Monterey pacific grove ca 1917, 1917
Seaside’s story
135 years in pictures
Census counts: 19,353 in 1960, 32,366 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1917 and 4 maps from 1913 on.
- 1891Seaside is settled
Population
31,636
2025 Census estimate · −2.3% since 2020
Typical home
$783K
−0.9% in a year
Household income
$85K
median
Median age
34.0
years
Jobs based here
6,720
A commuter town
TownGrade
C−
#543 of 841 in CA
Is Seaside a good place to live?
Homes are expensive, about $783K for a typical one and 8.1 times the Salinas metro’s $97K median household income. Overall it grades C−, 543rd among California's 841 graded towns. It is more walkable than 94% of U.S. towns and it has 19 miles of trail. Its weakest subject is hazard risk: FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 86% of U.S. communities, with earthquakes at the top. Seaside’s July high is 68°F, against 89°F in California’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns. Seaside is home to California State University-Monterey Bay.
What makes Seaside stand out
Where Seaside beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
College town
13% of Seaside is in college
College Scorecard · IPEDS
How Seaside grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Seaside is from typical.
Its grades run from A for walkability (better than 94% of comparable towns) to D− for cost of living (better than 3%), so the C− overall blends very different results.
Cost of livingD−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 14 of 20; 6.1% of households have no carAOpen →Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listDOpen →SafetyCOpen →Jobs & income$85K median household incomeC+Open →HealthCommunity Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula 6.2 miles awayB−Open →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors10% conserved landAOpen →History4 notable people born hereC−Open →Civic life2.4 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 market19 days on market–Open →Who lives here–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Seaside: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Seaside, and how to reach them.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCal Am Water Company - MontereyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpTown’s haulerGreenWaste Recovery picks up at the curb for every homeTown site
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 code9395593955 100%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 Seaside.
Seaside has fewer 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and has commutes shorter than most of California, but it scores below Marina and its other neighbors on health.
OutdoorsA
Seaside has set aside 10.4% of its land for conservation
Seaside’s trail density is 2.1 miles per square mile. The biggest park or preserve is Fort Ord National Monument, at 916 acres.
#152for trails in CA
10.4%
conserved · 600 of 5,774 acres
19 mi
of trails · 2.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Laguna Grande Regional Park | 0.8 mi | 38 |
| 2. Open space | 0.6 mi | 135 |
| 3. Soper Park | 0.4 mi | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsB−
Public schools in Seaside beat 50% of California districts
Its public schools are run by the Monterey Peninsula Unified school district. Two of its 14 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
50%of CA districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Luther KingLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 548 | – |
| Seaside HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,073 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Earthquakes leads a very high hazard risk in Seaside
Since 1982, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Seaside.
86risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland flooding
2
paid flood claims since 1982
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
Most of Seaside’s workers commute out: the town has 0.6 jobs for each of them
The average commute for its 12,090 working residents takes 21 minutes, against 28.7 across California.
Most working residents leave Seaside for work: only 9% work in town. The average trip to work in Seaside is 21 minutes. Since 2013, Seaside has added 1,155 jobs, to 6,720 in 2023.
9%work in town
| Seaside | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 8.3% | 14% | 11% |
| Working residents who work in town | 9.5% | 6.6% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Seaside9%
Monterey25%
Salinas8%
Del Monte Forest4%
Pacific Grove3%
7 mi
median commute distance
6,720
jobs based in Seaside
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 94% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SafetyC
Seaside reports more crime per resident than 68% of U.S. towns
Within California, it does better than 57% of towns.
32%of U.S. towns report more crimeCSafety Grade
| Seaside | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 5.4 per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 6.9 per 1,000 residents | 13.4 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Seaside5.4
California4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Seaside6.9
California18.2
U.S.15.5
32nd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
57th
percentile among CA towns
170
violent crimes reported in 2025
217
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
Seaside has mild winters and pleasant summers
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 42°, milder than in 95% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 68°.
Seaside has warm winters and cool summers, with very little rain. 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
Who lives here
More young adults than California overall
Only 35.4% of households own their home, against 55.9% across California.
