Tehama Golf course, 2008
Del Rey Oaks’s story
66 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,831 in 1960, 1,592 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2008 and 4 maps from 1913 on.
- 1960Del Rey Oaks is settled
Del Rey OaksCA
A town of 1,536, settled in 1960.
2 bordering townsMap →
Berwick Manor and Orchard · Photo: McGhiever · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,536
2025 Census estimate · −3% since 2020
Typical home
$868K
+0.9% in a year
Household income
$135K
median
Median age
50.6
years
Jobs based here
547
A commuter town
Is Del Rey Oaks a good place to live?
Del Rey Oaks’ best subject grades are an A for incomes and health and an A+ for the outdoors; its weakest is a D− for cost of living. Del Rey Oaks’ median rent is $3,298 a month, above both the California town median ($1,896 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). On incomes, just 49 of California’s 1,056 towns do better. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 90% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. Del Rey Oaks’ trail density is 1.5 miles per square mile, where California’s towns sit at 1.0 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Only 49 of California’s 1,063 towns score lower on history. The biggest park or preserve is Work Memorial Park, at 24 acres. Del Rey Oaks has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Del Rey Oaks stand out
Where Del Rey Oaks beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Del Rey Oaks for work
Where Del Rey Oaks’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
547jobs based in Del Rey Oaks
4%of working residents work in town
5 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Del Rey Oaks grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Del Rey Oaks is from typical.
Cost of livingD−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listDOpen →Jobs & incomeAOpen →HealthCommunity Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula 4.8 miles awayAOpen →SafetyC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 16.1 of 20; 3.2% of households have no car; 0.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →SchoolsBeat 50% of California districts on tests and graduationB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trailsA+Open →HistoryD−Open →Civic life0.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 71° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives here44% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Del Rey Oaks: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Del Rey Oaks, and how to reach them.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCal Am Water Company - MontereyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Del Rey Oaks’ trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereMonterey County ElectionsMonterey County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2025
ZIP code9394093940 99%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Del Rey Oaks.
HealthA
On CDC estimates, Del Rey Oaks is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns
Del Rey Oaks beats the California average on 15 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 30% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Del Rey Oaks.
88%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Del Rey Oaks | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 35% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 36% | 33% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 24% | 25% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 29% | 35% |
32 measures vs. California
15 better15 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Del Rey Oaks | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.4% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.4% | 17.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.8% | 6.4% |
Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula
4.8 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Inland flooding leads a very high hazard risk in Del Rey Oaks
One flood insurance claim has been paid in Del Rey Oaks since 1998.
90risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakes
1
paid flood claims since 1998
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
22%of U.S. towns report more crimeC−Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Del Rey Oaks2.6
California4.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Del Rey Oaks13.6
California18.2
U.S.15.5
22nd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
4
violent crimes reported in 2025
21
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
About one in three of Del Rey Oaks’ working residents commute to Monterey
Most working residents leave Del Rey Oaks for work: only 4% work in town. The median household income in Del Rey Oaks is $135,000. Jobs based in Del Rey Oaks grew to 547 in 2023, 64 more than in 2013.
4%work in town
| Del Rey Oaks | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $135,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 3.8% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 9.4% | 14% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Del Rey Oaks4%
Monterey31%
Salinas11%
Seaside5%
Pacific Grove4%
5 mi
median commute distance
547
jobs based in Del Rey Oaks
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 67% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
Fewer children than California overall
Children under 18 are 10% of residents (22% statewide); people 65 and older are 27% of residents (16% statewide). Del Rey Oaks’ median age is 50.6 years. Del Rey Oaks has lost 3% of its people since 2020, down to 1,536 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
50.6median age · CA 37.9
| Del Rey Oaks | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 10% | 22% | 22% |
| Median age | 50.6 years | 39 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 27% | 16% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 44% | 29% | 29% |
Del Rey OaksCaliforniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
16%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma4%
High school18%
Some college24%
Associate’s9%
Bachelor’s23%
Graduate21%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2.5 points. Across California, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Del Rey Oaks | CA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 4.5% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 5.7% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 11.7% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.7% | 14.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 7.1% | 13.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 16.4% | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.3% | 12.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.6% | 9.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 13.1% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.2% | 15.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 18.4% | 20.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 24.2% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9.2% | 7.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 22.8% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 21% | 14.4% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,500, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
Del Rey Oaks has mild winters and pleasant summers
Del Rey Oaks has warm winters and cool summers, with very little rain. July afternoons reach 68°, January nights drop to 42° and snow is almost unheard of.
71°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter42–61°
Spring46–64°
Summer52–68°
Fall49–69°
+1.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
71°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade D−
A typical Del Rey Oaks home is worth about $868K
The typical Del Rey Oaks home is worth about $868,000, up 0.9% in a year, 14% above the California typical home. 76% of Del Rey Oaks households own their home.
$868KZillow home value
Typical home value
Del Rey Oaks$868K
California$762K
+0.9%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
10%conserved
10%
conserved · 68 of 674 acres
1.6 mi
of trails · 1.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Frog Pond Wetland Preserve | 0.8 mi | 18 |
| 2. Del Rey Park | 0.4 mi | 14 |
| 3. Work Memorial Park | 0.3 mi | 24 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 70 attractions →Monterey Bay Aquarium and 25 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Del Rey Oaks. Close and well known come first.
5 mi Zoo & aquariumMonterey Bay Aquarium
4 mi MuseumMonterey Museum of Art
8 mi Scenic drive17-Mile Drive
33 mi National ParkPinnacles National Park343K visitors a year13 mi Canyon & gorgeMonterey Canyon
28 mi Theme parkSanta Cruz Beach BoardwalkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Monterey Bay Aquarium: Meij.kobayashi, Public domain · Monterey Museum of Art: Sgerbic, CC BY-SA 4.0 · 17-Mile Drive: Humanoid one, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Pinnacles National Park: Brocken Inaglory, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk: Josta Photo, CC BY 2.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Del Rey Oaks
19pages on Del Rey Oaks
The big questions
SchoolsB−Beat 50% of CA districtsSafetyC−2.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than CA on 15 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingD−$868K typical home · up 0.9% in a yearWork & commuteA$135K median household income · 547 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 90% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
5 within 15 miles of the center of Del Rey Oaks
Naval Postgraduate SchoolUniversity or college · Public · Monterey2.5 miMonterey Peninsula CollegeCommunity college · Public · Monterey3.1 mi$1,188 in-state tuitionMiddlebury Institute of International Studies at MontereyUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Monterey3.8 mi
About 12 of every 100 Del Rey Oaks residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
About Del Rey Oaks
City in California, United States
Del Rey Oaks (Del Rey, Spanish for "Of the King") is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. It is located just southeast of Seaside, at an elevation of 82 feet (25 m). The population was 1,592 at the 2020 census. Del Rey Oaks is a member of the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments, a regional government agency.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 82 ft
- Area code
- 831
Del Rey Oaks’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Del Rey Oaks.
MontereySeasideDel Rey Oaks
How the neighbors grade
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Del Rey Oaks | — | — | D− | C− | B− | A |
| Monterey | #352 | C | D− | C− | B− | A |
| Seaside | #543 | C− | D− | C | B− | B− |
Del Rey Oaks has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Compare Del Rey Oaks with a neighbor →
Questions about Del Rey Oaks
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Del Rey Oaks, CA expensive?
Yes. That is 8.9 years of the area's median household income ($97,230 across the Salinas, CA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D−.