$827,747Average Value$414Average Price per Sq Ft1Home For Sale
A small-town atmosphere with a growing downtown near beaches and urban hubs
On California’s Central Coast, the inland city of Atascadero is set in the rural Salinas Valley, tucked between the Salinas River and the rolling, oak-covered foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains. Pacific coast beaches, San Luis Obispo shopping and dining, and Paso Robles wine country are all within 20 miles. Established in 1913 as a utopian colony, Atascadero today is home to about 30,000 people, largely drawn by the city's area-low home prices and highly rated schools. The commercial scene here has long been sleepy, but is now on the rise. “Having lived here since I was six, I’ve watched our city grow and evolve over the years," says resident Lori Bagby, a Realtor with Platinum Properties. “Especially downtown, which has new shops and restaurants. The city's actively been making downtown more walkable and inviting, creating a space where people want to gather and connect.”
Winter here sees chilly mornings and warm afternoons, but Bagby says, "In the summer, we can have extreme heat during the day but the most beautiful weather in the evening. It’s not unusual for it to be 40 degrees cooler on the coast, so when it's really hot, you can cool off with a 20-minute drive to Morro Bay."
Atascadero is a rural community located along the central coast.
Downtown Atascadero is full of local retail and restaurants.
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A low crime rate despite the largest employer being a topic of true crime conversation
Department of State Hospitals-Atascadero, also known as Atascadero State Hospital, is the main employer in town and one of the largest in San Luis Obispo County. This all-male, maximum-security forensic hospital houses criminal offenders with mental health disorders, and has its own police department. Past inmates include serial killer Ed Kemper, Manson Family member Charles “Tex” Watson, and former Atascadero school teacher Arthur Leigh Allen — the only person ever named as a suspect in the Zodiac Killer case.
Outside of the hospital, however, the city doesn’t have a big crime story to tell: Property and violent crime rates here are below the national average and have fallen in recent years. According to the California Department of Justice's most recent data, in 2023, Atascadero reported 65 incidents of violent crime and 303 incidents of property crime, the lowest annual figures since 2013.
Atascadero is a city full of trees and gardens.
The Atascadero State Hospital is one of the largest employers in the area.
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A more affordable option on the Central Coast
At the start of 2025, Atascadero's median home price is $750,000, higher than the national average but lower than San Luis Obispo's roughly $1 million. Most homes in Atascadero were built between the late 20th century and the 2020s. On the town's outskirts, custom single-family homes often sit on 1 to 10 acres, offering plenty of room for horses; especially large homes on multiple acres can go for about $1 million to $2 million. Undeveloped parcels of land are often for sale. Closer to the center of town, there are suburban subdivisions with single-family homes on lots of a quarter-acre or less, as well as several manufactured, townhouse and condominium communities.
The homes in Atascadero are typically tucked away in lush greenery.
Smaller single family homes are easy to find in Atascadero.
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A diverse outdoor recreation scene
Locals have access to several miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails within the 103-acre Three Bridges Oak Preserve and Stadium Park, both set near downtown. The 18-hole Chalk Mountain Golf Course is open to the public, and the city's community parks include playgrounds and a wide array of sports facilities. Atascadero Lake Park is home to a 30-acre lake with rentable paddle boats and the Central Coast's only zoo; annual events here include a summer concert series and the Atascadero 4th of July Music Festival. A-Town Park is an indoor-outdoor skate and scooter park, and Colony Park Community Center offers a variety of youth and adult classes.
Three Bridges Oak Preserve has great hiking trails in Atascadero.
Find your dream lake house in Atascadero.
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A growing downtown with locally owned shops, eateries and well-attended community events
Downtown Atascadero is the city's lively, walkable shopping and dining district, centered on El Camino Real. Locally owned businesses here include boutiques, farm-to-table restaurants, coffee shops and breweries. It's also home to Atascadero Colony Cinemas, which screens new-releases, independent films and old classics. Outside of downtown, El Camino Real is lined with chain grocery stores and fast-food restaurants.
Downtown is anchored by the Sunken Gardens, a manicured greenspace inspired by The Grand Basin at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. Community events held here include the Atascadero Farmers Market every Wednesday and the annual Tamale Festival in May, which features a tamale eating contest, Mexican folk music and a fireworks show. The adjacent Atascadero City Hall, built in 1918, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and houses part of the Atascadero Historical Society Museum.
The Sunken Gardens are a popular park in Atascadero.
Locals and visitors support small businesses along the strip in downtown Atascadero.
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Fine arts and online learning options in Atascadero Unified School District
Atascadero Unified School District serves roughly 4,500 students and earns an overall B-plus rating from Niche. Atascadero Fine Arts Academy is an application-based middle school of choice with a focus on visual and performing arts, and Atascadero High School offers a variety of hands-on career and technical education courses. District high schoolers can also enroll in the Atascadero Choices in Education (A.C.E.) Academy with flexible online and hybrid learning options.
Atascadero High in Atascadero California is a great public school option.
Atascadero Fine Arts Academy is central to the city.
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Access to public transportation and Highway 101
Atascadero is located right on Highway 101, offering an easy commute to hubs along the coast. San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority buses stop at the Atascadero Transit Center downtown, connecting riders to Downtown San Luis Obispo and surrounding communities. Residents are about 6 miles from Adventist Health Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton and 25 miles from the San Luis Obispo County Airport, which offers nonstop flights to western U.S. hubs on United, American and Alaskan Airlines.
Written By
Lauren Schott
Photography Contributed By
Joseph Palacios
Video By
Anne Sheridan
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
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an experienced agent in this area.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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