Cambria
An unincorporated village on the North Coast, about 35 miles northwest of San Luis Obispo, known for its Monterey pine forest, Moonstone Beach and the shops of the East and West Villages. The County handles planning under the North Coast Area Plan; the Cambria Community Services District supplies water and sewer, and water is what limits new building.
Home market
Sales for September 2026; homes for sale as of October 18, 2026. Community-wide figures from Redfin, all home types.
Cambria has many vacant lots on the market: 76 of the 128 listings on October 18, 2026 were land, and most lots cannot be built on until they reach the top of a water waitlist (see below).
Monthly figures for a small community swing with just a few sales, so compare several months before drawing conclusions. Countywide trends are on the market data page; local loan limits and a payment calculator are on Loans & rates.
What's being built: 2 projects
Projects confirmed in official records (the County, LAFCO or the State's CEQA database, CEQAnet) or, where the official report isn't online, local news coverage of the public vote. Each links to its source.
| Project | What it is | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambria CSD Water Reclamation Facility | The Cambria Community Services District's water facility, intended to protect groundwater quality, reduce seawater intrusion, protect lagoon and creek resources and maintain water for existing users and commitments. | Coastal Commission denied all appeals Sept. 9, 2026; permit final | CEQAnet 2014061073 Cambria CSD |
| Stuart Street water tank replacement | Removal and like-for-like replacement of two CCSD water storage tanks (Tank 1 holds 212,000 gallons) to fix operating deficiencies. | County permit; Notice of Determination July 21, 2025 | CEQAnet 2011071060 |
Most building in Cambria is single homes on existing lots, each needing a County Coastal Development Permit; search them in PermitSLO. See: North Coast Area Plan (County).
Building here
Cambria has no city government, so the County of San Luis Obispo sets the rules. These local limits matter if you plan to build or buy a vacant lot:
- A vacant lot in Cambria needs a water connection before a home can be built. The Cambria Community Services District and the County both keep waitlists for vacant parcels, and the CCSD list is served first: number 1 on the County single-family waitlist is effectively number 659 once the CCSD list is counted. (County of San Luis Obispo: Cambria)
- The County caps a home's footprint, gross floor area and deck area based on the lot's location and size, and publishes a Cambria building size calculator for checking a lot before you buy. (County of San Luis Obispo: Cambria)
Public schools
Cambria is part of Coast Unified.
Cambria is served by Coast Unified School District. Schools in or serving Cambria:
- Cambria Grammar School
- Santa Lucia Middle School
- Coast Union High School
- Leffingwell Continuation High School
School assignment depends on your exact address; confirm boundaries with the district. School list from the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education and the district.
Walkability
Walk Score counts about 25 restaurants, bars and coffee shops in Cambria, most of them along Main Street in the East and West Villages. Outside the villages, most errands need a car. (Walk Score)
Other towns
Arroyo Grande
$966,040 median · 105 for sale
Open →Atascadero
$854,593 median · 93 for sale
Open →Grover Beach
$737,149 median · 47 for sale
Open →Morro Bay
$949,548 median · 53 for sale
Open →Paso Robles
$809,614 median · 333 for sale
Open →Pismo Beach
$1,329,367 median · 47 for sale
Open →Los Osos
$862,089 median · 68 for sale
Open →Nipomo
$770,383 median · 76 for sale
Open →Santa Margarita
$800,000 median · 67 for sale
Open →Templeton
$864,588 median · 58 for sale
Open →San Luis Obispo
Six City areas with every City-tracked project
Open →Sources
- County of San Luis Obispo: Cambria (unincorporated)
- North Coast Area Plan (County)
- Redfin: Cambria housing market (retrieved October 18, 2026)
- CEQAnet 2014061073: Cambria CSD Water Reclamation Facility
- CEQAnet 2011071060: Stuart Street water tank replacement
- Coast Unified School District
- Walk Score: Cambria
Project details and stages change; contact the County of San Luis Obispo Planning & Building for the latest on a specific project. Market data are estimates from Redfin.