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Salinas, California

city · Monterey County

At a glance

161,761
Population
$654,100
Median home value (all homes)
116% above U.S. median
$753,868
Typical market value
Zillow, 2026-07
$1,991/mo
Median rent
48% above U.S. median
$91,908
Median household income
17% above U.S. median
26.6 min
Average commute
94.4%
Homes with broadband
22.15%
Locations with fiber available
4.7%
Unemployment

Cost of living (Clay Affordability Index)

CAI 136 — 36% above the national average. how it's computed

Housing133% above
Goods & services3% above
Utilities3% below
Taxes34% below
Insurance11% below
Commute cost42% above
For business: California is CBII band 4/5 · time to build band 5/5. See state page for the breakdown.

Living here

Colleges in town:
CET-Salinas Certificates
Nearest 4-year college8 mi
Nearest community college1 mi
Nearest technical college2 mi
High school graduates62.2%
College graduates16.5%

Doing business here

Economic development contacts, most local first:

state Governor's Office of Economic Development
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, or GO-Biz, serves as the State of California’s leader for job growth, economic development and business assistance efforts. It offers no-cost consultation to business owners for attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, and more.
state Team California
TeamCalifornia is the go-to partner for businesses, site selectors, and communities looking to succeed in California. With our extensive network, we provide direct access to the best sites, accelerate speed-to-market, and give essential resources to streamline decision-making and drive growth.
State sales taxYes
State income taxYes
Right-to-work stateNo

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