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Living in
Monterey.
About
Life in Monterey
This is a small, walkable coastal city where you'll encounter a mix of military families, graduate students, professionals, and retirees—the kind of place where you can bump into someone from the Defense Language Institute or Naval Postgraduate School at a coffee shop. The economy leans heavily on tourism, military presence, and higher education, which provides steadier employment than pure tourism towns, though the job market can feel tight at 3.9% unemployment. Housing is steep—median home prices top $1 million and rent averages $2,353 monthly—so unless you're tied to one of the major employers or have significant savings, affordability will be your biggest hurdle.
Monterey at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.8%
Foreign-Born
17.7%
Broadband Internet
94.6%
of households
Population Growth
-4.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics17.7% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Monterey: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Monterey, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (25.9%), and 15.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
14.3%
of residents
65 and Older
21.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
20.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
36.2%
of households
Married Couples
42.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.10
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 16% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Monterey
In Monterey, rent runs 16% above the CA average, and home values are 46% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
54.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
109.0
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,071
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
36.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1971
median year built
Vacant Homes
11.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $1,153,012 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.6 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Monterey
Unemployment in Monterey is 1.6 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Monterey Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute18.5 min avg
How Monterey residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Monterey, most residents drive alone to work (58%), and 82% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Monterey Regional Airport (MRY)
Regional airport · few flights326k passengers boarded in 2025
- 53 mi
Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC)
Medium hub5.3M passengers boarded in 2025
- 75 mi
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Major hub26.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 6% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Monterey runs 6% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
348.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,364.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Monterey Police Department
Natural DisastersFlood most common — 18 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
98.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Monterey County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Monterey County, which includes Monterey, the most common type is flood, with 18 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18 | Flood | $30 |
| 2024 | 16 | Flood | $50 |
| 2023 | 19 | Flood | $1,090 |
| 2022 | 12 | Strong Wind | $10 |
| 2021 | 19 | Strong Wind | $1,050 |
| 2020 | 19 | Wildfire | None reported |
| 2019 | 43 | Strong Wind | $12,000 |
| 2018 | 18 | Flood | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
226 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Monterey County, county-wide
Air Quality38 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Monterey County, which includes Monterey, is typically good — 314 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
38
Good Days
314
per year
Moderate Days
51
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Monterey County, county-wide
Climate67°F summers, 45°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Monterey has cool summers (avg high 67°F) and mild winters (avg low 45°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
63°/47°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
67°/52°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
69°/51°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
60°/45°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
20.4"
Annual Snowfall
0.3"
Hot Days/Year
3
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
74
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°F | 45°F | 4.35" |
| Feb | 61°F | 45°F | 3.99" |
| Mar | 63°F | 46°F | 3.32" |
| Apr | 63°F | 47°F | 1.48" |
| May | 64°F | 49°F | 0.60" |
| Jun | 66°F | 51°F | 0.15" |
| Jul | 67°F | 53°F | 0.05" |
| Aug | 69°F | 54°F | 0.06" |
| Sep | 71°F | 53°F | 0.09" |
| Oct | 71°F | 52°F | 0.91" |
| Nov | 64°F | 48°F | 1.80" |
| Dec | 59°F | 44°F | 3.62" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Monterey
Monterey has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
7.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Salinas Valley Health Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.7 mi away · Salinas
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education21.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Monterey
Monterey's student/teacher ratio is 21.7:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 52.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
52.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
21.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Monterey
Public · 2-year · 5,624 students · in-state tuition $1,188 · 17% graduate · median earnings $49,579 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 9,453 students · in-state tuition $1,404 · 16% graduate · median earnings $49,016 (10 yrs after entry)
California State University-Monterey Bay
6 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 6,819 students · in-state tuition $8,145 · 75% graduate · median earnings $63,891 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Pinnacles National Park, 40 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Monterey
Monterey has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pinnacles National Park (40 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pinnacles National Park
National Park
40 mi awayEugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
85 mi awayPresidio of San Francisco
National Park Site
89 mi awaySan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
89 mi awayAlcatraz Island
National Park Site
90 mi awayFort Point National Historic Site
National Historic Site
90 mi awayRosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
94 mi awayGolden Gate National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
96 mi awayPublic Libraries in Monterey
Monterey Public Library
625 Pacific St., Monterey
Cities Near Monterey
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Monterey?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Monterey FAQ
Is Monterey, California affordable?⌄
Monterey's median rent is $2,353/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $102,846/year. Median home value is $1,076,300.
Is Monterey, California safe?⌄
Monterey's violent crime rate was 348 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1365 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Monterey, California?⌄
Monterey has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Monterey, California?⌄
The cost of living in Monterey is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,353/month and median household income is $102,846/year. The median home value is $1,076,300. About 55% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Monterey, California?⌄
The average commute in Monterey is 19 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from