Monterey County, CA

County

Add Comparison

Population

435,594

0.528% 1-year decline

US Senator

Dianne Feinstein

Democratic Party

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

Median Age

34.7

Poverty Rate

14.1%

Median Household Income

$70,681

0.832% 1-year decline

Median Property Value

$563,000

8.86% 1-year growth

Number of Employees

190,707

0.201% 1-year decline

About

In 2018, Monterey County, CA had a population of 436k people with a median age of 34.7 and a median household income of $70,681. Between 2017 and 2018 the population of Monterey County, CA declined from 437,907 to 435,594, a -0.528% decrease and its median household income declined from $71,274 to $70,681, a -0.832% decrease.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Monterey County, CA are Other (Hispanic) (38.5%), White (Non-Hispanic) (29.5%), White (Hispanic) (17.6%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (5.64%), and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (2.5%). NaNk% of the people in Monterey County, CA speak a non-English language, and 78% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Monterey County, CA are Naval Postgraduate School (2,388 degrees awarded in 2017), California State University-Monterey Bay (1,898 degrees), and Hartnell College (1,651 degrees).

The median property value in Monterey County, CA is $563,000, and the homeownership rate is 51.3%. Most people in Monterey County, CA commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 22.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Monterey County, CA is 2 cars per household.

Monterey County, CA borders Kings County, CA, Fresno County, CA, San Benito County, CA, San Luis Obispo County, CA, and Santa Cruz County, CA.

About the photo: Coast of Northern Big Sur

Photo by Stewart Butterfield

United States California Salinas, CA

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for California. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in California, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Impact on Employment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in California (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Community Mobility

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of California across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Civics

In the 2016 presidential election, the popular vote in Monterey County, CA went to Hillary Rodham Clinton with 66.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (26.2%), followed by Other (7.06%). The most partisan county was San Francisco County, CA with 85% of the vote going to Hillary Rodham Clinton running for the Democratic Party.

Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla are the senators currently representing the state of California. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

California is currently represented by 53 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Showing data up to the 2016 election. Updated election results are currently being processed, and will be released in the coming months.

2016 Election Results

Hillary Rodham Clinton (66.8%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (26.2%)
Republican Party
Other (7.06%)
Other Party

In the 2016 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Hillary Rodham Clinton with 66.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (26.2%), followed by Other (7.06%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in California for each registered party from 1976 to 2016.

Presidential Popular Vote by County

Presidential voting results are only available at the county level. Showing data for the counties inside of California.

Showing data up to the 2016 election. Updated election results are currently being processed, and will be released in the coming months.

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Popular Vote for Monterey County, CA

66.8% for the Democratic Party

Most Partisan Counties in California

San Francisco County, CA
85% for Hillary Rodham Clinton (Democratic Party)
Alameda County, CA
78.7% for Hillary Rodham Clinton (Democratic Party)
Marin County, CA
78.1% for Hillary Rodham Clinton (Democratic Party)

In the 2016 presidential election, the most partisan county in California was San Francisco County, CA with 85% of the vote going to Hillary Rodham Clinton running for the Democratic Party.

The following map shows the counties in California colored by their party leaning.

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Dianne Feinstein

Senator from California

Assumed office on November 10, 1992
Elected to the seat to succeed John Seymour (California politician)|John Seymour, who had been appointed to the seat after Pete Wilson elected Governor of California.

Alex Padilla

Senator from California

Assumed office on January 20, 2021
Elected to the seat to succeed Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.

Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla are the senators currently representing California.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in California over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representatives from California

California is currently represented by 53 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for California have changed over time starting in 2008.

Diversity

Monterey County, CA is home to a population of 436k people, from which 78% are citizens. As of 2018, 29.9% of Monterey County, CA residents were born outside of the country (130k people).

In 2018, there were 1.31 times more Other (Hispanic) residents (168k people) in Monterey County, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 129k White (Non-Hispanic) and 76.7k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Monterey County, CA

Other (Hispanic)
168k ± 9.33k
White (Non-Hispanic)
129k ± 186
White (Hispanic)
76.7k ± 8.96k

59.1%

Hispanic Population

258k people

59.1% of the people in Monterey County, CA are hispanic (258k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Monterey County, CA as a share of the total population.

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

29.9%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

130k people

29.5%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

129k people

As of 2018, 29.9% of Monterey County, CA residents (130k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.7%. In 2017, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Monterey County, CA was 29.5%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Monterey County, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.6

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 0.9

In 2018, the median age of all people in Monterey County, CA was 34.7. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 28, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 45. But people in Monterey County, CA are getting getting older. In 2017, the average age of all Monterey County, CA residents was 34.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for California.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
4,032,642 ± 46,722 people
Philippines
840,765 ± 22,271 people
China
696,409 ± 20,307 people

In 2018, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 4,032,642 California residents, followed by Philippines with 840,765 and China with 696,409.

