Salinas, CA
Census place 0664224 · pop 161,761
Birthplace of writer John Steinbeck and dubbed the "Salad Bowl of the World" for its produce farms.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
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.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
22.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
47.0% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$654,100 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
16.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
532 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,515/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
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.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
31.0% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
27 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
18.2% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
1735 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
13.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
12.9% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+3.6% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
32.8% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.41 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$91,908 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
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.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
94.4% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.62% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
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.
Frequently asked
- Is Salinas, CA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Salinas scores 33/100 — a F (Bad) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unhealthy air days 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 Salinas, CA?
- Salinas reports 532 violent crimes per 100k and 1735 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Salinas, CA expensive to live in?
- Salinas has a median home value of $654,100 and typical rent around $2,515/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Salinas, CA?
- Its weakest measured area is unemployment rate (8.9%) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
- What is Salinas, CA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is unhealthy air days (0 days) — 85/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Birthplace of writer John Steinbeck and dubbed the "Salad Bowl of the World" for its produce farms.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.