Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Morro Bay vs Cayucos

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: average commute (22 min in Morro Bay) and size (4.4× in Morro Bay).

×
Morro Bay, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 10,692 people
×
Cayucos, CAHomes around $1.32MCalifornia · 2,427 people
Swap order
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

Morro BayKnown for its schools
Schools#168 for schools in CAof 574 towns Outdoors#123 most conserved land in CA16 miles of trails across 15 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 82%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Morro Bay →
CayucosHomes around $1.32M
Housing$1.32M typical home73% above the CA typical home HealthHealthier than 87%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 82%of CA districts All about Cayucos →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Average commute22 min
Morro Bay has the shorter commute
Cayucos 42 minMorro Bay 20 min
Size4.4×
Morro Bay is the bigger place
Morro Bay 10,692Cayucos 2,427
Seasonal homes+24.4 pts
Cayucos has more second homes
Cayucos 39.6%Morro Bay 15.2%
Growth since 2010+8.5 pts
Morro Bay has grown faster since 2010
Morro Bay +5.1%Cayucos -3.4%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $2,180 more a month in Cayucos

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Morro Bay$5,410/mo
Typical home $934K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.65% · or rent about $1,858/mo · Housing →
Cayucos$7,590/mo
Typical home $1.32M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.58% · or rent about $1,571/mo · Housing →

The difference: $2,180 a month, about $26,200 a year, between Cayucos and Morro Bay.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Where they are

Morro Bay and Cayucos share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

Morro BayCayucosMorro BayCayucos
Morro Bay ↔ Cayucos5.0 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
87 Morro Bay residents work in Cayucos (2.1% of its workers)
72 Cayucos residents work in Morro Bay (8.1% of its workers)
Work & commute in Morro Bay →
Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
B−Morro BaySafer than 50% of U.S. towns –CayucosNot graded
Schools
A−Morro BayBetter than 81% of districts in the state A−CayucosBetter than 82% of districts in the state
Health
A−Morro BayHealthier than 82% of U.S. towns ACayucosHealthier than 87% of U.S. towns
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
Morro BayCayucos
Snow a year0″0″
January low46°F46°F
July high67°F67°F
Growing season (days)365d365d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)77th86th
Outdoors & history
Morro BayCayucos
Trails16 mi12 mi
Conserved land19.5%15.7%
Settled1870—
National Register places11
Archive photos317
Famous people born here1—
Community
Morro BayCayucos
Library hours a week39 hrs27 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Morro BayCayucos
People
Population 10,692Highest 2,427Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +5.1%Highest CA: +6.1% -3.4%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 54.3±2.8Lowest 43% above CA 59.4±5Highest 57% above CA
Cayucos and Morro Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 12%±2.4Highest CA: 22% 8.5%±4.7Lowest CA: 22%
Morro Bay and Cayucos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 32.6%±3.9Lowest CA: 15.7% 35.4%±5.7Highest CA: 15.7%
Cayucos and Morro Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 48.5%Highest CA: 37.1% 44.7%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.4%±1.9Highest CA: 7.6% 3.7%±2.4Lowest CA: 7.6%
Morro Bay and Cayucos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $95,843±$6kHighest 3% below CA $87,235±$16kLowest 12% below CA
Morro Bay and Cayucos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $918,200±$49kLowest 25% above CA $1,011,900±$190kHighest 38% above CA
Cayucos and Morro Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,858±$93Highest 9% below CA $1,571±$325Lowest 23% below CA
Morro Bay and Cayucos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,999Highest 17% above CA $5,896Lowest 15% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 49.5%±10Lowest CA: 55.3% 51.4%±19.7Highest CA: 55.3%
Cayucos and Morro Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 8.4%Lowest CA: 12% 9.3%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 65.4%Highest CA: 55.9% 60.4%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1974Highest 2 yrs older than CA 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 31% below CA 42 minHighest 46% above CA
Work from home 21.7%±6.6Lowest CA: 17.2% 26.4%±9.9Highest CA: 17.2%
Cayucos and Morro Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 18.9%Highest 12.2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.3 miLowest 18.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.74Highest 0.51Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town San Luis Obispo (20%)San Luis Obispo (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 2% work in Cayucos8% work in Morro Bay
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 19.5%Highest 15.7%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 15.6 miHighest 12.3 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.5 miLowest 3.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 15Highest 3Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 44.7Highest 40.6Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #168 of 574 in CA—
School district San Luis Coastal UnifiedCayucos Elementary
High school in town Morro Bay HighNone in town
Students per teacherat that high school 17.8 —
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Morro Bay neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Morro Bay’s Town Square.

Cayucos neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Cayucos’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Morro Bay and Cayucos

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Morro Bay

+ Compare
Sonoma10,670 people · $971K homes
+ Compare
Pismo Beach8,014 people · $1.02M homes
+ Compare
Sebastopol7,445 people · $846K homes
+ Compare
Ojai7,577 people · $1.02M homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Post to Morro Bay

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in