Citizenship

78%

2018 Citizenship

77.4%

2017 Citizenship

As of 2018, 78% of Monterey County, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2017, the percentage of US citizens in Monterey County, CA was 77.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Monterey County, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
6,433 ± 1,146
Gulf War (2001-)
3,321 ± 1,210
Gulf War (1990s)
2,093 ± 786

Monterey County, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.94 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

Median household income in Monterey County, CA is $70,681. In 2018, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Monterey County, CA was Census Tract 107.01 with a value of $149,369, followed by Census Tract 132 and Census Tract 119, with respective values of $132,820 and $132,604.

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $62,298. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.499, which is higher than than the national average.

The economy of Monterey County, CA employs 191k people. The largest industries in Monterey County, CA are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (30,176 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (21,271 people), and Retail Trade (17,109 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($80,426), Utilities ($77,578), and Public Administration ($62,697).

Wages

Median Household Income

$70,681

2018 value

± $3,641

-0.832%

1 Year Growth

± 6.45%

Households in Monterey County, CA have a median annual income of $70,681, which is more than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $71,274 in 2017, which represents a -0.832% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Monterey County, CA compares to that of its neighboring and parent geographies.

Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for California.

$78,575

Average Male Salary in California

± $755

$62,298

Average Female Salary in California

± $633

In 2018, full-time male employees in California made 1.26 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in California by number of full-time employees.

Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for California.

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity in California

Asian
$73,860 ± $1,174
White
$65,115 ± $611
Two or More Races
$54,912 ± $1,843

In 2018 the highest paid race/ethnicity of California workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.13 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity in California.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in California by number of full-time employees.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Monterey County, CA is from California.

0.499

2018 Wage GINI in California

0.497

2017 Wage GINI in California

In 2018, the income inequality in California was 0.499 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.324% growth from 2017 to 2018, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.479. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in California in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in California across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 107.01
Census Tract 132
Census Tract 119

In 2018, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Monterey County, CA was Census Tract 107.01 with a value of $149,369, followed by Census Tract 132 and Census Tract 119, with respective values of $132,820 and $132,604.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Monterey County, CA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

14.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Monterey County, CA (58.7k out of 416k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 6 - 11 and then Males 6 - 11.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

Hispanic
44,395 ± 1,552
White
32,121 ± 1,372
Other
20,692 ± 1,156

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Monterey County, CA is Hispanic, followed by White and Other.

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

191k

2018 Value

± 7,797

-0.201%

1 Year decline

± 5.64%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Monterey County, CA declined at a rate of -0.201%, from 191k employees to 191k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Monterey County, CA, are Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (21,312 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (19,256 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (15,808 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Monterey County, CA.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Monterey County, CA, by number of employees, are Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (21,312 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (19,256 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (15,808 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Monterey County, CA has an unusually high number of residents working as Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (18.1 times higher than expected), Material Moving Occupations (1.66 times), and Building & Grounds Cleaning & Maintenance Occupations (1.31 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Monterey County, CA, by median earnings, are Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations ($101,227), Healthcare Practitioners & Technical Occupations ($81,730), and Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($75,987).

Industries

Employment by Industries

191k

2018 Value

± 7,797

-0.201%

1 Year decline

± 5.64%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Monterey County, CA declined at a rate of -0.201%, from 191k employees to 191k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Monterey County, CA, are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (30,176 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (21,271 people), and Retail Trade (17,109 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Monterey County, CA, though some of these residents may live in Monterey County, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Most Common

The most common industries in Monterey County, CA, by number of employees, are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (30,176 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (21,271 people), and Retail Trade (17,109 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Monterey County, CA has an unusually high number of Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (14.2 times higher than expected), Wholesale Trade (1.28 times), and Administrative & Support & Waste Management Services (1.2 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Monterey County, CA, by median earnings, are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($80,426), Utilities ($77,578), and Public Administration ($62,697).

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from California to other states, or from other states to California.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2015, the top outbound California product (by dollars) was Electronics with $196B, followed by Mixed freight ($157B) and Gasoline ($127B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound California products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for California.

$1.54T

2015 Value in California

$2.48T

Projected 2045 Value in California

61.2% growth

In 2015, total outbound California trade was $1.54T. This is expected to increase 61.2% to $2.48T by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound California trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from California to other states, or from other states to California.

Most Common Trade Partners

Texas
$63.1B
Arizona
$42.2B
Washington
$31.2B

In 2015, the top outbound California domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $63.1B, followed by Arizona with $42.2B and Washington and $31.2B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that California shares with each state (excluding itself).

