Homes are expensive, about $1.2 million for a typical one and 11.9 times the Salinas metro’s $97K median household income. Overall it grades C, 352nd among California's 841 graded towns. It is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns and few places in the country are easier to get around without a car. Its weakest subject is safety: it reports more crime per resident than 76% of U.S. towns, including 100 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 90% of U.S. towns, with 12 places on the National Register. Monterey’s typical July afternoon high is 66°F, below both California’s towns (89°F) and U.S. towns (85°F). Only 7 of California’s 1,063 towns score higher on history. Monterey is home to Monterey Peninsula College.

StrongestA⁺Walkability A⁺Outdoors ACivic lifeWeakestD⁻Cost of living C⁻Safety

What makes Monterey stand out

Where Monterey beats most towns.

Larkin House

HistoryA

Settled in 1770

A history going back 256 years.

WalkabilityA⁺

More walkable than 99% of U.S. towns

13.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transit

EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.

Larkin House · National Register of Historic Places

Monterey’s story

256 years in pictures

Larkin House is one of 4 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1770, is the earliest of any California town we grade.

Census counts: 1,092 in 1850, a low of 1,092 in 1850, 30,218 in 2020. The archive holds 24 old photos and papers going back to 1791 and 5 maps from 1913 on.

12 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1770Monterey is settled

Explore the history →

How Monterey grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Monterey is from typical.

How grading works

Its grades run from A+ for walkability (better than 99% of comparable towns) to D− for cost of living (better than 1%), so the C overall blends very different results.

Cost of livingD⁻Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 14.4 of 20; 7.1% of households have no carA⁺Open →HealthCommunity Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula 2.4 miles awayAOpen →SafetyC⁻Open →Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listCOpen →Jobs & income$103K median household incomeBOpen →SchoolsB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors9% conserved landA⁺Open →History53 notable people born hereAOpen →Civic life4.6 library visits per resident; 9.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

ClimateMild winters, 68° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market39 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 37.5; 53% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Monterey: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Monterey, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterCal Am Water Company - MontereyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet5 providers93% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Monterey’s trash rules yet

SchoolsMonterey Peninsula Unified School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

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.gov

Who runs elections hereMonterey County ElectionsMonterey County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2025

ZIP codes93940, 9394493940 88% · 93944 11%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 Monterey.

Monterey draws workers from Salinas and beyond, fares better on crime within California than nationally and has fewer 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns.

Work & commuteJobs & income grade B

About one in four working residents works right in Monterey

24,631 jobs are based in Monterey, 2.4 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. The average commute takes 18.5 minutes, against 28.7 across California.

Roughly one working resident in four has a job in Monterey itself. The town had 24,631 jobs in 2023, up 4,054 from 2013. The typical journey to work for Monterey comes to 19 minutes. The top destinations are Salinas (8%), Seaside (4%) and Pacific Grove (4%).

28%work in town

	Monterey	California towns	U.S. towns
Working residents who work in town	28%	6.6%	8%
Work from home	23%	14%	11%
Average trip to work	19 minutes	28 minutes	25 minutes
Median household income	$103,000	$95,000	$80,000

Where working residents work

In Monterey28%

Salinas8%

Seaside4%

Pacific Grove4%

Del Monte Forest4%

7 mi

median commute distance

24,631

jobs based in Monterey

A job hub

jobs vs. working residents

A+

Walkability grade: among the most walkable U.S. towns

Full pageMonterey’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here24,631 jobs based here · A job hub Where people work28% work in Monterey Commute times19 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 7 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

SchoolsB⁻

Monterey’s public schools outperform 50% of California districts

Its public schools are run by the Monterey Peninsula Unified school district. Two of its 10 schools are below, each with the reason it’s listed. Public school enrollment here: 1,854 students across 3 schools.

50%of CA districts it outscoresB⁻School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
La MesaLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8	Grades K–8	689	–
Monterey HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	1,401	–

Full pageMonterey’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsMonterey Peninsula Unified Vs. the neighborsBehind its 4 graded neighbors Every school10 schools · La Mesa Questions“Are Monterey’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation

HealthA

Monterey earns an A for health

Its widest gap with California is no health insurance: 6.4% of those 18–64 have no health insurance, against 10.6% statewide.

Just over a tenth of Monterey adults worry about having enough food. The town beats the California average on 16 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. Two figures for adults here: 8.3% have diabetes, 11% report frequent physical distress.

