Seaside, California
Among the top 4% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 4% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 96% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 67% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 94% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 92% of US places
- top 1% for comfortable days
- top 1% for walkability
- bottom 1% for cost of living
Seaside is a mid-size city in California with about 32,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include comfortable days, walkability, and park & nature access. It rates lower on income tax and cost of living.
Official websiteci.seaside.ca.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Mild summers · Cool winters · Dry
cool
comfortable
cool
82%54%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.1 in0.1 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$80k72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$106kbetter than 1% of US places
Home Value$652k95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 5% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 12% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.51%better than 87% of US places
Income Tax13.30%better than 3% of US places
Sales Tax8.85%better than 19% of US places
Estimated total tax burden20.37%better than 6% of US places
Unemployment7.1%better than 24% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)52°F92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)62°F2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation16.2 in9th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 94% of US places
Sunny Days231 daysbetter than 46% of US places
Summer Humidity53°Fbetter than 86% of US places
Comfortable Days200 daysbetter than 99% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk48.6better than 73% of US places
Air Quality33 AQIbetter than 87% of US places
School Quality70.7better than 66% of US places
Violent Crime1328/100kbetter than 22% of US places
Property Crime1240/100kbetter than 39% of US places
Community
Population32,29196th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age34.019th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.7199th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9952nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+622nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)30.5%10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)5.9%78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)44.6%94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)10.2%96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)8.8%86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time22 minbetter than 77% of US places
Walkability14.7/20better than 99% of US places
Airport Distance51 mibetter than 67% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.4%better than 74% of US places
Amenities Nearby119.54better than 59% of US places
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 96% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Seaside an affordable place to live?
- Seaside is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $106k, better than 0% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Seaside?
- The median home value in Seaside is $652k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Seaside?
- Median household income in Seaside is $80k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Seaside?
- Median gross rent in Seaside is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Seaside safe?
- Seaside is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1328/100k (better than 22%). Property crime is 1240/100k.
- What is the weather like in Seaside?
- Seaside averages 62°F in July and 52°F in January, with 16.2 in of annual precipitation and about 231 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Seaside?
- Public-school quality in Seaside is above average, scoring better than 66% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Seaside?
- The average one-way commute in Seaside is 22 min.
Other places in Santa Cruz County
Places near Seaside
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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)