Population

Salinas’ population is 152,677 up from 146,700 in 2001. Monterey County’s population is 425,102. Projected population growth for the county is 536,609 by the year 2020 and Salinas is projected to be at 170,100.

There are currently 39,659 households in Salinas, with an average of 3.66 persons per household. 50.1 percent of residents own their homes. The median price for a home in Salinas is $565,000 and median rent is $1,150 for a two-bedroom, one-bath apartment.

Hispanics comprise 64.1 percent of the population of Salinas. Of the remainder, approximately 45.2 percent are white, 6.2 percent Asian, and 3.3 percent African American and other races.

The median income for a family of 4 is $55,600. The unemployment rate in Salinas varies between 12.5 percent and 9.3 percent due to seasonal employment.