United States › California › Monterey CITY
Monterey California · 28,953 residents (2025 est.) · 8.65 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Monterey is home to 29,613 people in California. The typical home is worth $1,076,300, having more than doubled since 2000. 36% of homes are owner-occupied. This is an unusually credentialed place: 53% of adults have a four-year degree. That puts it in the top 7% of US cities for household income. Median rent is $2,353 a month.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 37.5
US median: 38.9
More educated
53% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 51%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth 29,613
Unchangedsince 2000
from 29,674 in 2000
28,953 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
3,425 / sq mi
+5%since 2009
from 3,252 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
27K 29K 30K 31K 32K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Monterey Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $102,846
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $49,109 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $27,133 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 39.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 7.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.422 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 2.5%
Public administration 2.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.3%
Transportation & warehousing 1.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.3%
Education & health services 0.7%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$1,076,300
+51%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $392,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$2,353
+45%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $888 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 38.5% in 2000
63.8% rent
from 8.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.04 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 37.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 47.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 13.1 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 75%(22,246)
Hispanic / Latino 10.9%(3,222)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 60.7%(17,987)
Hispanic / Latino 23.6%(6,986)
from 58 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data Asian origin
+ 4 more asian origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 41 more ancestry groups with data from 46.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 91.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 18.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 57.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 17.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 67.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 77.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 48.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 18.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 10.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 16.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 87.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 94.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 71.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 76.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 10.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 43.4%(5,802)
Women 15+
Never married 30.9%(3,921)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 16.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 54.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 16.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 20.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 14.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 76.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 33.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 36.1%(601)
Gulf War (1990s) 23.8%(396)
Share of the 1,664 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Monterey Head to head
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Monterey, California? Monterey, California has about 29,613 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Monterey, California? The typical household in Monterey, California earns about $102,846 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Monterey, California expensive? In Monterey, California, the median home is worth about $1,076,300, and the typical rent is about $2,353 a month.
How educated are people in Monterey, California? About 52.9% of adults age 25 and over in Monterey, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Monterey, California? About 9.8% of people in Monterey, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has Monterey, California grown since 1990? Yes, Monterey, California has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 2,341 residents, a change of about -7 percent over that period.
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