The Town Files

Aromas, California

Community in Monterey County · population 2,708 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties

Map: where Aromas is in CaliforniaAromas
Median home
$863,500
Household income
$148,438
Jan low / Jul high
40° / 71°
Snow a year
0 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
3
Median age
41.5

Aromas is a community of 2,708 people in Monterey County, California. The median home is worth $863,500, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks easier by car than 94% of California towns, better for retirees than 87% of California towns, quieter than 80% of California towns.

How Aromas ranks

Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.

Aromas lifestyle rankings vs other California townsRetirement87th pctFamilies62nd pctQuiet80th pctWalkability38th pctFirst-time buyers57th pctYoung professionals60th pctVibrancy17th pctHip & trendy33rd pctCollege town79th pctUpscale75th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit68th pctDriving94th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Aromas is worth $863,500, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $148,438, which is more affordable than 61% of California towns. Median rent is $2,638 a month. 73.3% of households own their home.

Aromas vs Monterey County vs typical California townAromasMonterey CountyTypical California townHome value$863,500$781,000$596,900Household income$148,438$97,230$91,557Monthly rent$2,638$2,055$1,827
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of California towns with 500+ people.
HousingAromasTypical California town
Median home value$863,500$596,900
Median rent$2,638$1,827
Median household income$148,438$91,557
Home value ÷ income5.8×6.4×
Homeownership73.3%67.4%
Median year built19751977
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Aromas

PeopleAromasTypical California town
Median age41.540.2
Age 65 and over18.7%17.7%
Under 1818.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher42.4%27.7%
Below the poverty line3.1%10.3%
Veterans5.7%—
Born outside the U.S.18.0%—
Work from home20.8%13.4%
Average commute26.0 min27.5 min
Homes with broadband90.1%93.3%

Weather in Aromas

July highs average 71.1°F and January lows 39.9°F. About 22.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 8 nights at or below freezing.

Aromas monthly temperatures and precipitation30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing62°40°Jan63°42°Feb65°43°Mar68°45°Apr69°49°May71°52°Jun71°54°Jul72°55°Aug74°53°Sep74°49°Oct68°43°Nov62°39°DecPrecipitation (in)4.44.53.61.60.60.10.00.00.11.02.34.5
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Watsonville Wtr Wks station (8.6 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Aromas since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on December 20, 2001 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 14, 2007.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Aromas by decade01950s01960s01970s11980s01990s22000s02010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on December 20, 2001.

Severe weather in Monterey County since 1996

Storm events in Monterey County since 1996 by typeHail21Heat24Flood120Wildfire24High Surf19High Wind77Heavy Rain18Debris Flow40
NOAA Storm Events Database, Monterey County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 34 deaths recorded.

Monterey County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
April 13, 2024Severe StormDR-4769: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
April 3, 2023Severe StormDR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
March 10, 2023FloodEM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
January 14, 2023FloodDR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
January 9, 2023FloodEM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides

Jobs and pay in Monterey County

Monterey County had 200,244 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,375 a year. Unemployment was 7% in 2023; in Aromas itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.

Largest industries in Monterey CountyAgriculture, forestry & fishi…55,530 jobs · $47,473Hotels & restaurants22,555 jobs · $39,926Health care & social assistan…20,480 jobs · $69,504Retail16,085 jobs · $44,749Construction7,563 jobs · $75,820Administrative & support7,358 jobs · $46,246
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Monterey County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%2000200420082012201620202023Monterey 7%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Aromas

1 public school with 364 students, about 20.2 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
AromasK-836420.2

Towns near Aromas

Aromas questions

Is Aromas, California a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Aromas scores better for retirees than 87% of California towns and quieter than 80%. 18.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.5).

How much does a house cost in Aromas?

The median owner-occupied home in Aromas is valued at $863,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $148,438, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is $2,638 a month.

What is the weather like in Aromas?

July highs average 71.1°F and January lows 39.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 22.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.

Does Aromas get tornadoes?

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Aromas since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on December 20, 2001. The typical California town has had 2.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Aromas's Census boundary (GEOID 0602812). Comparisons use the median of California towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-12.