Pacific Grove, CA

Census place 0654848 · pop 14,951

D53/ 100
😐 Meh
A
in CA
📍 California ranks #49 of 50 states →
🏆 Uninsured4.6% · top 5%
🚽 Jobs8.9% · bottom 1%
Taxes
0.58% property · US 0.99%8.99% sales · US 7.00%up to 13.30% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Unemployment rateCounty-level8.9%1

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

8.9% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Housing cost$1,190,4002

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$1,190,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Rent$2,961/mo8

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$2,961/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Population growth (5yr)-3.7%12

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-3.7% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Homeownership50.4%16

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

50.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level98/10017

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

98/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Income inequality0.4632

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.46 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Violent crime rate143/100k62

U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities

143 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Commute time22 min62

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

22 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Property crime rate915/100k66

U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities

915 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Poverty rate7.6%71

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

7.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Air quality (AQI)County-level39 AQI73

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

39 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Broadband access94.4%73

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

94.4% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Median household income$106,06579

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$106,065 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Property-tax burden0.58%84

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.58% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Adult obesity25.8%90

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

25.8% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Bachelor's degree or higher59.6%90

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

59.6% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Physical inactivity16.9%91

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

16.9% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Poor mental health13.5%91

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

13.5% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Adult smoking8.0%92

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

8.0% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Uninsured adults4.6%95

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

4.6% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Frequently asked

Is Pacific Grove, CA a good place to live?
By the numbers, Pacific Grove scores 53/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is uninsured adults and its weakest is unemployment rate. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Pacific Grove, CA?
Pacific Grove reports 143 violent crimes per 100k and 915 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Pacific Grove, CA expensive to live in?
Pacific Grove has a median home value of $1,190,400 and typical rent around $2,961/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Pacific Grove, CA?
Its weakest measured area is unemployment rate (8.9%) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
What is Pacific Grove, CA best at?
Its strongest measured area is uninsured adults (4.6%) — 95/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.