The Town FilesMonterey, California
City in Monterey County · population 30,218 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,076,300
- Household income
- $102,846
- Jan low / Jul high
- 45° / 67°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 37.5
Monterey is a city of 30,218 people in Monterey County, California. The median home is worth $1,076,300, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for young professionals than 98% of California towns, hipper than 94% of California towns, more seaside character than 94% of California towns.
How Monterey 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 Monterey is worth $1,076,300, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 10.5 times the median household income of $102,846, which is more affordable than 7% of California towns. Median rent is $2,353 a month. 36.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Monterey | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,076,300 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,353 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $102,846 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 10.5× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 36.2% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.8% | — |
Who lives in Monterey
| People | Monterey | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.2% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 14.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.8% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 17.7% | — |
| Work from home | 23.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 18.5 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.6% | 93.3% |
Weather in Monterey
July highs average 67.2°F and January lows 44.7°F. About 20.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.3 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Monterey since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on December 6, 1992 about 1.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 11, 1992.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on January 20, 2010.
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 Monterey itself the ACS puts it at 6%.
Public schools in Monterey
5 public schools with 3,217 students, about 21.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monterey High | 9-12 | 1,326 | 19.5 |
| La Mesa | K-8 | 654 | 22.6 |
| Monte Vista | K-8 | 651 | 22.4 |
| Bay View Academy (charter) | K-8 | 497 | 27.6 |
| Big Sur Charter (charter) | K-12 | 89 | 22.3 |
Towns near Monterey
- Pacific Grove, CA2.8 mi · 15,090 people · home $1,190,400
- Del Monte Forest, CA3.7 mi · 4,204 people · home $2,000,001
- Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA4.0 mi · 3,220 people · home $2,000,001
- Seaside, CA4.0 mi · 32,366 people · home $787,100
- Marina, CA7.5 mi · 22,359 people · home $818,700
- Carmel Valley Village, CA10.9 mi · 4,524 people · home $1,275,500
- Castroville, CA13.4 mi · 7,515 people · home $617,100
- Salinas, CA15.1 mi · 163,542 people · home $654,100
Monterey questions
Is Monterey, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Monterey scores better for retirees than 43% of California towns and quieter than 34%. 21.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.5).
How much does a house cost in Monterey?
The median owner-occupied home in Monterey is valued at $1,076,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $102,846, so homes cost about 10.5 times income. Median rent is $2,353 a month.
What is the weather like in Monterey?
July highs average 67.2°F and January lows 44.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 20.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.3 inches of snow.
Does Monterey get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Monterey since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on December 6, 1992. The typical California town has had 2.
- 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)