California · GEOID 06053

Monterey County

2024 ACS 5-year estimates · population 437,613 · 145,469 housing units

Median household income

$97,230

State $102,676

Median home value

$781,000

State $795,381

Median gross rent

$2,055

State $2,063

Homeownership rate

52.1%

State 55.9%

Renter cost-burden rate

55.6%

≥30% of income

Owner cost-burden rate

29.2%

≥30% of income

Homeowner vacancy

0.7%

Of owner-occupied + for-sale units

Rental vacancy

2.1%

Of renter-occupied + for-rent units

Overall vacancy

8.9%

All housing units

Price-to-income ratio

8.03

Affordable: 2.0–3.0

Section 1

Community Profile

Population, demographics, household composition, and income.

Community Data Summary

	Monterey County	California
Population	437,613	39,287,377
Population density (per sq. mi.)	133.35	—
Median household income	$97,230	$102,676
HUD Area Median Income (4-person, 100%)	$110,500	—
Households	132,489	—
Average household size	3.16 people	—
Owner-occupied	52.1%	55.9%
Renter-occupied	47.9%	44.1%
Race	36.2% White · 2.2% Black	0.0% White · 0.0% Black

Source: ACS 5-year 2024 (Tables DP05, S1101, DP04, S1901) and Census Gazetteer (land area); HUD FY2026 Income Limits.

Racial composition

Monterey County compared with California.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP05.

Educational attainment (population 25+)

28.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher (state: 37.1%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1501.

Median Household Income by Tenure

Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied household income, county and state.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25119.

Median Household Income by Age of Householder

Median household income by age group of householder.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B19049.

Median Household Income by Number of Earners

Median household income for families with each earner count.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903.

Household Size

Distribution of households by number of people.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2501.

Income by Number of Earners

Earners	Share	Median income	Attainable monthly housing cost	Attainable home
0 earners	12.1%	$58,336	$1,458	$186,127
1 earner	32.5%	$71,295	$1,782	$234,365
2 earners	37.0%	$121,644	$3,041	$421,781
3+ earners	18.3%	$140,922	$3,523	$493,540

Attainable monthly housing cost = 30% of gross income ÷ 12. Attainable home price assumes 30% housing budget, 30-yr mortgage at 7%, 5% down.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903; affordability formula derived.

Households

132,489

Average size: 3.16 people

Households with children

42,926

32.4% of households

Per-capita income

$40,422

Poverty rate: 10.6%

Section 2

Residential Market Analysis

Housing stock characteristics — tenure, type, age, size, vacancy, rents.

Tenure

52.1% owner-occupied vs. state average 55.9%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Structure type

Single-family share 69.7% · Missing middle (2–19 units) 19.5%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25024.

Housing stock by decade

57.8% built before 1980 · Median structure age 1,976.00 yrs.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2504.

Housing size mismatch

Compares the share of housing units by bedroom count against the share of households by size — a common diagnostic of housing supply/demand alignment.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Tables B25041 (bedrooms) and S2501 (household size).

Home value distribution

Owner-occupied homes by value bracket. Median: $781,000.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Monthly Housing Costs

Distribution of monthly housing costs across all occupied units.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25104.

Number of Bedrooms

Housing units by number of bedrooms.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25041.

Median rent by bedroom

Overall median gross rent: $2,055.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25031.

Renters by age

Number of renter householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Owners by age

Number of owner householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Vacancy composition

All 12,980 vacant units split into Census's seven categories. Frictional vacancy (units actively on the market) reflects healthy churn. Structural vacancy (seasonal, migrant, other) sits outside the market for year-round residents — high values change how the headline vacancy rate should be read.

Vacant units by type

For sale 3.7% · For rent 10.3% · Seasonal 54.2% · Other 25.4%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Frictional vs structural

19.2% of vacancy is frictional (for sale + for rent + rented/sold not yet occupied); 80.8% is structural (seasonal + migrant + other).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Seasonal / recreational share of all housing

4.8%

7,034 units of 145,469 total

Housing units held for seasonal or recreational use.

"Other vacant" share of all housing

2.3%

3,297 units of 145,469 total

Census "Other vacant" — units off the market for reasons other than seasonal, migrant, sale, or rental.

