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METRO AREA · 2020 ACS

Salinas Metro

Salinas, CA · 1 counties · 439,035 residents · 3,282 sq mi
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The short version

Salinas is home to 439,035 people. The typical home is worth $559,400, having more than doubled since 2000. The foreign-born share is 29%. 51% of homes are owner-occupied. This skews young, with a median age of 35.0. Median rent is $1,600 a month.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 35.0
US median: 38.8
Less educated
26% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 46%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
439,035
+9%since 2000
from 401,762 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
134 / sq mi
+9%since 2000
from 122 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
35.0
+10%since 2000
from 31.7 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
3,282 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
347K372K397K422K447K19902000201020202024Salinas
2024438K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 56.1%(26,907)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 97%(30,564)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 147.6%(33,167)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 197.8%(34,191)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247.1%(31,131)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3414.5%(63,620)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4413.3%(58,224)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5411.4%(50,065)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6411.1%(48,750)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 748.5%(37,322)
US avg: 10%
75 to 843.9%(17,268)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.8%(7,826)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$76,943
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $48,305 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$32,122
+59%since 2000
from $20,165 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
51.2%
+12.3 ptssince 2009
from 38.9% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
12.0%
−1.5 ptssince 2000
from 13.5% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Agriculture, forestry, fishing15.9%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction15.8%
US avg: 1.2%
Information9.8%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade6.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Retail trade5.4%
US avg: 10%
Finance & insurance3.8%
US avg: 5.5%
Other services3.7%
US avg: 6.6%
Professional, scientific, technical2.9%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.4%
US avg: 2.5%
Public administration2%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food1.4%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.9%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$559,400
+46%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $254,800 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,600
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $776 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
50.9%
−3.7 ptssince 2000
from 54.6% in 2000
49.1% rent
Persons per household
3.25 people
+5%since 2009
from 3.09 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
7.3
−29%since 2009
from 10.2 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.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic40.3%(162,045)
Black3.5%(14,085)
Hispanic / Latino46.8%(187,969)
Asian5.8%(23,203)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic27.4%(120,077)
Black2.1%(9,051)
Hispanic / Latino60.4%(265,321)
Asian5.7%(25,123)
Other3.5%(15,442)
Segregation Score
54
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican54.5%(236,033)
Central American2.2%(9,358)
Salvadoran1.6%(7,106)
South American0.6%(2,676)
Puerto Rican0.6%(2,597)
Spaniard0.3%(1,460)
Argentine0.3%(1,175)
Guatemalan0.2%(909)
Honduran0.2%(651)
Cuban0.1%(540)
Peruvian0.1%(516)
Panamanian0.1%(365)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Colombian0.1%(329)
Nicaraguan0.1%(295)
Venezuelan0%(153)
Chilean0%(152)
Uruguayan0%(145)
Ecuadorian0%(130)
Dominican0%(109)
Bolivian0%(45)
Asian origin
Filipino2.7%(11,584)
Chinese0.7%(2,942)
Korean0.6%(2,429)
Asian Indian0.5%(2,347)
Japanese0.5%(2,069)
Vietnamese0.4%(1,683)
Thai0.1%(495)
Pakistani0%(205)
Taiwanese0%(104)
Cambodian0%(89)
Mongolian0%(75)
Hmong0%(48)
+ 6 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Native Hawaiian0.3%(1,464)
Chamorro0.2%(901)
Samoan0.2%(859)
Fijian0.1%(448)
Tongan0.1%(388)
Ancestry
German5.5%(23,886)
English5.2%(22,380)
Irish4.5%(19,668)
Italian3.3%(14,311)
American1.6%(6,761)
French1.2%(5,112)
Scottish1.1%(4,834)
Portuguese0.9%(3,924)
Polish0.8%(3,421)
Swedish0.7%(2,914)
Norwegian0.7%(2,883)
Dutch0.6%(2,478)
+ 45 more ancestry groups with data
Russian0.5%(2,367)
Danish0.4%(1,894)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(1,881)
British0.4%(1,783)
Swiss0.4%(1,675)
Welsh0.3%(1,376)
Greek0.2%(903)
Hungarian0.2%(891)
Czech0.2%(864)
Austrian0.2%(681)
Armenian0.1%(612)
Ukrainian0.1%(602)
Croatian0.1%(567)
Romanian0.1%(400)
Canadian0.1%(393)
Finnish0.1%(391)
Egyptian0.1%(361)
Iranian0.1%(344)
Slovak0.1%(332)
Arab0.1%(318)
West Indian0.1%(271)
Syrian0.1%(262)
Lithuanian0.1%(246)
Brazilian0.1%(228)
Serbian0%(207)
Iraqi0%(204)
Jamaican0%(183)
Australian0%(166)
Lebanese0%(163)
Israeli0%(128)
Turkish0%(124)
Bulgarian0%(93)
Belgian0%(86)
Nigerian0%(80)
Slovene0%(66)
Haitian0%(47)
Latvian0%(39)
Jordanian0%(37)
Ethiopian0%(30)
Moroccan0%(28)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
26.2%
+3.7 ptssince 2000
from 22.5% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
73.0%
+4.6 ptssince 2000
from 68.4% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
10.4%
+1.7 ptssince 2000
from 8.7% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.0 min
+51%since 2000
from 15.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
71.4%
+1.5 ptssince 2009
from 69.9% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
4.3%
−2.2 ptssince 2009
from 6.5% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.1%
−5.7 ptssince 2011
from 10.8% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
61.4%
−3.1 ptssince 2011
from 64.6% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
68.6%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
30.4%
+2.4 ptssince 2009
from 28.0% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.9%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 52.0% in 2009
Female
49.1%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 48.0% in 2009
Foreign born
29.0%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 29.6% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
9.4%
−12.2 ptssince 2013
from 21.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
93.1%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
88.2%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married43.3%(76,377)
Married47.7%(84,130)
Widowed2.1%(3,670)
Divorced6.8%(12,066)
Women 15+
Never married37.2%(62,875)
Married46.9%(79,233)
Widowed6.4%(10,860)
Divorced9.4%(15,957)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
9.4%
−12.2 ptssince 2013
from 21.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
47.1%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
11.2%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
14.4%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
30.4%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
1.6%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
58.3%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
42.2%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)20.6%(3,397)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)19.1%(3,150)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era36.7%(6,058)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War8.6%(1,424)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II4%(665)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 16,488 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
In this metro

