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Monterey County, California Demographics 2026

Monterey County, California has a population of 437,613, the 21st most populous county in California. The median household income is $97,230 and the median home value is $781,000. The poverty rate is 12.7%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Monterey County Quick Facts

Population 437,613
Median Household Income $97,230
Median Home Value $781,000
Poverty Rate 12.7%
Unemployment Rate 5.2%
Median Age 35.5 years
Homeownership Rate 52.1%
Affordability Ratio 8.0x
Bachelor's Degree+ 28.2%
High School Graduation 73.3%
Cities/Places 30
Population 437,613 21st of 58
Median Income $97,230 2% lower than state
Poverty Rate 12.7%
Unemployment 5.2%

How Monterey County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population435,834437,613+0.4%
Median household income$94,486$97,230+2.9%
Median home value$723,100$781,000+8.0%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 10.5%
$25K-$50K 13.8%
$50K-$100K 27.1%
$100K+ 48.5%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
3.5%
$10K-$15K
2.4%
$15K-$20K
1.9%
$20K-$25K
2.7%
$25K-$30K
2.4%
$30K-$35K
2.8%
$35K-$40K
2.6%
$40K-$45K
3.1%
$45K-$50K
2.9%
$50K-$60K
5.7%
$60K-$75K
8.1%
$75K-$100K
13.4%
$100K-$125K
11.7%
$125K-$150K
8.9%
$150K-$200K
11.2%
$200K+
16.8%

Employment

5.2% Unemployment Rate State: 6.6%|National: 5.2%
60.1% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 52.1%
Renter 47.9%
Affordability Index Very Expensive
8.0x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $2,055/mo 25.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

54out of 100
Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 70 | National average: 61

Education

Cities & Places in Monterey County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
Salinas161,761$91,90813.6%$654,100
Seaside31,814$85,31116.0%$787,100
Monterey29,613$102,8469.8%$1,076,300
Soledad26,365$96,86216.7%$595,900
Marina22,563$95,95512.2%$818,700
Greenfield20,232$84,74011.4%$531,400
Prunedale19,723$103,81911.1%$833,400
Pacific Grove14,951$106,0657.6%$1,190,400
King City13,604$66,76122.9%$449,900
Gonzales8,492$77,6726.4%$618,800
Castroville6,720$89,35418.4%$617,100
Carmel Valley Village4,785$156,1614.8%$1,275,500
Del Monte Forest3,613$142,7636.1%$2,000,000+
Las Lomas3,355$86,77519.4%$687,300
Aromas3,245$148,4383.1%$863,500
Carmel-by-the-Sea3,162$129,2506.2%$2,000,000+
Pajaro2,899$84,87519.3%$750,000
Pine Canyon2,477$110,8276.3%$414,100
Elkhorn1,664$126,9642.0%$811,200
Del Rey Oaks1,570$134,5003.8%$835,800
Boronda1,351$63,12510.9%$578,000
Fort Hunter Liggett1,119N/AN/AN/A
Chualar812$59,12514.8%$649,100
San Ardo462N/A40.3%$445,900
Sand City404$77,91736.3%$1,080,400
Lockwood (Monterey County)240N/A7.5%N/A
Spreckels174N/A24.1%$843,800
San Lucas134$56,09417.2%$335,000
Bradley112N/A9.8%N/A
Moss Landing45N/A11.1%N/A

Explore California Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Monterey County is located in California with a total population of 437,613. It is the 21st most populous county out of 58 in California. The county encompasses 30 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Monterey County is 35.5 years. This is 6% lower than the state median of 37.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Monterey County is $97,230. This is 2% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 20% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.7%. This is 6% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 5.2%. This is 21% lower than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $781,000. Housing costs are 6% higher than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 8.0x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 52.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% lower than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Monterey County is Hispanic or Latino, making up 61.6% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 26.9%. The Black or African American population (2.1%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (61.6% vs 40.2%). The Asian population (5.5%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

28.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 24% lower than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 73.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Monterey County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against California and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Monterey County, California?

Monterey County has a population of 437,613, making it the 21st most populous county in California.

What is the median income in Monterey County?

The median household income in Monterey County is $97,230 with a poverty rate of 12.7%.

How many cities are in Monterey County, California?

Monterey County contains 30 Census-designated places.