Section 3

Workforce Housing Needs Assessment

Affordability, cost burden, and the housing options for households in the workforce income range.

Workforce range — ACS median household income

80% MHI$77,784

100% MHI$97,230

120% MHI$116,676

County-wide median from ACS 5-year estimates. A household at 100% MHI in Monterey County should be able to afford a home up to roughly — (30% housing budget, default mortgage terms).

Workforce range — HUD Area Median Income

	1-person	2-person	4-person
80% AMI	$87,600	$100,100	$125,100
100% AMI	$77,350	$88,400	$110,500
120% AMI	$92,800	$106,100	$132,600

HUD FMR Area: Salinas, CA MSA. 80% AMI uses HUD's published Section 8 Low Income Limits; 100% is HUD MFI; 120% is the standard workforce convention.

Affordability calculator

Follows the standard 30%-of-gross-income affordability rule.

Income basis Household income Interest rate % Down payment % Taxes & insurance / yr

Affordable monthly—

Affordable home price—

Renter cost burden

55.6% of renter households spend ≥30% of income on rent (26.3% spend ≥50%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25070.

Owner cost burden by income

29.2% of homeowners spend ≥30% of income on housing. Bars show counts of cost-burdened owners by income bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25106.

Household income — owners vs renters

Distribution of household income for owner-occupied (navy) and renter-occupied (gold) households.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25118.

Section 4

Industry & Workforce Wages

Employment, average wages, and the housing each industry's typical earner can afford in Monterey County.

Covered employment

200,245

Across 21 sectors

Establishments

15,845

QCEW 2024

Avg annual pay (workforce)

$61,375

Employment-weighted across sectors

Top 10 sectors by employment

Annual average employment by NAICS 2-digit sector. Counties with fewer than five covered establishments in a sector may show suppressed totals.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024.

Attainable housing by industry

Industry	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 11 Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting NAICS 11	55,530	$47,473	$145,691	−$635,309	$1,187
NAICS 62 Health care and social assistance NAICS 62	24,346	$75,418	$249,712	−$531,288	$1,885
NAICS 72 Accommodation and food services NAICS 72	22,690	$39,956	$117,710	−$663,290	$999
NAICS 44-45 Retail trade NAICS 44-45	16,277	$44,699	$135,365	−$645,635	$1,117
NAICS 61 Educational services NAICS 61	16,119	$73,863	$243,924	−$537,076	$1,847
NAICS 92 Public administration NAICS 92	14,573	$92,023	$311,521	−$469,479	$2,301
NAICS 56 Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services NAICS 56	7,772	$48,464	$149,380	−$631,620	$1,212
NAICS 23 Construction NAICS 23	7,727	$76,088	$252,206	−$528,794	$1,902
NAICS 42 Wholesale trade NAICS 42	5,690	$90,503	$305,863	−$475,137	$2,263
NAICS 81 Other services (except public administration) NAICS 81	5,608	$50,161	$155,697	−$625,303	$1,254
NAICS 54 Professional, scientific, and technical services NAICS 54	5,220	$90,507	$305,878	−$475,122	$2,263
NAICS 31-33 Manufacturing NAICS 31-33	4,682	$63,933	$206,961	−$574,039	$1,598
NAICS 48-49 Transportation and warehousing NAICS 48-49	3,772	$66,812	$217,677	−$563,323	$1,670
NAICS 71 Arts, entertainment, and recreation NAICS 71	3,242	$48,001	$147,657	−$633,343	$1,200
NAICS 53 Real estate and rental and leasing NAICS 53	2,056	$63,236	$204,366	−$576,634	$1,581
NAICS 52 Finance and insurance NAICS 52	2,050	$119,814	$414,969	−$366,031	$2,995
NAICS 51 Information NAICS 51	1,077	$73,228	$241,560	−$539,440	$1,831
NAICS 22 Utilities NAICS 22	815	$160,669	$567,045	−$213,955	$4,017
NAICS 55 Management of companies and enterprises NAICS 55	786	$123,603	$429,073	−$351,927	$3,090
NAICS 21 Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction NAICS 21	211	$136,803	$478,208	−$302,792	$3,420
NAICS 99 Unclassified NAICS 99	2	$74,552	$246,488	−$534,512	$1,864