91%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade

	Monterey	California towns	U.S. towns
Get no exercise (CDC PLACES)	17%	24%	25%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)	8.3%	12%	12%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)	11%	14%	14%
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)	31%	35%	36%

32 measures vs. California

16 better14 too close to call2 worse

What stands out	Monterey	CA
Fewer uninsured adults	6.4%	10.6%
Fewer adults facing food insecurity	11.1%	17.9%
More adults who have had cancer	7.8%	6.4%

Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula

2.4 mi away · emergency room

None

primary care, dental or mental-health shortage

85th

percentile among CA towns

Full pageMonterey’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsFewer adults who get no exercise Hospitals & doctors nearby2.4 miles to an ER · Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula How adults are doingFewer adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than CA on 16 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

HousingCost of living grade D⁻

Monterey earns a D− for cost of living

At 11.9 years of the Salinas metro’s $97K median household income, the typical home (about $1.15M) costs more against local pay than in 85% of California towns; that ratio is one input to that grade.

A home in Monterey typically sold within 39 days of listing. A typical home here is worth about $1,153,000, up 1.4% in a year, 51% above the California typical home. The share of households in Monterey who live in a home they own: 36%.

$1.15MZillow home value

	Monterey	California towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	36%	64%	73%
Median rent	$2,353 a month	$1,895 a month	$1,185 a month
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent	56%	55%	48%

Typical home value

Monterey$1.15M

California$762K

Market temperature

days on market

96.8%

sale-to-list price

+1.4%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

Full pageMonterey’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 1.4% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 11.2 years of income Rents$2,353 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 1 of its 4 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

OutdoorsA⁺

Conservation land takes up 8.9% of Monterey

Monterey’s trail density comes in at 1.3 miles per square mile. 16 miles of trail in 36 parks and preserves. Also worth knowing: the biggest park or preserve is Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, at 2,223 acres.

#299for trails in CA

	Monterey	California towns	U.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile	1.3 miles per square mile	1.0	0.4
Conserved land	8.9%	4.2%	4.3%

8.9%

conserved · 696 of 7,810 acres

16 mi

of trails · 1.3 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Huckleberry Hill Nature Preserve	1.5 mi	84
2. El Estero Park	1.2 mi	43
3. Veteran's Memorial Park	1.1 mi	58

Full pageMonterey’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map16 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk1.5 miles of trail · Huckleberry Hill Nature Preserve Conserved land8.9% conserved · 696 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Monterey?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

SafetyC⁻

Monterey earns a C− for safety

At 32.4 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 59% of California’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 671 to 487 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.

In Monterey, the violent crime rate is 3.5 per 1,000 residents. Its property offense rate stands at 13.5 per 1,000 residents.

24%of U.S. towns report more crimeC⁻Safety Grade

	Monterey	California towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	3.5 per 1,000 residents	2.9	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	13.5 per 1,000 residents	13.3	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Monterey3.5

California4.4

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Monterey13.5

California18.2

U.S.15.5

24th

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

41st

percentile among CA towns

100

violent crimes reported in 2025

387

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageMonterey’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type3.5 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Vs. the neighborsAhead of 1 of its 3 graded neighbors Questions“Is Monterey, CA safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

Climate

Mild winters and pleasant summers in Monterey

The Monterey Wfo weather station records that about 2 days a year reach 90°, fewer than in 96% of U.S. towns. January nights average 43.9°, milder than in 96% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 65.5°.

For Monterey, the January low is 44°F. Snow is almost unheard of.

68°summer high

Typical low → high °F

Winter44–60°

Spring47–62°

Summer53–66°

Fall50–67°

+1.8°

vs. the 20th-century average

68°

typical summer high

Full pageMonterey’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 66°, January lows 44°Rain & snow17″ of rain a year · Snow is almost unheard of Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.8° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C

The biggest natural risk in Monterey is earthquakes, at a high overall level

The national flood insurance program has paid 14 claims in Monterey since 1995. FEMA expects more storm and flood damage here than in 63% of U.S. communities. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Monterey after 6 declared disasters, most recently in 2024. 64% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from earthquakes, followed by inland flooding at 30%.

63risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

EarthquakesInland flooding

paid flood claims since 1995

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageMonterey’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesHigh risk Flood claims14 paid flood claims · Since 1995 Past disasters6 federal disasters · Paid out in Monterey Get readyReady for earthquakes

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Nearby attractions

Monterey Bay Aquarium and 25 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Monterey. Close and well known come first.

