CITY
Salinas
California · 159,134 residents (2025 est.) · 23.5 sq mi
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The short version
Salinas is home to 161,761 people in California. The foreign-born share is 37%. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 16% of adults. This skews young, with a median age of 32.4. 47% of homes are owner-occupied. That puts it in the top 10% of US cities for household income.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 32.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 89%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
161,761
+7%since 2000
from 151,060 in 2000
159,134 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
23.5 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024162K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 57.9%(12,799)
5 to 98%(13,010)
10 to 148.4%(13,542)
15 to 198.4%(13,661)
20 to 247%(11,260)
25 to 3414.1%(22,866)
35 to 4414.1%(22,793)
45 to 5411.3%(18,206)
55 to 6410.2%(16,524)
65 to 746%(9,710)
75 to 842.9%(4,684)
85 and over1.7%(2,706)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$91,908
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $43,720 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
59.6%
+28.4 ptssince 2009
from 31.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing18.6%
Construction18.6%
Information10.5%
Wholesale trade7.3%
Retail trade5.4%
Finance & insurance4%
Professional, scientific, technical3.6%
Transportation & warehousing3.3%
Other services2.1%
Public administration1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1%
Education & health services0.5%
Manufacturing0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$654,100
+89%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $189,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
7.1
−27%since 2009
from 9.8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
54
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic24.2%(36,535)
Black3%(4,569)
Hispanic / Latino64.1%(96,880)
Asian5.9%(8,840)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic11%(17,821)
Black1%(1,696)
Hispanic / Latino80.9%(130,828)
Asian5.4%(8,669)
Other1.7%(2,747)
41
−26%since 2009
from 56 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican74.8%(120,964)
Central American3.2%(5,116)
Salvadoran2.4%(3,845)
South American1%(1,597)
Argentine0.6%(1,025)
Puerto Rican0.5%(887)
Guatemalan0.4%(635)
Spaniard0.4%(592)
Honduran0.3%(445)
Peruvian0.2%(247)
Cuban0.1%(242)
Uruguayan0.1%(156)
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Filipino3.4%(5,455)
Chinese1%(1,562)
Japanese0.3%(502)
Vietnamese0.2%(402)
Korean0.2%(390)
Asian Indian0.2%(359)
Hmong0.1%(100)
Thai0.1%(93)
Cambodian0%(36)
Mongolian0%(29)
Burmese0%(26)
Bangladeshi0%(23)
+ 1 more asian origin group with data
Kazakh0%(14)
Pacific Islander origin
Native Hawaiian0.1%(197)
Chamorro0.1%(185)
Guamanian0%(74)
Fijian0%(28)
Samoan0%(6)
Ancestry
English2.4%(3,947)
German2.2%(3,612)
Irish1.7%(2,780)
Italian1.7%(2,722)
American1.3%(2,056)
Portuguese0.6%(914)
Scottish0.6%(891)
French0.4%(649)
Russian0.3%(470)
Swedish0.3%(460)
Swiss0.3%(429)
Norwegian0.3%(410)
+ 31 more ancestry groups with data
Polish0.3%(409)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(405)
Danish0.2%(363)
Arab0.2%(348)
Subsaharan African0.2%(326)
Dutch0.2%(282)
Czech0.1%(219)
Nigerian0.1%(181)
West Indian0.1%(125)
Brazilian0.1%(116)
Haitian0.1%(106)
Ukrainian0.1%(102)
Armenian0.1%(85)
British0.1%(84)
French Canadian0%(80)
Canadian0%(73)
Hungarian0%(69)
Slovak0%(69)
Iranian0%(61)
Croatian0%(57)
Romanian0%(41)
Welsh0%(37)
Greek0%(31)
Jordanian0%(29)
Australian0%(27)
Austrian0%(24)
Moroccan0%(23)
Finnish0%(14)
Somali0%(10)
Lithuanian0%(9)
Egyptian0%(7)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
62.2%
+6.2 ptssince 2000
from 56.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
68.8%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 67.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
97.5%
+5.1 ptssince 2020
from 92.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married49.1%(30,159)
Married43.9%(26,991)
Widowed1.9%(1,150)
Divorced5.2%(3,180)
Women 15+
Never married42.4%(25,845)
Married42.9%(26,135)
Widowed5.7%(3,481)
Divorced9%(5,469)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
7.5%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 7.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
0.9%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 1.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
47.6%
−3.6 ptssince 2020
from 51.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
47.6%
+4.2 ptssince 2020
from 43.4% 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)18.4%(542)
Gulf War (1990s)22.7%(667)
Vietnam era24.4%(718)
Korean War7.5%(220)
World War II4.8%(141)
Share of the 2,943 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
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Salinas, California?
Salinas, California has about 161,761 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Salinas, California?
The typical household in Salinas, California earns about $91,908 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Salinas, California expensive?
In Salinas, California, the median home is worth about $654,100, and the typical rent is about $1,991 a month.
How educated are people in Salinas, California?
About 16.5% of adults age 25 and over in Salinas, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Salinas, California?
About 13.6% of people in Salinas, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has Salinas, California grown since 1990?
Yes, Salinas, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 52,984 residents, a change of about 49 percent over that period.
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CaliforniaDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024