Subsector	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 115 Support activities for agriculture and forestry NAICS 115	37,585	$47,295	$145,029	−$635,971	$1,182
NAICS 111 Crop production NAICS 111	17,751	$47,806	$146,931	−$634,069	$1,195
NAICS 611 Educational services NAICS 611	16,119	$73,863	$243,924	−$537,076	$1,847
NAICS 722 Food services and drinking places NAICS 722	15,091	$33,779	$94,717	−$686,283	$844
NAICS 624 Social assistance NAICS 624	7,604	$30,236	$81,529	−$699,471	$756
NAICS 721 Accommodation NAICS 721	7,599	$52,222	$163,368	−$617,632	$1,306
NAICS 621 Ambulatory health care services NAICS 621	7,541	$93,434	$316,774	−$464,226	$2,336
NAICS 561 Administrative and support services NAICS 561	6,999	$45,362	$137,833	−$643,167	$1,134
NAICS 541 Professional, scientific, and technical services NAICS 541	5,220	$90,507	$305,878	−$475,122	$2,263
NAICS 922 Justice, public order, and safety activities NAICS 922	4,714	$88,293	$297,637	−$483,363	$2,207
NAICS 238 Specialty trade contractors NAICS 238	4,339	$71,906	$236,639	−$544,361	$1,798
NAICS 445 Food and beverage retailers NAICS 445	4,291	$39,474	$115,916	−$665,084	$987
NAICS 424 Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods NAICS 424	3,850	$89,767	$303,124	−$477,876	$2,244
NAICS 928 National security and international affairs NAICS 928	3,395	$107,071	$367,535	−$413,465	$2,677
NAICS 921 Executive, legislative, and other general government support NAICS 921	3,275	$88,671	$299,044	−$481,956	$2,217
NAICS 455 General merchandise retailers NAICS 455	3,175	$38,750	$113,221	−$667,779	$969
NAICS 622 Hospitals NAICS 622	3,164	$111,948	$385,689	−$395,311	$2,799
NAICS 236 Construction of buildings NAICS 236	2,511	$77,144	$256,137	−$524,863	$1,929
NAICS 813 Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations NAICS 813	2,248	$51,753	$161,623	−$619,377	$1,294
NAICS 713 Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries NAICS 713	2,057	$39,360	$115,492	−$665,508	$984
NAICS 441 Motor vehicle and parts dealers NAICS 441	1,934	$73,590	$242,907	−$538,093	$1,840
NAICS 923 Administration of human resource programs NAICS 923	1,899	$86,507	$290,989	−$490,011	$2,163
NAICS 311 Food manufacturing NAICS 311	1,735	$48,422	$149,224	−$631,776	$1,211
NAICS 811 Repair and maintenance NAICS 811	1,690	$58,512	$186,782	−$594,218	$1,463
NAICS 423 Merchant wholesalers, durable goods NAICS 423	1,576	$84,184	$282,342	−$498,658	$2,105
NAICS 459 Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, book, and miscellaneous retailers NAICS 459	1,498	$37,326	$107,921	−$673,079	$933
NAICS 531 Real estate NAICS 531	1,481	$61,719	$198,720	−$582,280	$1,543
NAICS 458 Clothing, clothing accessories, shoe, and jewelry retailers NAICS 458	1,473	$36,220	$103,804	−$677,196	$906
NAICS 484 Truck transportation NAICS 484	1,439	$66,236	$215,533	−$565,467	$1,656
NAICS 812 Personal and laundry services NAICS 812	1,308	$36,962	$106,566	−$674,434	$924
NAICS 444 Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers NAICS 444	1,289	$50,226	$155,939	−$625,061	$1,256
NAICS 522 Credit intermediation and related activities NAICS 522	1,047	$102,519	$350,591	−$430,409	$2,563
NAICS 312 Beverage and tobacco product manufacturing NAICS 312	1,017	$59,373	$189,987	−$591,013	$1,484
NAICS 456 Health and personal care retailers NAICS 456	919	$49,000	$151,375	−$629,625	$1,225
NAICS 457 Gasoline stations and fuel dealers NAICS 457	883	$41,739	$124,347	−$656,653	$1,043
NAICS 237 Heavy and civil engineering construction NAICS 237	877	$93,755	$317,968	−$463,032	$2,344
NAICS 221 Utilities NAICS 221	815	$160,669	$567,045	−$213,955	$4,017
