NAICS 812112, 812113, 812199

Hair Salons, Barber Shops & Day Spas in San Luis Obispo, CA

The 2 ZIP codes assigned to San Luis Obispo contained 31 Salons & Spas establishments in 2023.

Establishments (2023)
31
2 ZIP codes
10 or more employees
n/a
Practical financing floor
Share of county
32%
San Luis Obispo County
City population
50,636
2025 estimate

Figures cover the ZIP codes the U.S. Postal Service assigns to San Luis Obispo (93401, 93405). ZIP areas are not municipal boundaries: they can extend beyond city limits and are shared between neighbouring places. This is a count of establishments in San Luis Obispo's ZIP codes, not a count of businesses inside its city limits.

Establishments by size

Employee-count distribution. For most buyers the businesses worth pursuing sit in the 5 to 49 range: large enough to have a manager and real systems, small enough to be owner-operated.

EmployeesEstablishmentsShareDistribution
1-41961.3%
5-9412.9%

How this market compares

San Luis Obispo against every other city in California on the same measure. City figures cover the ZIP codes assigned to the place rather than its municipal boundary, so they are compared as a share of the businesses in those same ZIP codes rather than per resident. Cities with fewer than 500 businesses in total are left unranked.

Below average1.17% of local businesses, against 1.78% statewide

A smaller slice of the local business base than the statewide share. Often an underserved market, though it can also mean the work is done by firms based in a neighbouring town.

Vs state share
-34%
Share of local businesses
Rank by count
#159
of 334 cities
Rank by share
#254
of 295 ranked
Since 2020
+11%
Change in establishments

This compares how much of San Luis Obispo’s business base is hair salons, barber shops & day spas, against the California figure. Base: 2,659 establishments across all industries in the same ZIP codes, 2023. It does not measure revenue, profitability or whether a market is worth entering.

Business size mix

San Luis Obispo tracks the California size distribution closely.

Share of establishmentsSan Luis ObispoCaliforniaDifference
Under 5 employeesOwner-operated, often no management layer61.3%61.3%-0.1%
5 to 49 employeesThe range most individual buyers target12.9%19.2%-6.3%
10 or more employeesPractical floor for acquisition financing0.0%4.3%-4.3%

Nearest comparable markets

The closest places to San Luis Obispo that also have Salons & Spas establishments on record. Useful for spotting a gap next door, or realising the market you are looking at is already served from the town over.

MarketEstablishmentsVs state share
Pismo Beach7n/a
Grover Beach6n/a
Arroyo Grande13-18%
Santa Maria39-22%
Lompoc9-43%

The wider San Luis Obispo County market

Employment and payroll are reported at county level only, so the figures below describe the county San Luis Obispo sits in.

County establishments (2023)
97
San Luis Obispo County
County employees
440
Mid-March employment
County annual payroll
$10M
All establishments
Full Salons & Spas data for San Luis Obispo County

What acquirers look at

Booth-rental structures mean the business may own almost nothing transferable. Verify whether stylists are employees or independent tenants before valuing the revenue.

Other industries in San Luis Obispo

Nearby cities

Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ZIP Code Business Patterns. Establishment counts and size distribution by ZIP code and NAICS, aggregated over the ZIP codes assigned to each city. Retrieved 2026-09-08.
  2. U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 County Business Patterns. Establishment counts, employment and annual payroll by NAICS. Retrieved 2026-09-08.
  3. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (2026Q1). Quarterly establishment counts and employment for employers covered by unemployment insurance. Retrieved 2026-09-08.