SLO County’s population shrunk in 2022. See how much each city changed

San Luis Obispo County saw its population decrease slightly in 2022 — but the downward trend is slowing, according to a new report.

SLO County lost just 0.5% of its overall population over the course of the year, the California Department of Finance said in its report.

A total of 278,348 people lived in the county as of Jan. 1, 2023, compared to the 279,751 residents who were living in SLO County on Jan. 1, 2022.

That’s in line with with a statewide trend. California lost more than 138,400 residents between 2022 and 2023, according to the state finance department report.

Here’s how SLO County cities fared in terms of population.

SLO County sees population decrease

Only one local city saw its population increase in 2022: San Luis Obispo, which grew by 1.1%.

The city added 541 residents to end with the year with 47,788.

Morro Bay saw the largest population decline of any city in the county. Its population dropped by 1.3% to 10,275 last year.

Three cities saw their populations make a similar dive in 2022. Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach and Pismo Beach all saw their populations drop by 1.2%.

Arroyo Grande ended the year with 17,922 residents, while Grover Beach shrank to 12,4687 people and Pismo Beach dropped to 7,865.

Paso Robles saw a slightly more modest decline of 1% as its population fell by 317 to 30,692 residents in 2022.

Atascadero saw the smallest decline of any city in the county in 2022. Its population decreased just 0.3% to 30,206 people.

The population living in unincorporated parts of the county also experienced a decline, dropping by 925 people — 0.8% — to 121,133 by the end of the year.

San Luis Obispo County’s neighbors to the north and south also saw significant population decreases in 2022.

Santa Barbara County’s population fell to 440,557, a 0.6% decrease, while Monterey County experienced a 0.8% drop to 430,368.

Which California counties gained or lost residents?

Those weren’t the only counties in California to see population losses in 2022, according to the Department of Finance report.

All but 12 of 58 total counties saw their populations dip, the report said.

Population growth in inland counties, including those in the Central Valley and Inland Empire, “slowed but remained positive,” the agency reported.

With one exception — San Benito County — all coastal counties, known for their higher cost of living, lost population.

Lassen County lost the most residents in 2022, with its population dropping by 4.3%, followed by Del Norte County, which saw a decrease of 1.3%, and Plumas County, which declined 1.2%.

Los Angeles County saw a 0.75% population decline, San Diego County a 0.2% dip and Orange County a 0.5% decrease.

Increased housing construction drew more people to Paradise in Butte County, which experienced a 24.1% population increase as it continues to recover from the 2018 Camp Fire.

Lathrop in San Joaquin County was up 11%. Duarte in Los Angeles County added 6.6% and Wheatland in Yuba County grew by 4.6%.

The Department of Finance attributes the continuing population decline to fewer people moving to California and more moving out.

The departures have been highly politicized, with Republicans claiming Democrats’ liberal policies are driving away the wealthy and the taxes they pay.

However, the Public Policy Institute of California tends to agree with the Department of Finance’s assessment that remote work options created during the coronavirus pandemic have led higher-income people to move to less expensive places.

Most people who leave the state move due to family, cost of living and job factors.

The Public Policy institute reported many people cite housing costs as their reason for moving, although conservatives are more likely to consider leaving California than liberals.

Statewide population continues to fall, though at slower rates

Although California, which is currently home to about 38.9 million people, saw its population decrease by 0.35% decline from 2022 to 2023, that’s an improvement from the previous year.

The state lost more than 200,000 residents between 2021 and 2022, a decrease of 0.53% decrease.

The Department of Finance calculates the population numbers using data collected from birth and death records, driver license address changes, tax return information, Medicare and Medi-Cal enrollment, immigration reports, school enrollments and other sources.

The agency attributes the slowdown in California’s population decline to a significant uptick in immigration and “natural increase,” or net births minus deaths.

Almost three times as many immigrants came to California in 2022 than in 2021. That took the state from a net gain of 31,300 in 2021 to more than 90,000 in 2022.

On the natural increase side, births decreased slightly, while deaths also declined.

“While foreign immigration to California has nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels, natural increase has not rebounded,” the state finance department said in a statement. “Total births remain low due to fertility declines. While deaths have eased gradually from their pandemic peak, they remain elevated.”