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Living in
Seaside.
About
Life in Seaside
If you're considering Seaside, understand that you're choosing a working community rather than a vacation destination, even though it sits in a tourist region. The economy is anchored by the university presence and former military base redevelopment, which provides some stability, though the unemployment rate sits slightly above national averages at 7.3%. Housing is expensive—median home values around $787,000 and rents averaging $2,409 monthly—so you'll want a solid income to make it work comfortably.
Seaside at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.0%
Foreign-Born
26.2%
Broadband Internet
95.4%
of households
Population Growth
-2.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics26.2% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Seaside: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Seaside, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (55.8%), and 35.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.8%
of residents
65 and Older
12.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
34.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
21.9%
of households
Married Couples
46.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.91
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 18% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Seaside
In Seaside, rent runs 18% above the CA average, and home values are 7% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
62.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
33.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
109.0
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,012
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
35.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1968
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $782,839 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.6 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Seaside
Unemployment in Seaside 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 Seaside Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute21 min avg
How Seaside residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Seaside, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 78% 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
- 51 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 64% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Seaside runs 64% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
539.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
702.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Seaside 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 Seaside, 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.
233 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 Seaside, 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
Climate69°F summers, 44°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Seaside has cool summers (avg high 69°F) and mild winters (avg low 44°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
64°/48°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
69°/54°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
69°/50°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
62°/44°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
16.2"
Annual Snowfall
0.3"
Hot Days/Year
2
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
2
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
69
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62°F | 43°F | 3.49" |
| Feb | 62°F | 45°F | 3.03" |
| Mar | 63°F | 46°F | 2.80" |
| Apr | 63°F | 47°F | 1.03" |
| May | 65°F | 50°F | 0.51" |
| Jun | 68°F | 52°F | 0.13" |
| Jul | 69°F | 54°F | 0.02" |
| Aug | 70°F | 55°F | 0.02" |
| Sep | 71°F | 54°F | 0.07" |
| Oct | 70°F | 51°F | 0.86" |
| Nov | 65°F | 46°F | 1.45" |
| Dec | 62°F | 43°F | 2.83" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Seaside
Uninsured
12.6%
of residents
No hospitals inside Seaside's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6 mi away · Monterey
Salinas Valley Health Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10 mi away · Salinas
Natividad Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.7 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.
Education19.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Seaside
Seaside's student/teacher ratio is 19.7:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 29.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
12
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
29.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
19.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Seaside
California State University-Monterey Bay
Public · 4-year · 6,819 students · in-state tuition $8,145 · 75% graduate · median earnings $63,891 (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)
Public · 2-year · 5,624 students · in-state tuition $1,188 · 17% graduate · median earnings $49,579 (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, 37 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Seaside
Seaside has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pinnacles National Park (37 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pinnacles National Park
National Park
37 mi awayEugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
84 mi awayFort Point National Historic Site
National Historic Site
89 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 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 Seaside
Seaside Branch Library
550 Harcourt Ave., Seaside
Cities Near Seaside
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Seaside?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Seaside FAQ
Is Seaside, California affordable?⌄
Seaside's median rent is $2,409/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $85,311/year. Median home value is $787,100.
Is Seaside, California safe?⌄
Seaside's violent crime rate was 540 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 702 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Seaside, California?⌄
Seaside has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Seaside, California?⌄
The cost of living in Seaside is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,409/month and median household income is $85,311/year. The median home value is $787,100. About 63% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Seaside, California?⌄
The average commute in Seaside is 21 minutes, which is about 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