Adults 18 to 34 are 30% of residents (24% statewide). 13% of residents are 65 or older in Seaside. Seaside has lost 2.3% of its people since 2020, down to 31,636 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
34median age · CA 37.9
| Seaside | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34 years | 39.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 13% | 16% | 18% |
SeasideCaliforniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma18%
High school22%
Some college20%
Associate’s10%
Bachelor’s19%
Graduate11%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±1.5 points. Across California, 50.1% of residents are women. Among residents 18 to 24, 60% are women (CA 49%). Median age: women 34.0, men 33.9.
| Seaside | CA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.4% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.4% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 13.2% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 16.5% | 14.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.3% | 13.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12% | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.5% | 12.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 8% | 9.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 4.8% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 18.2% | 15.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 22% | 20.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 19.9% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.3% | 7.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.6% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.9% | 14.4% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
HousingCost of living grade D−
Seaside earns a D− for cost of living
35% of Seaside households own their home. The typical Seaside home is worth about $783,000, down 0.9% in a year, close to the California typical home.
$783KZillow home value
| Seaside | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 35% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $2,409 a month | $1,895 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Seaside$783K
California$762K
Market temperature
19
days on market
100%
sale-to-list price
−0.9%
value change, 1 year
11
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthB−
Residents of Seaside are healthier than 50% of U.S. towns
All 3 graded neighbors score healthier than its B−, from Marina (B+) to Monterey (A).
Seaside beats the California average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 7.
50%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Seaside | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 71% | 72% | 79% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 16% | 14% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 9% | 8.1% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 22% | 19% |
32 measures vs. California
1 better24 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Seaside | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.4% | 6.4% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 9.9% | 7.3% |
Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula
6.2 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
38th
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Nearby attractions
All 78 attractions →Monterey Bay Aquarium and 25 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Seaside. Close and well known come first.
5 mi Zoo & aquariumMonterey Bay Aquarium
5 mi MuseumMonterey Museum of Art
9 mi Scenic drive17-Mile Drive
32 mi National ParkPinnacles National Park343K visitors a year11 mi Canyon & gorgeMonterey Canyon
26 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 Seaside
20pages on Seaside
The big questions
SchoolsB−Beat 50% of CA districts · 14 schoolsSafetyC5.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB−Better than CA on 1 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingD−$783K typical home · down 0.9% in a yearWork & commuteC+$85K median household income · 6,720 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 86% of U.S. communities · earthquakes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
5 within 15 miles of the center of Seaside
California State University-Monterey BayUniversity or college · Public · SeasideIn town$7,779 in-state tuitionNaval Postgraduate SchoolUniversity or college · Public · Monterey3.6 miMonterey Peninsula CollegeCommunity college · Public · Monterey4.4 mi$1,188 in-state tuition
About 13 of every 100 Seaside residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A commuter town
91% of working residents leave Seaside for work
Where Seaside’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
6,720jobs based in Seaside
9%of working residents work in town
7 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Seaside
4 notable people were born in Seaside.
About Seaside
City in California, United States
Seaside, formerly East Monterey, is a city in Monterey County, California, United States, with a population of 32,366 as of the 2020 census. It is located 2.25 miles (3.6 km) east-northeast of Monterey, at an elevation of 33 feet (10 m), and is the home of California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB), UC MBEST Center, and the Monterey College of Law, which are located on the site of the former military base Fort Ord. Also on the site are the Bayonet and Black Horse golf courses, now open to the public and host to PGA Tour events, including the 2012 PGA Professional National Championship. Seaside is the gateway to Fort Ord National Monument, created on April 20, 2012.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1954
- Area
- 9.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 33 ft
- ZIP code
- 93955
- Area code
- 831
Seaside’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Seaside.
MontereySand CityDel Rey OaksMarinaSeaside
How the neighbors grade
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seaside | #543 | C− | D− | C | B− | B− |
| Monterey | #352 | C | D− | C− | B− | A |
| Sand City | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Del Rey Oaks | — | — | D− | C− | B− | A |
| Marina | #497 | C− | D− | C | C+ | B+ |
Del Rey Oaks has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Sand City isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Seaside with a neighbor →
Questions about Seaside
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Seaside, CA a good place to live?
Seaside grades C− overall, better than 15% of U.S. towns and #543 of 841 in California. It grades B− for health, C for safety and B− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Seaside, CA safe?
Within California, it does better than 57% of towns.
Is Seaside, 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 Seaside, CA known for?
4 notable people were born here, including Jamaree Bouyea and Joseph Collins.