City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Seaside, CA

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

31,964
Residents
$82,303
Median income
$692,600
Median home
$4,214
Median rent (state)

Seaside - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Seaside places in the 64th percentile for household income and the 51st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

64th
percentile, household income
93rd
percentile, home value
100th
percentile, median rent
51st
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: Seaside, CA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 31,964 residents in Seaside, a small city within California. Median household income here is $82,303 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.5%. Home values in Seaside run a median of $692,600, and the median resident age is 33.7 years. Educational attainment runs 27.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 58.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 120 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Active). Seaside reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1345.9 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts California at 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Above Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $4,214 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts California's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 97.8 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

31,964 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$82,303 /yr

Poverty 11.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Seaside compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 64% higher than other cities
Home value 93% pricier than other cities
Median rent 100% pricier than other cities
Safety 51% 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: Seaside ranks #116 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Seaside against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to California only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

California-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent is Seaside's strongest outlier among California cities

Among the 1,458 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Seaside ranks #1 - the 97th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Seaside only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#745 of 1,338
44th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 1,458
97th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#453 of 1,343
66th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#421 of 1,450
70th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#673 of 1,458
54th percentile in California

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within California only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

64thIncome percentile
51stSafety percentile

64th percentile nationally for median household income · 51st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Seaside's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Seaside'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 40 Avg. percentile National median
Seaside'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 Seaside's home value compares nationally

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

$692,600 7th percentile more affordable than 7% 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%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Seaside $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 - Seaside, CA Seaside, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Seaside, 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 Seaside, CA median $82,303/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%
Seaside, 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 Seaside, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 27.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.5%

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
31,964
Median Income
$82,303
Median Home Value
$692,600
Median Age
33.7
Poverty Rate
11.5%
Labor force participation
58.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
27.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1345.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
513.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
832.7
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
11
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
31,000 residents31,500 residents32,000 residents32,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 32,328 residents 31,636 residents ▼ -2.1%
Seaside's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Active
Total Permits (2024)
120
housing units authorized
Single-Family
11
detached homes
Multifamily
109
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 0
2022 0
2023 7
2024 120

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
70.6%
Carpool
12.9%
Public Transit
1.7%
Walk
3.3%
Work from Home
7.9%
Other
3.6%

Based on 15,703 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 Seaside 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

Beverly Hills
31,955 people
Atwater
32,013 people
Fair Oaks
32,030 people
San Pablo
31,771 people
Spring Valley CDP (San Diego County)
32,215 people
Fallbrook
32,467 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Seaside's 31,964 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Juneau city and, AK
31,969 people
Duluth, GA
31,958 people
Opelika, AL
31,944 people
West Odessa, TX
31,985 people
Milford Mill, MD
31,939 people
Pullman, WA
31,939 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Seaside's $82,303 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Jourdanton, TX
$82,302 median income
Greenbrier, TN
$82,308 median income
De Witt, NE
$82,292 median income
Hallsboro, NC
$82,292 median income
Downingtown, PA
$82,292 median income
Scipio, UT
$82,292 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Seaside, 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 Seaside, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 39.9% 10.4% 24.3% 18.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 46.0% White 39.9% Black or African American 5.0% Asian 10.4% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 1.9% Some other race 24.3% Two or more races 18.5% 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 Seaside 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
Seaside (this city) 31,964 $82,303
Beverly Hills 31,955 $127,979
Atwater 32,013 $63,945
Fair Oaks 32,030 $111,332
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Seaside, CA?

What is the population of Seaside, CA? +

31,964 people live in Seaside, CA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Seaside is $82,303 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Seaside? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Seaside; 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 Seaside, CA safe? +

Seaside has a total crime rate of 1345.9 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Seaside, CA? +

Homes in Seaside carry a median value of $692,600, 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

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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.