The Town FilesSalinas, California
City in Monterey County · population 163,542 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $654,100
- Household income
- $91,908
- Jan low / Jul high
- 42° / 71°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 32.4
Salinas is a city of 163,542 people in Monterey County, California. The median home is worth $654,100, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more vibrant than 86% of California towns, more walkable than 84% of California towns, more of a college town than 81% of California towns.
How Salinas 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 Salinas is worth $654,100, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 7.1 times the median household income of $91,908, which is more affordable than 39% of California towns. Median rent is $1,991 a month. 47.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Salinas | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $654,100 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,991 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $91,908 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.1× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 47.0% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Salinas
| People | Salinas | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.4 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.6% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 29.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.5% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 37.5% | — |
| Work from home | 4.3% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 26.6 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.4% | 93.3% |
Weather in Salinas
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
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Salinas since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on December 11, 1992 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 11, 1992.
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 Salinas itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Public schools in Salinas
64 public schools with 38,096 students, about 22.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alisal High | 9-12 | 2,791 | 22.9 |
| Salinas High | 9-12 | 2,446 | 22.6 |
| North Salinas High | 9-12 | 2,125 | 22.6 |
| Everett Alvarez High | 9-12 | 2,072 | 22.3 |
| Rancho San Juan High | 9-12 | 1,658 | 21.8 |
| La Paz Middle | 7-8 | 1,160 | 20.4 |
| Harden Middle | 7-8 | 1,127 | 23.0 |
| Washington Middle | 7-8 | 1,068 | 22.7 |
| El Sausal Middle | 7-8 | 1,051 | 22.4 |
| Sherwood Elementary | K-6 | 889 | 22.8 |
| Monte Bella Elementary | K-6 | 807 | 25.2 |
| Henry F. Kammann Elementary | K-6 | 713 | 23.8 |
Towns near Salinas
- Castroville, CA8.4 mi · 7,515 people · home $617,100
- Prunedale, CA8.5 mi · 18,885 people · home $833,400
- Marina, CA8.6 mi · 22,359 people · home $818,700
- Seaside, CA11.1 mi · 32,366 people · home $787,100
- Aromas, CA12.8 mi · 2,708 people · home $863,500
- Las Lomas, CA13.5 mi · 3,046 people · home $687,300
- Carmel Valley Village, CA14.2 mi · 4,524 people · home $1,275,500
- Monterey, CA15.1 mi · 30,218 people · home $1,076,300
Salinas questions
Is Salinas, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Salinas scores better for retirees than 11% of California towns and quieter than 4%. 10.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.4).
How much does a house cost in Salinas?
The median owner-occupied home in Salinas is valued at $654,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $91,908, so homes cost about 7.1 times income. Median rent is $1,991 a month.
What is the weather like in Salinas?
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 Salinas get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Salinas since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on December 11, 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)