All 76 attractions →

in town Zoo & aquariumMonterey Bay Aquarium

in town MuseumMonterey Museum of Art

5 mi Scenic drive17-Mile Drive

36 mi National ParkPinnacles National Park343K visitors a year 13 mi Canyon & gorgeMonterey Canyon

26 mi Theme parkSanta Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Sources: 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 Monterey

20pages on Monterey

The big questions

SchoolsB⁻Beat 50% of CA districts · 10 schools SafetyC⁻3.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than CA on 16 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingD⁻$1.15M typical home · up 1.4% in a year Work & commuteB$103K median household income · 24,631 jobs here Natural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 63% of U.S. communities · earthquakes

Out and about

OutdoorsA⁺16 mi of trails · 9% conserved land PlacesAttractions76 nearby · Monterey Bay Aquarium under 1 mi LibraryA4.6 library visits per resident CollegesMonterey Peninsula College, in town

The story

HistoryASettled 1770 · 12 on the National Register Famous people53 born in Monterey Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 78 residents Climate68° summer highs

Day to day

News3 recent stories about Monterey WeatherHandbookZIP code 93940, 93942, 93943 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

5 within 15 miles of the center of Monterey

Monterey Peninsula CollegeCommunity college · Public · MontereyIn town$1,188 in-state tuition Naval Postgraduate SchoolUniversity or college · Public · MontereyIn town Middlebury Institute of International Studies at MontereyUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · MontereyIn town

About 10 of every 100 Monterey residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

College town

10% of Monterey is in college

3 colleges in town.

Monterey Peninsula College5,588 students on campus

Admission: Open
Net price: $11,373
Graduate: 40%

Naval Postgraduate School1,478 students on campus

Admission: Open
Net price: —
Graduate: —

Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey334 students on campus

Admission: Open
Net price: —
Graduate: —

College Scorecard · IPEDS

Landmarks

12 places in Monterey on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Larkin HouseNational Historic Landmark

Royal Presidio ChapelBuilt 1791 · National Historic Landmark

U.S. CustomhouseNational Historic Landmark

Monterey Old Town Historic DistrictNational Historic Landmark

Famous people from Monterey

53 notable people were born in Monterey.

See all 53 →

Leon PanettaAmerican politician, Secretary of Defense 2011–2013 · born 1938

Joel CourtneyAmerican actor · born 1996

Tory BelleciFilm maker and model maker, MythBusters build team member · born 1970

J. R. CelskiShort-track speed skater · born 1990

Hal LindesAmerican musician · born 1953

Orlando JohnsonAmerican basketball player · born 1989

About Monterey

City in California, United States

Official town website ↗

Monterey ( MON-tə-RAY; Spanish: Monterrey) is a city on the southern edge of Monterey Bay, on the Central Coast of California. Located in Monterey County, the city occupies a land area of 8.645 sq mi (22.39 km2) and recorded a population of 30,218 in the 2020 census. Monterey was founded by the Spanish in 1774, when Gaspar de Portolá and Junípero Serra established the Presidio of Monterey and the Cathedral of San Carlos Borromeo. Monterey was elevated to capital of the Province of the Californias in 1777, serving as the administrative and military headquarters of both Alta California and Baja California, as well as its only official port of entry. Following the Mexican War of Independence, …

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1770
Area: 12 sq mi
Elevation: 26 ft
ZIP code: 93940, 93942, 93943
Area code: 831

Monterey’s neighbors

4 towns share a border with Monterey.

Explore the map →

Del Monte ForestSeasideDel Rey OaksPacific GroveMonterey

Del Monte Forest

SW · 4% of Monterey workers commute here

Visit

Seaside

NE · 4% of Monterey workers commute here

Visit

Del Rey Oaks

Visit

Pacific Grove

NW · 4% of Monterey workers commute here

Visit

How the neighbors grade

Town	CA rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Monterey	#352	C	D⁻	C⁻	B⁻	A
Del Monte Forest	#93	B⁺	D⁻	—	B⁺	A
Seaside	#543	C⁻	D⁻	C	B⁻	B⁻
Del Rey Oaks	—	—	D⁻	C⁻	B⁻	A
Pacific Grove	#62	A⁻	D⁻	B	A	A

Del Rey Oaks has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Del Monte Forest reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Monterey with a neighbor →

Questions about Monterey

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Monterey, CA a good place to live?

Monterey grades C overall, better than 33% of U.S. towns and #352 of 841 in California. It grades A for health, C− for safety and B− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D−.

Is Monterey, CA expensive?

Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D−.

What is Monterey, CA known for?

53 notable people were born here, including Leon Panetta and Joel Courtney.

Post to Monterey

Check your email

MontereyCA

Is Monterey a good place to live?

What makes Monterey stand out

256 years in pictures

How Monterey grades

Moving to Monterey: who provides what

The data

About one in four working residents works right in Monterey

Where working residents work

Monterey’s public schools outperform 50% of California districts

Monterey earns an A for health

Monterey earns a D− for cost of living

Typical home value

Conservation land takes up 8.9% of Monterey

Monterey earns a C− for safety

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Mild winters and pleasant summers in Monterey

Typical low → high °F

The biggest natural risk in Monterey is earthquakes, at a high overall level

Monterey Bay Aquarium and 25 more within 40 miles

Everything we know about Monterey

Colleges nearby

10% of Monterey is in college

Landmarks

Famous people from Monterey

About Monterey

Monterey’s neighbors

Questions about Monterey