Monterey County, California
Among the top 1% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 2% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 100% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 30% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 82% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 37% of US counties
- top 1% for comfortable days
- top 2% for walkability
- bottom 1% for cost of living
Monterey County is a county in California with about 438,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include comfortable days, walkability, and broadband access. It rates lower on income tax and cost of living.
Official websitecountyofmonterey.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Mild summers · Cool winters · Dry
cool
comfortable
warm
comfortable
cool
84%54%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.3 in0.1 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$91k94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$89kbetter than 1% of US counties
Home Value$684k99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 1% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 2% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.66%better than 69% of US counties
Income Tax13.30%better than 1% of US counties
Sales Tax8.85%better than 17% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden21.16%better than 1% of US counties
Unemployment5.3%better than 39% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)51°F92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)64°F2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation21.1 in15th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 91% of US counties
Sunny Days264 daysbetter than 84% of US counties
Summer Humidity53°Fbetter than 88% of US counties
Comfortable Days183 daysbetter than 99% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk98.7better than 1% of US counties
Air Quality42 AQIbetter than 56% of US counties
School Quality78.9better than 82% of US counties
Violent Crime1193/100kbetter than 26% of US counties
Property Crime1432/100kbetter than 27% of US counties
Community
Population437,60995th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age35.19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6798th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0475th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+423rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)28.6%6th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)2.1%51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)59.9%96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)5.6%96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.8%61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time25 minbetter than 46% of US counties
Walkability11.8/20better than 98% of US counties
Airport Distance84 mibetter than 58% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.8%better than 94% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 28% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Monterey County an affordable place to live?
- Monterey County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $89k, better than 0% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Monterey County?
- The median home value in Monterey County is $684k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Monterey County?
- Median household income in Monterey County is $91k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Monterey County?
- Median gross rent in Monterey County is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Monterey County safe?
- Monterey County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1193/100k (better than 26%). Property crime is 1432/100k.
- What is the weather like in Monterey County?
- Monterey County averages 64°F in July and 51°F in January, with 21.1 in of annual precipitation and about 264 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Monterey County?
- Public-school quality in Monterey County is above average, scoring better than 82% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Monterey County?
- The average one-way commute in Monterey County is 25 min.
Other counties in California
Explore California
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)