish for "wide riverbed." The San Luis Obispo Board of Supervisors set up the township of Arroyo Grande in the year 1862 and a rail depot was constructed 20 years later. The city of Arroyo Grande was officially incorporated on July 10, 1911.

Arroyo Grande and nearby Attractions

  • Arroyo Grande Chamber of Commerce
  • South County Branch San Luis Obispo City-County Library
  • Pitkin-Conrow House
  • Calvary Chapel of Arroyo Grande
  • Christmas Tree Island Park
  • Arroyo Grande City Hall

Things To Do In Arroyo Grande

The stunning city of Arroyo Grande has a number of historical buildings like the Chamber of Commerce, the County Library and the city hall which allow visitors to learn about the cultural history of the city. One can also visit the Pitkin-Conrow House or the Lucia Mar School District Office to get a feel of Arroyo Grande. There are quite a few charming chapels and churches lining the streets of this city. Arroyo Grande has a large number of amusement parks that offer excellent entertainment opportunities for adults and children alike. Visitors can browse through the Arroyo Town and Country Square Shopping Center, the Pacific Coast Shopping Center or the Oak Park Plaza Shopping Center to collect souvenirs.

Arroyo Grande Transportation

San Luis County Regional is the local, good-sized airport.

Arroyo Grande Higher Education

Cuesta College serves the area.

Demographics

People

Total Population18,039
Male Share of the Population48.4%
Female Share of the Population51.6%
Senior Citizens21.2%
Employed Population 16+8,402
Age of the Population46

Families

% of people married55.3%
Average household size3

Education and Earnings

Population % with Bachelor Degree or Higher25.9%
Median Earnings25+$52,913
Median Earnings Without High School Qualification$34,393
Median Earnings With High School Degree$41,233

Wealth

Median Family Income$105,820
% Above Poverty Level93.7%
% Below Poverty Level6.3%

Commute & Sprawl

Average Commute Time23 minutes
% Working from Home6.9%
% Walking and Biking to Work2.4%
% Using Public Transportation1%

Housing

People Living Alone26.7%
Median Gross Rent$1,370
Median House Value$552,300

Ancestry

Other(often includes Hispanic and African American)32.5%
German16.1%
Irish12.5%
English10.3%
Italian4.1%
Polish3.9%
Portuguese3.5%
Scottish2.9%
French Except Basque2.9%
Dutch2%
Norwegian2%
Swedish1.5%
US/American1.3%
Welsh1%
Czech1%
Russian0.9%
Swiss0.9%
Arab0.8%
Greek0.7%
Canadian0.6%
Danishn0.6%
Iranian0.5%
Bulgarian0.5%
Egyptian0.4%
Basque0.3%
Syrian0.3%
Romanian0.3%
Ukrainian0.2%
Finnish0.2%
Belizean0.2%
West Indian0.2%
Serbian0.2%
Croatian0.2%
Hungarian0.1%
Luxemburger0.1%
Slovak0.1%
Slovene0.1%
African0.1%
+ Show More

Arroyo Grande Almanac

CategoryValue
CountySan Luis Obispo County
Standard Zip Codes93420
P.O. Box Zip Codes93421
Phone Area Codes805
Time ZoneAmerica/Los_Angeles
Approximate Latitude35.12
Approximate Longitude-120.57

Arroyo Grande Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

Notes:

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

StationPISMO BEACH
Distance6.3 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
StationSANTA MARIA AP
Distance15.6 miles
Jan Temp39 to 64 F
Apr Temp43 to 68 F
Jul Temp54 to 74 F
Oct Temp48 to 74 F
Annual Precip14 inches
StationTWITCHELL DAM
Distance18.1 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
Grover Beach13,538$67,905
Guadalupe7,350$46,434
Morro Bay10,592$75,873
Pismo Beach8,116$103,636
San Luis Obispo47,160$94,222
Santa Maria105,483$58,258

Arroyo Grande Hospitals

Marian Regional Medical Center, Arroyo Grande
345 South Halcyon Road
Arroyo Grande Community Hospital
(Non-profit)
345 South Halcyon Road
(805) 489-4261

Arroyo Grande Public Schools

Arroyo Grande High
495 Valley Rd.
ZIP: 93420
High
Total Enrollment 2205
Branch Elementary
970 Sch Rd.
ZIP: 93420
Primary
Total Enrollment 329
Harloe Elementary
901 Fair Oaks Ave.
ZIP: 93420
Primary
Total Enrollment 661
Lopez Continuation High
1055 Mesa View Dr.
ZIP: 93420
High
Total Enrollment 132
Mesa Middle
2555 Halcyon Rd.
ZIP: 93420
Middle
Total Enrollment 527
Ocean View Elementary
1208 Linda Dr.
ZIP: 93420
Primary
Total Enrollment 615
Paulding Middle
600 Crown Hill St.
ZIP: 93420
Middle
Total Enrollment 605
Santa Lucia Rop
602 Orchard St.
ZIP: 93420
High

Arroyo Grande Private Schools

Arroyo Grande Montessori School
216 Oak St
ZIP: 93420
Elementary
Total Enrollment 3
Coastal Christian School
1220 Farroll Ave
ZIP: 93420
Combined Elementary And Secondary
Total Enrollment 198
Highland Preparatory School
1285 Poplar St
ZIP: 93420
Combined Elementary And Secondary
Total Enrollment 21
St Patricks Catholic School
900 W Branch St
ZIP: 93420
Elementary
Total Enrollment 275
Valley View Adventist Academy
230 Vernon St
ZIP: 93420
Combined Elementary And Secondary
Total Enrollment 63
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