Templeton, California


Templeton is a census-designated place in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. The population was 8,368 at the 2020 census, up from 7,674 at the 2010 census.
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Geography and climate

Geography

Templeton is located at . It is approximately south of Paso Robles and five miles north of Atascadero along U.S. 101. State Route 46 intersects U.S. 101 on the north edge of the town.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of, all of which is land. However, much of the surrounding unincorporated area between Atascadero and Paso Robles is considered as part of Templeton, with most U.S. mail for this area addressed as such.

Climate

Templeton has a Mediterranean climate that is characterized by mild winters and dry summers. The area usually has low humidity. Rain generally falls only between November and March, with the rainy season tapering off almost completely by the end of April. Temperature lows can reach from in the winter, and highs can reach in the summer, with the highest recorded temperature being.
Like much of the nearby area, Templeton occasionally receives significant but temporary fog through parts of the year. In summer, Templeton will occasionally receive fog due to its proximity with the California Coastal Range, Pacific Ocean, and the higher valley temperatures of Templeton itself; the differential in density between the warm rising air in the valley causes it to be displaced with the descent of the cooler marine air layer via the Templeton Gap in the Santa Lucia Range. Similarly, in winter, Templeton will occasionally receive morning fog due to the temperature differential with the Central Valley.
Although it is rare to see snow in Templeton, it did snow on December 15, 1988, leaving between of total snowfall.
It also most recently snowed in the winter of 2023.

Economy

Templeton is home to numerous businesses that serve local agriculture and ranching, with the economy comprised most significantly from medical care including the Twin Cities Hospital, Templeton Unified School District, agriculture consisting primarily of vineyards and wineries, and assorted businesses on Main Street. Many residents work in nearby communities.
Templeton is emerging as a world class wine producer; with many of the wineries carrying the "Paso Robles" appellation actually located in the unincorporated Templeton area – including Castoro Cellars, Peachy Canyon, York Mountain, and Wild Horse.
There is a growing production of olive oil, with many small groves producing olives intended for consumption and oil, including Pasolivo.

History

Templeton is located within the former Rancho Paso de Robles Mexican land grant and was founded in 1886 when Chauncey Hatch Phillips of the West Coast Land Company sent R.R. Harris to survey set aside for a town to exist south of Paso Robles as part of the company's larger purchase of. These 160 acres were to be laid out in business and residential lots with 5–12 acre parcels, with the town to be named "Crocker" after a Vice President of the Southern Pacific Railroad, Charles F. Crocker; however, Crocker instead chose to name the town "Templeton," after his two-year-old son, Charles Templeton Crocker.
The town was briefly the end of the line for passengers travelling south via the Southern Pacific Railroad from northern California; passengers disembarked at Templeton and were then carried by stagecoach south to San Luis Obispo. In 1889, the railroad was continued south to Santa Margarita and the town was reclassified to a flag stop. Currently, the railroad stops in nearby Paso Robles before continuing on, and Templeton is classified as a bypass.
In 1898, a fire destroyed most of the original wooden buildings of the business district along Main Street, prompting this section of the town to be rebuilt with brick, although on a somewhat smaller scale than before.
In 2025, the historic grain silo of Templeton Grain and Feed, which had stood for over 100 years on the Main Street, burned down in a fire started by an illegal firework.

2020

The 2020 United States census reported that Templeton had a population of 8,386. The population density was. The racial makeup of Templeton was 75.4% White, 0.6% African American, 1.3% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 6.8% from other races, and 13.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.9% of the population.
The census reported that 99.1% of the population lived in households and 0.9% were institutionalized.
There were 3,117 households, out of which 32.5% included children under the age of 18, 56.0% were married-couple households, 5.0% were cohabiting couple households, 26.5% had a female householder with no partner present, and 12.5% had a male householder with no partner present. 23.2% of households were one person, and 14.3% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.67. There were 2,244 families.
The age distribution was 24.4% under the age of 18, 6.4% aged 18 to 24, 22.1% aged 25 to 44, 27.0% aged 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 42.6years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males.
There were 3,317 housing units at an average density of, of which 3,117 were occupied. Of these, 72.0% were owner-occupied, and 28.0% were occupied by renters.
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $114,155, and the per capita income was $52,348. About 1.3% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line.

2010

The 2010 United States census reported that Templeton had a population of 7,674. The population density was. The racial makeup of Templeton was 6,833 White, 59 African American, 80 Native American, 123 Asian, 10 Pacific Islander, 337 from other races, and 232 from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,171 persons.
The Census reported that 7,580 people lived in households, 1 lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and 93 were institutionalized.
There were 2,830 households, of which 1,121 had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,572 were opposite-sex married couples living together, 363 had a female householder with no husband present, 127 had a male householder with no wife present. There were 117 unmarried opposite-sex partnerships and 29 same-sex married couples or partnerships. 654 households were made up of individuals, and 352 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68. There were 2,062 families ; the average family size was 3.14.
2,049 people of the population were under the age of 18, 598 people aged 18 to 24, 1,627 people aged 25 to 44, 2,288 people aged 45 to 64, and 1,112 people who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.6 males.
There were 3,006 housing units at an average density of, of which 2,002 were owner-occupied, and 828 were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.9%. 5,453 people lived in owner-occupied housing units and 2,127 people lived in rental housing units.

Government

Local

Templeton is governed by the five-member board of the Templeton Community Services District.
The current board members are:
  • President: Navid Fardanesh
  • Vice President: Debra Logan
  • Board members: Wayne Petersen, Chelsea Tirone, and Eric Mortensen

State and federal

In the state legislature, Templeton is in, and in.
In the United States House of Representatives, Templeton is in.

Schools

  • Templeton High School - grades 9 to 12
  • Templeton Middle School - grades 6 to 8
  • Vineyard Elementary School - grades 3 to 5
  • Templeton Elementary School - kindergarten to 2
Public schools in Templeton are located in and operated by the Templeton Unified School District, which notably includes Templeton High School, which was selected as a National Blue Ribbon High School in 2006, having previously been selected in both 1999 and 2005 as one of 64 schools out of 860 in the state of California as a California Distinguished School.

Notable people