Photo: dconvertini · CC BY-SA 2.0Pacific Grove spent more per resident in 2022 than 70% of similar cities
Pacific Grove’s city government spent $27.6 million on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $1,801 per resident. Water and other utilities ($659,000) are counted separately.
What stands out about how Pacific Grove is run
Read from the city’s budget and official records.
Who’s in charge in Pacific Grove
From public records with a current term; a name is hidden the day its term ends.
Council members and agencies: ci.pg.ca.us ↗
Pacific Grove’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The city posts agendas and minutes on ci.pg.ca.us ↗.
About $1,801 per resident a year, or $4.93 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: police, at 29%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
$1,801 per resident in 2022: more than 70% of them
Pacific Grove’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,801 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 101 California cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,377, and the middle half spent $885–$1,910. Pacific Grove spent more than 70% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($2.2 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
California cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Pacific Grove itself left out).
No trend yet
Pacific Grove reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $6,942 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.58% of the home’s value, vs 0.70% across California.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Pacific Grove’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.
Tax bills are one input to Pacific Grove’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Pacific Grove →
One full-time city employee for every 182 residents
On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (15,299).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
Pacific Grove Unified School District
Pacific Grove’s K–12 school district. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $28,332 per pupil, $16,506 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
California districts overall: 36% local, 52% state, 11% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Pacific Grove’s votes are counted by county
California reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Pacific Grove alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Monterey County’s results.
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat63.4%93,060 votes
Donald J TrumpRepublican33.6%49,226 votesOthers: 3.0% (4,432 votes).
Most votes in Monterey County: Kamala D Harris
California: Harris 58.5%, Trump 38.3%
100% of Pacific Grove lies in Monterey County. Every 2024 race in Monterey County is on the county’s page.
Monterey County’s 2024 results →Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Pacific Grove.
- 1Your cityMayorNick Smithas listed by Open States, October 9, 2026
- 2California AssemblyState representatives
- 3California SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of California
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Pacific Grove compares with the towns next door
Pacific Grove spent $1,801 per resident in 2022; the neighbor that reported 2022 spent $4,447. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Monterey | $4,447 | $6,071 |
| Pacific Grove | $1,801 | $6,942 |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Pacific Grove’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Pacific Grove’s government
How much does Pacific Grove spend per resident?
About $1,801 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $1,801 was more than 70% of 101 California cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Pacific Grove?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $6,942 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.58% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.70% across California. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see ci.pg.ca.us.
Who is the mayor of Pacific Grove?
Nick Smith, as listed by Open States (checked October 9, 2026). The council and agencies are listed on ci.pg.ca.us.
How did Pacific Grove vote in 2024?
California counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Pacific Grove alone. Monterey County, where 100% of Pacific Grove lies, voted Harris 63.4%, Trump 33.6% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Pacific Grove?
84 full-time and 25 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $773,986 (about $9.3M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Pacific Grove in the state legislature?
State Senate District 17 (John Laird) and Assembly District 30 (Dawn Addis). The Assembly district also covers 15 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Pacific Grove’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →