The Town FilesSoledad, California
City in Monterey County · population 24,925 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $595,900
- Household income
- $96,862
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 35.8
Soledad is a city of 24,925 people in Monterey County, California. The median home is worth $595,900, close to the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more of a college town than 99% of California towns, better for first-time buyers than 87% of California towns, more walkable than 75% of California towns.
How Soledad 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 Soledad is worth $595,900, close to the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.2 times the median household income of $96,862, which is more affordable than 55% of California towns. Median rent is $1,698 a month. 58.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Soledad | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $595,900 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,698 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $96,862 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.2× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 58.0% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1996 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Soledad
| People | Soledad | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 6.1% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.4% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.7% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 30.9% | — |
| Work from home | 3.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 30.0 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.5% | 93.3% |
Weather in Soledad
July highs average 95.9°F and January lows 34.0°F. About 16.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 102 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 67 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Soledad since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on April 22, 2016 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 22, 2016.
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 Soledad itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Public schools in Soledad
11 public schools with 4,763 students, about 22.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soledad High | 9-12 | 1,503 | 20.9 |
| Main Street Middle | 7-8 | 760 | 22.4 |
| San Vicente Elementary | K-6 | 527 | 24.0 |
| Rose Ferrero Elementary | K-6 | 493 | 23.5 |
| Frank Ledesma Elementary | K-6 | 474 | 23.7 |
| Jack Franscioni Elementary | K-6 | 417 | 24.5 |
| Gabilan Elementary | K-6 | 416 | 21.9 |
| Mission Elementary | K-8 | 127 | 25.4 |
| Pinnacles High | 9-12 | 33 | 11.0 |
| Soledad Transition Center | 12-12 | 13 | 13.0 |
| Soledad Preschool Center | Other | — | — |
Towns near Soledad
- Gonzales, CA8.5 mi · 8,647 people · home $618,800
- Greenfield, CA8.7 mi · 18,937 people · home $531,400
- King City, CA18.3 mi · 13,332 people · home $449,900
- Carmel Valley Village, CA23.5 mi · 4,524 people · home $1,275,500
- Salinas, CA24.9 mi · 163,542 people · home $654,100
- Ridgemark, CA25.9 mi · 3,212 people · home $850,300
- Hollister, CA29.4 mi · 41,678 people · home $717,500
Soledad questions
Is Soledad, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Soledad scores better for retirees than 10% of California towns and quieter than 19%. 6.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.8).
How much does a house cost in Soledad?
The median owner-occupied home in Soledad is valued at $595,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $96,862, so homes cost about 6.2 times income. Median rent is $1,698 a month.
What is the weather like in Soledad?
July highs average 95.9°F and January lows 34.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 16.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Soledad get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Soledad since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on April 22, 2016. 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)