Largest cities

SalinasCENTRAL159,134Seaside31,636Monterey28,953Soledad26,357Marina23,256Greenfield21,138Prunedale19,723Pacific Grove14,659King City14,002Gonzales8,313Castroville6,720Carmel Valley4,785Del Monte Forest3,613Las Lomas3,355Aromas3,245Carmel-by-the-Sea3,105Pajaro2,899Pine Canyon2,477Elkhorn1,664Del Rey Oaks1,536Boronda1,351Fort Hunter Liggett1,119Chualar812San Ardo462Sand City323Lockwood CDP (Monterey County)240Spreckels174San Lucas134Bradley112Moss Landing45
What's inside

1 component county

Monterey CountyCENTRAL433,729
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Salinas

Santa Maria
Pop 442,065
Vallejo
Pop 455,376
Manchester
Pop 433,415
Anchorage
Pop 405,821
Places similar to Salinas
Head to head

Compare Salinas side by side

SALINAS VS
Santa Maria
Income$98,161+28%
Home value$790,700+41%
Population442,065+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SALINAS VS
Vallejo
Income$100,401+30%
Home value$617,700+10%
Population455,376+5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SALINAS VS
Manchester
Income$103,545+35%
Home value$421,100−25%
Population433,415same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SALINAS VS
Anchorage
Income$100,683+31%
Home value$382,042−32%
Population405,821−6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Salinas, CA?

Salinas, CA has about 439,035 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Salinas, CA?

The typical household in Salinas, CA earns about $76,943 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Salinas, CA expensive?

In Salinas, CA, the median home is worth about $559,400, and the typical rent is about $1,600 a month.

How educated are people in Salinas, CA?

About 26.2% of adults age 25 and over in Salinas, CA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Salinas, CA?

About 12.0% of people in Salinas, CA live below the federal poverty line.

Has Salinas, CA grown since 1990?

Yes, Salinas, CA has grown since 1990. The population has added about 83,375 residents, a change of about 23 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →