The Town FilesGonzales, California
City in Monterey County · population 8,647 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $618,800
- Household income
- $77,672
- Jan low / Jul high
- 42° / 71°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 28.2
Gonzales is a city of 8,647 people in Monterey County, California. The median home is worth $618,800, close to the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks easier by car than 96% of California towns, better for cycling than 89% of California towns.
How Gonzales 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.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Gonzales is worth $618,800, close to the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.0 times the median household income of $77,672, which is more affordable than 28% of California towns. Median rent is $1,524 a month. 55.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gonzales | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $618,800 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,524 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $77,672 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.0× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 55.0% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Gonzales
| People | Gonzales | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.2 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 6.3% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 31.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.7% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.4% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 33.2% | — |
| Work from home | 1.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.7% | 93.3% |
Weather in Gonzales
July highs average 70.7°F and January lows 41.6°F. About 12.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 6 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Gonzales since 1950.
Severe weather in Monterey County since 1996
Monterey County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4769: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-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 Gonzales itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Public schools in Gonzales
3 public schools with 2,016 students, about 20.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Gloria Elementary | K-5 | 818 | 24.1 |
| Gonzales High | 9-12 | 777 | 19.0 |
| Fairview Middle | 6-8 | 421 | 18.3 |
Towns near Gonzales
- Soledad, CA8.5 mi · 24,925 people · home $595,900
- Carmel Valley Village, CA16.1 mi · 4,524 people · home $1,275,500
- Salinas, CA16.6 mi · 163,542 people · home $654,100
- Greenfield, CA16.7 mi · 18,937 people · home $531,400
- Ridgemark, CA21.4 mi · 3,212 people · home $850,300
- Seaside, CA22.4 mi · 32,366 people · home $787,100
- Marina, CA22.7 mi · 22,359 people · home $818,700
- Prunedale, CA24.2 mi · 18,885 people · home $833,400
Gonzales questions
Is Gonzales, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gonzales scores better for retirees than 21% of California towns and quieter than 41%. 6.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 28.2).
How much does a house cost in Gonzales?
The median owner-occupied home in Gonzales is valued at $618,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,672, so homes cost about 8.0 times income. Median rent is $1,524 a month.
What is the weather like in Gonzales?
July highs average 70.7°F and January lows 41.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Gonzales get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Gonzales in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)