Education

In 2017, universities in Monterey County, CA awarded 7,553 degrees. The student population of Monterey County, CA is skewed towards women, with 15,412 male students and 15,921 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Monterey County, CA are Hispanic or Latino (2,981 and 41.3%), followed by White (2,540 and 35.2%), Unknown (782 and 10.8%), and Asian (408 and 5.66%).

The largest universities in Monterey County, CA by number of degrees awarded are Naval Postgraduate School (2,388 and 31.6%), California State University-Monterey Bay (1,898 and 25.1%), and Hartnell College (1,651 and 21.9%).

The most popular majors in Monterey County, CA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (1,106 and 14.6%), General Business Administration & Management (782 and 10.4%), and Other Military Technologies & Applied Sciences (451 and 5.97%).

The median tuition costs in Monterey County, CA are $39,590 for private four year colleges, and $5,742 and $17,622 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
379 degree-majorss awarded
Systems Engineering
214 degree-majorss awarded
National Security Policy Studies
189 degree-majorss awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Masters Degree recipients in Monterey County, CA was General Business Administration & Management with 379 degree-majorss awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Masters Degree from schools in Monterey County, CA according to their major.

Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Naval Postgraduate School
2,388 degrees awarded
California State University-Monterey Bay
1,898 degrees awarded
Hartnell College
1,651 degrees awarded

$5,742

Median In-State Public

$39,590

Median Private

In 2017, the Monterey County, CA institution with the largest number of graduating students was Naval Postgraduate School with 2,388 degrees awarded.

Student Gender for Common Institutions

3,985

Degrees Awarded to Men

3,568

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2017, 3,985 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Monterey County, CA, which is 1.12 times more than the 3,568 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 institutions in Monterey County, CA by degrees awarded.

Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino
2,981 degrees awarded
White
2,540 degrees awarded
Unknown
782 degrees awarded

In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Monterey County, CA were to Hispanic or Latino students. These 2,981 degrees mean that there were 1.17 times more Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 2,540 degrees awarded.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Monterey County, CA was $563,000 in 2018, which is 2.45 times larger than the national average of $229,700. Between 2017 and 2018 the median property value increased from $517,200 to $563,000, a 8.86% increase. The homeownership rate in Monterey County, CA is 51.3%, which is lower than the national average of 63.9%. People in Monterey County, CA have an average commute time of 22.8 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Monterey County, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$563,000

2018 Median

± $19,181

$517,200

2017 Median

± $24,858

In 2018, the median property value in Monterey County, CA grew to to $563,000 from the previous year's value of $517,200.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Monterey County, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Monterey County, CA the largest share of households have a property value in the $500k - $750k range.

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$70,681

Median Household Income

± $3,641

126k

Number of Households

± 5,540

In 2018, the median household income of the 126k households in Monterey County, CA declined from $70,681 from the previous year's value of $71,274.

The following chart displays the households in Monterey County, CA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Property Taxes

$3k+

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Monterey County, CA distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Monterey County, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

Rent vs Own

51.3%

2018 Homeownership

51.3%

2017 Homeownership

In 2018, 51.3% of the housing units in Monterey County, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 51.3%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is lower than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Monterey County, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Commute Time

22.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Monterey County, CA have a shorter commute time (22.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.7 minutes). Additionally, 2.54% of the workforce in Monterey County, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Monterey County, CA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

Drove Alone
70.8%
Other
9.95%
Carpooled
9.6%

In 2018, the most common method of travel for workers in Monterey County, CA was Drove Alone (70.8%), followed by those who Other (9.95%) and those who Carpooled (9.6%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Monterey County, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Monterey County, CA have 2 cars, followed by 3 cars.

Health

90.1% of the population of Monterey County, CA has health coverage, with 39.8% on employee plans, 27% on Medicaid, 8.98% on Medicare, 12.5% on non-group plans, and 1.78% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in California was $7,549 in 2014. This is a 4.04% increase from the previous year ($7,256).

Primary care physicians in Monterey County, CA see 1702 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.79% increase from the previous year (1672 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1451 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 335 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Tehama County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (10.6%). Additionally, Tulare County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (33.4%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,702 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Monterey County, CA

Primary care physicians in Monterey County, CA see an average of 1,702 patients per year. This represents a 1.79% increase from the previous year (1,672 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Monterey County, CA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

West Virginia
8.26% of the population affected
Arkansas
8.13% of the population affected
New Hampshire
7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

Mississippi
19.2% of adults
Texas
17.9% of adults
Louisiana
17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

Health Care Spending

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

$7,549

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care in California

$4,735

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$5,368

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$11,833

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in California (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 4.04%, from $7,256 to $7,549.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

Health Care Coverage

9.9%

Uninsured

39.8%

Employer Coverage

27%

Medicaid

8.98%

Medicare

12.5%

Non-Group

1.78%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Monterey County, CA grew by 4.22% from 9.5% to 9.9%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Monterey County, CA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.