Population 27,886 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Monterey
Household size in Monterey
| Period | Monterey | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.12 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.24 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.26 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.16 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Monterey are small: just 2.16 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.12, even as the national average fell. Only 24 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Monterey
| Period | Monterey | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.7 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.2 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.8 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.4 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.7 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.4, Monterey is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 42.7, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the north and oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Monterey
| Period | Monterey | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.5% of households in Monterey, well below the national share of 11.6%. Compared with other California cities, Monterey has a lower share of single-parent households than most.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Monterey
Renters in Monterey
| Period | Monterey | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 60.5% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 63.1% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 59.9% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 61.5% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Monterey: 61.5% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Nearly four in ten owners (38.6%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share has edged up 1.0 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 36 have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Monterey
| Period | Monterey | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.7% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.8% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.8% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Monterey is close to the national rate: 10.8% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in California overall (7.3%). Monterey has a higher vacancy rate than the great majority of California cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Monterey
| Period | Monterey | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1967 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1969 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Monterey is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1969, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the west has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Monterey
| Period | Monterey | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,384 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,568 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,112 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,481 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,097 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Monterey pays $2,481 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,097 a month from 2006–10, a 79% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 32.7% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the west; the most affordable are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Monterey
Bachelor's degrees in Monterey
| Period | Monterey | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 47.9% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 53.1% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 52.2% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Monterey: 52.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 3.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Monterey
| Period | Monterey | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.0% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.1% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.8% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.4% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Monterey is above the national rate: 93.4% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. Compared with other California cities, Monterey has a higher share of high school graduates than most.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Monterey
| Period | Monterey | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.6% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Monterey than nationally: unemployment was 7.1%, against 5.4%. The picture is much the same across California. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Monterey compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monterey | 2.16 | 44.4 | 7.5% | 61.5% | 10.8% | 1969 | $2,481 | 52.2% | 93.4% | 7.1% |
| Sand City | 2.59 | 34.5 | 14.2% | 76.6% | 8.4% | 1966 | $2,162 | 25.2% | 67.6% | 1.7% |
| Del Rey Oaks | 2.35 | 49.3 | 2.8% | 29.7% | 9.4% | 1959 | $3,200 | 44.6% | 95.8% | 10.9% |
| Pacific Grove | 2.10 | 52.0 | 5.3% | 50.0% | 13.2% | 1953 | $2,546 | 59.4% | 94.9% | 6.1% |
| Del Monte Forest | 2.03 | 42.8 | 4.2% | 15.5% | 28.7% | 1970 | $3,365 | 62.8% | 97.2% | 2.7% |
| Seaside | 2.96 | 36.3 | 13.5% | 64.6% | 10.3% | 1972 | $2,341 | 32.9% | 81.6% | 5.7% |
| Carmel-By-The-Sea | 1.92 | 67.6 | 8.7% | 38.6% | 51.7% | 1951 | $2,714 | 70.7% | 95.6% | 2.8% |
| Carmel | 2.34 | 58.6 | 4.7% | 27.9% | 24.9% | 1971 | $2,305 | 64.3% | 96.8% | 3.7% |
| Carmel Highlands | 2.30 | 65.7 | 5.9% | 19.7% | 31.7% | 1971 | $2,894 | 52.2% | 88.3% | 3.7% |
| Marina | 2.81 | 36.8 | 10.2% | 57.0% | 10.5% | 1991 | $2,432 | 49.7% | 90.3% | 6.6% |
| Robles Del Rio | 2.46 | 50.8 | 3.6% | 6.2% | 21.9% | 1984 | $1,337 | 69.3% | 98.8% | 0.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Red Bluff, CA · Mason City, IA · Medford, NY · Mokena, IL · Monsey, NY · Mount Holly, NC · Mount Vernon, OH · Mountain Home, AR · Parrish, FL · Plum, PA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Monterey. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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