Population 15,093 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Pacific Grove
Household size in Pacific Grove
| Period | Pacific Grove | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.23 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.22 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.26 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.10 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Pacific Grove are small: just 2.10 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. Household size has dropped from 2.23 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only 19 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 Pacific Grove
| Period | Pacific Grove | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 48.4 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 49.8 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 52.0 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.4 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Pacific Grove skews older: half of its residents are older than 52.0, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 46.6, as it has nationally. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 29 are older.
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 Pacific Grove
| Period | Pacific Grove | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.3% of households in Pacific Grove, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 3.5 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only 54 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Pacific Grove
Renters in Pacific Grove
| Period | Pacific Grove | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 53.2% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 51.9% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 54.0% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 50.0% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Pacific Grove than nationally: 50.0% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among owners, 49.2% have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the east; owners are most common in the southwest. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 3.3 points, even as the national share rose.
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 Pacific Grove
| Period | Pacific Grove | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.1% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.7% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.8% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.2% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Pacific Grove than nationally: 13.2%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has edged up 1.1 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Pacific Grove
| Period | Pacific Grove | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1956 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1952 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1957 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1953 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | −3 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Pacific Grove is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1953, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the center. Only 12 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have older homes.
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 Pacific Grove
| Period | Pacific Grove | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,442 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,489 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,789 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,546 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,104 | +$931 | +$606 |
Rent in Pacific Grove runs $2,546 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,104 a month from 2006–10, a 77% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 35.8% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the north; the highest are in the west.
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 Pacific Grove
Bachelor's degrees in Pacific Grove
| Period | Pacific Grove | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 49.4% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 54.4% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 59.4% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.9 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Pacific Grove: 59.4% 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 has risen 12.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Pacific Grove
| Period | Pacific Grove | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.2% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.4% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.7% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.9% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Pacific Grove: 94.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Pacific Grove has a higher share of high school graduates than most California cities.
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 Pacific Grove
| Period | Pacific Grove | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Pacific Grove than nationally: unemployment was 6.1%, against 5.4%. California as a whole looks much the same. 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).
Pacific Grove 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 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% |
| Carmel-By-The-Sea | 1.92 | 67.6 | 8.7% | 38.6% | 51.7% | 1951 | $2,714 | 70.7% | 95.6% | 2.8% |
| Del Rey Oaks | 2.35 | 49.3 | 2.8% | 29.7% | 9.4% | 1959 | $3,200 | 44.6% | 95.8% | 10.9% |
| Seaside | 2.96 | 36.3 | 13.5% | 64.6% | 10.3% | 1972 | $2,341 | 32.9% | 81.6% | 5.7% |
| 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% |
| East Garrison | 2.82 | 43.1 | 10.0% | 37.5% | 14.2% | 1979 | $1,092 | 31.0% | 69.3% | 7.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Melissa, TX · Pineville, NC · Pike Road, AL · Pierre, SD · Parlier, CA · Ottawa, KS · Mission, KS · Minooka, IL · Millersburg, OH · Milford, 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 Pacific Grove. 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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