NAICS 449 Furniture, home furnishings, electronics, and appliance retailers NAICS 449	814	$45,363	$137,837	−$643,163	$1,134
NAICS 551 Management of companies and enterprises NAICS 551	786	$123,603	$429,073	−$351,927	$3,090
NAICS 924 Administration of environmental quality programs NAICS 924	782	$83,155	$278,512	−$502,488	$2,079
NAICS 562 Waste management and remediation services NAICS 562	773	$76,546	$253,911	−$527,089	$1,914
NAICS 524 Insurance carriers and related activities NAICS 524	704	$87,924	$296,263	−$484,737	$2,198
NAICS 485 Transit and ground passenger transportation NAICS 485	641	$66,569	$216,773	−$564,227	$1,664
NAICS 712 Museums, historical sites, and similar institutions NAICS 712	623	$77,641	$257,987	−$523,013	$1,941
NAICS 532 Rental and leasing services NAICS 532	575	$67,143	$218,910	−$562,090	$1,679
NAICS 711 Performing arts, spectator sports, and related industries NAICS 711	561	$46,852	$143,380	−$637,620	$1,171
NAICS 492 Couriers and messengers NAICS 492	450	$60,605	$194,573	−$586,427	$1,515
NAICS 322 Paper manufacturing NAICS 322	423	$88,800	$299,524	−$481,476	$2,220
NAICS 488 Support activities for transportation NAICS 488	383	$71,736	$236,006	−$544,994	$1,793
NAICS 491 Postal service NAICS 491	382	$75,664	$250,628	−$530,372	$1,892
NAICS 814 Private households NAICS 814	362	$48,977	$151,290	−$629,710	$1,224
NAICS 926 Administration of economic programs NAICS 926	356	$79,377	$264,449	−$516,551	$1,984
NAICS 334 Computer and electronic product manufacturing NAICS 334	328	$89,950	$303,805	−$477,195	$2,249
NAICS 332 Fabricated metal product manufacturing NAICS 332	309	$65,369	$212,306	−$568,694	$1,634
NAICS 493 Warehousing and storage NAICS 493	299	$76,621	$254,190	−$526,810	$1,916
NAICS 516 Broadcasting and content providers NAICS 516	294	$67,834	$221,482	−$559,518	$1,696
NAICS 425 Wholesale trade agents and brokers NAICS 425	263	$139,492	$488,217	−$292,783	$3,487
NAICS 512 Motion picture and sound recording industries NAICS 512	231	$86,978	$292,742	−$488,258	$2,174
NAICS 519 Web search portals, libraries, archives, and other information services NAICS 519	224	$43,716	$131,706	−$649,294	$1,093
NAICS 333 Machinery manufacturing NAICS 333	178	$85,945	$288,897	−$492,103	$2,149
NAICS 517 Telecommunications NAICS 517	172	$88,224	$297,380	−$483,620	$2,206
NAICS 327 Nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing NAICS 327	155	$121,870	$422,622	−$358,378	$3,047
NAICS 925 Administration of housing programs, urban planning, and community development NAICS 925	152	$87,958	$296,390	−$484,610	$2,199
NAICS 112 Animal production and aquaculture NAICS 112	152	$46,870	$143,447	−$637,553	$1,172
NAICS 487 Scenic and sightseeing transportation NAICS 487	133	$39,263	$115,131	−$665,869	$982
NAICS 321 Wood product manufacturing NAICS 321	132	$55,462	$175,429	−$605,571	$1,387
NAICS 513 Publishing industries NAICS 513	118	$86,308	$290,248	−$490,752	$2,158
NAICS 623 Nursing and residential care facilities NAICS 623	116	$58,043	$185,036	−$595,964	$1,451
NAICS 325 Chemical manufacturing NAICS 325	111	$77,396	$257,075	−$523,925	$1,935
NAICS 339 Miscellaneous manufacturing NAICS 339	88	$52,937	$166,030	−$614,970	$1,323
NAICS 323 Printing and related support activities NAICS 323	54	$50,883	$158,384	−$622,616	$1,272
NAICS 337 Furniture and related product manufacturing NAICS 337	50	$67,057	$218,589	−$562,411	$1,676
NAICS 336 Transportation equipment manufacturing NAICS 336	29	$71,646	$235,671	−$545,329	$1,791
NAICS 314 Textile product mills NAICS 314	13	$74,586	$246,615	−$534,385	$1,865
NAICS 999 Unclassified NAICS 999	2	$74,552	$246,488	−$534,512	$1,864

