City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Salinas, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Salinas - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

161,993
Residents
$89,150
Median income
$610,900
Median home
$4,214
Median rent (state)

Salinas - the verdict

Nationally, Salinas sits in the 70th percentile for household income and the 27th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

70th
percentile, household income
90th
percentile, home value
100th
percentile, median rent
27th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Salinas, CA

California's Salinas is a mid-sized U.S. city, with 161,993 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Salinas brings in $89,150 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.6%. Typical homes in Salinas are valued around $610,900, and the median resident age is 32.1 years. Educational attainment runs 15.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 58.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 140 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 46% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2199.9 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, California scores 110.7 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $4,214 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts California's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 97.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

161,993 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$89,150 /yr

Poverty 11.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Salinas compare to other US cities?

Here's how Salinas stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 70% higher than other cities
Home value 90% pricier than other cities
Median rent 100% pricier than other cities
Safety 27% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just California and the picture shifts: Salinas ranks #277 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Salinas's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in California, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

70thIncome percentile
27thSafety percentile

70th percentile nationally for median household income · 27th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Salinas's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Salinas's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 34 Avg. percentile National median
Salinas's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Salinas's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$610,900 10th percentile more affordable than 10% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Salinas $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Salinas, CA Salinas, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Salinas, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Salinas, CA median $89,150/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Salinas, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Salinas, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 15.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
161,993
Median Income
$89,150
Median Home Value
$610,900
Median Age
32.1
Poverty Rate
11.6%
Labor force participation
58.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
15.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2199.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
524.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1675.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
62
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
158,000 residents160,000 residents162,000 residents164,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 163,390 residents 159,134 residents ▼ -2.6%
Salinas's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
140
housing units authorized
Single-Family
136
detached homes
Multifamily
4
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 96
2020 205
2021 198
2022 61
2023 154
2024 140

Permit volume increased 46% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
72.7%
Carpool
11.3%
Public Transit
0.9%
Walk
1.2%
Work from Home
4.3%
Other
9.6%

Based on 68,081 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Salinas sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$4,214/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Hayward
159,201 people
Corona
158,839 people
Palmdale
165,487 people
Lancaster
170,013 people
Sunnyvale
153,455 people
Garden Grove
170,603 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Salinas's 161,993 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Paterson, NJ
157,660 people
Murfreesboro, TN
157,547 people
Alexandria, VA
156,788 people
Bayamón zona urbana, PR
167,312 people
Macon-Bibb County, GA
156,543 people
Lakewood, CO
156,309 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Salinas's $89,150 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Schaefferstown, PA
$89,155 median income
Destin, FL
$89,141 median income
Norwood, PA
$89,135 median income
Shorewood, WI
$89,135 median income
East Pleasant View, CO
$89,167 median income
Lexington Park, MD
$89,167 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Salinas, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Salinas, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 21.8% 57.6% 12.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 80.3% White 21.8% Black or African American 1.4% Asian 5.7% American Indian 1.1% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 57.6% Two or more races 12.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Salinas compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Salinas (this city) 161,993 $89,150
Hayward 159,201 $113,775
Corona 158,839 $106,438
Palmdale 165,487 $81,151
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Salinas, CA?

What is the population of Salinas, CA? +

Salinas, CA has a population of 161,993 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Salinas, CA? +

The median household income in Salinas is $89,150 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Salinas? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Salinas; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Salinas, CA safe? +

Salinas has a total crime rate of 2199.9 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Salinas, CA? +

The median home value in Salinas is $610,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.