Pajaro Dunes vs Salinas
Pajaro Dunes, California versus Salinas, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Pajaro Dunes edges out Salinas on overall objective livability (56 vs 48 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Pajaro Dunes | Salinas |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $84k | $84k |
| Cost of Living | $106k | $106k |
| Home Value | $2.0M | $574k |
| Monthly Rent | — | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $51 | $20k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.50% | 0.67% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 28.11% | 20.76% |
| Unemployment | 0.0% | 5.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 51°F | 52°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 62°F | 63°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 22.4 in | 12.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 231 days | 231 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 190 days | 208 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 98.2 | 70.5 |
| Air Quality | 33 AQI | 40 AQI |
| School Quality | 66.5 | 62.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1113/100k | 1156/100k |
| Property Crime | 1885/100k | 1692/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 93 | 162,783 |
| Median Age | 70.3 | 31.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.00 | 0.60 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.79 | 1.04 |
| Political Leaning | D+62 | D+62 |
| White (%) | 100.0% | 12.1% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 0.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 0.0% | 80.2% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 5.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 0.0% | 1.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | — | 26 min |
| Walkability | 8.4/20 | 14.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 35 mi | 50 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 80.4% | 92.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 10107.53 | 11.49 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Pajaro Dunes or Salinas more affordable?
- Salinas has the lower cost of living: its index is $106k, compared with Pajaro Dunes's $106k and Salinas's $106k.
- Is Pajaro Dunes or Salinas safer?
- Pajaro Dunes has the lower violent crime rate. Pajaro Dunes reports 1113/100k and Salinas reports 1156/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Pajaro Dunes or Salinas?
- The median home value is $2.0M in Pajaro Dunes and $574k in Salinas, so homes are more affordable in Salinas.