Affordable home price assumes the industry's average earner uses 30% of gross income for housing, with a 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr taxes & insurance, and 0.5% PMI. Adjust the Section 3 calculator for other terms. Affordable rent is 30% of monthly gross pay.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024; ACS 5-year 2024 (median home value).

Section 5

Wages by Occupation

Selected essential-worker occupations for the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county — jobs, the 10-year change, wages, and the housing each typical earner can afford. Both jobs counts and wages are reported at the MSA / nonmetropolitan-area level (BLS does not publish OEWS at the county level), so every county inside the same area shows the same numbers. For county-accurate employment totals, see Section 4 above.

Occupational wages and affordable housing

Occupation	2025 jobs	2015–2025 change	% change	Hourly wage	Annual wage	Affordable home price	Affordable monthly rent
Cashiers SOC 41-2011	4,020	(580)	(13%)	$19.25	$40,040	$118,023	$1,001
Fast Food and Counter Workers SOC 35-3023 · prior-year code differs	4,180	640	18%	$20.13	$41,880	$124,872	$1,047
Childcare Workers SOC 39-9011	530	100	23%	$20.37	$42,380	$126,733	$1,060
Retail Salespersons SOC 41-2031	4,110	(600)	(13%)	$20.38	$42,390	$126,770	$1,060
Janitors and Cleaners SOC 37-2011	1,890	60	3%	$21.84	$45,420	$138,049	$1,136
Waiters and Waitresses SOC 35-3031	3,100	(400)	(11%)	$22.03	$45,820	$139,538	$1,146
Tellers SOC 43-3071	220	(200)	(48%)	$22.96	$47,760	$146,759	$1,194
Home Health and Personal Care Aides SOC 31-1131 · prior-year code differs	1,070	110	11%	$23.75	$49,390	$152,827	$1,235
Office Clerks, General SOC 43-9061	2,790	530	23%	$24.48	$50,910	$158,485	$1,273
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General SOC 49-9071	1,550	(20)	(1%)	$26.97	$56,090	$177,767	$1,402
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers SOC 53-3032	2,140	510	31%	$27.04	$56,250	$178,362	$1,406
Construction Laborers SOC 47-2061	950	370	64%	$32.03	$66,620	$216,963	$1,666
Carpenters SOC 47-2031	1,210	430	55%	$34.80	$72,380	$238,403	$1,810
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters SOC 47-2152	320	110	52%	$34.95	$72,700	$239,595	$1,818
Firefighters SOC 33-2011	760	160	27%	$39.82	$82,830	$277,302	$2,071
Electricians SOC 47-2111	530	130	33%	$40.10	$83,410	$279,461	$2,085
Paramedics SOC 29-2043	50	—	—	$42.64	$88,690	$299,115	$2,217
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education SOC 25-2021	2,280	(140)	(6%)	—	$93,690	$317,726	$2,342
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers SOC 33-3051	930	380	69%	$53.68	$111,650	$384,580	$2,791
Registered Nurses SOC 29-1141	3,180	710	29%	$66.73	$138,810	$485,678	$3,470

Affordable home price uses the same Section 3 formula (30% housing budget, 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr T&I, 0.5% PMI). Affordable rent is 30% of monthly wages. Negative job-change values are shown in red parentheses. A "prior-year code differs" note flags occupations whose SOC code changed between the two vintages (2010 SOC → 2018 SOC) — the change estimate is best-effort.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (10-year change vs. May 2015). Jobs counts and wages reflect the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county, not the county alone — OEWS is not published at the county level.

Methodology & sources

All figures derive from the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. State and national comparisons are population-weighted aggregates of county-level estimates (an approximation; ACS publishes its own state and national medians which can differ slightly).

The affordability calculator uses a 30% housing-budget rule with a 30-year mortgage. Defaults are 7% interest, 5% down, $2,500/year taxes and insurance, and 0.5% PMI — adjustable above.

Variables: 06053 · pulled from Full Housing Data Table.xlsx.