County profile · California
Monterey County, CA market data
How Monterey County compares with other counties for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 433,729
- −1.5% since 2020
- Households
- 132,489
- Median household income
- $97,230
- +36.9% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $781,000
- Jobs located here
- 167,373
- Highest market score
- 78
- Pet grooming and boarding, #82 of 1,461 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Monterey County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Monterey County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
Monterey County has an estimated 433,729 people and 132,489 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of Monterey County declined 1.5%, against +3.1% for the U.S. Median household income in Monterey County is $97,230, 20% above the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 36.9%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in Monterey County runs highest on child care and other personal services (an index of 141, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on clothing, shoes and related services (98).
Of the business types scored in Monterey County, pet grooming and boarding businesses (78), funeral homes (75) and barbershops (74) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For pet grooming and boarding businesses, that ranks #82 of 1,461 scored counties.
Monterey County is part of the Salinas metro area. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for grocery stores (79% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for funeral homes (43% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Monterey County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Monterey County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pet grooming and boarding | 78 | #82 of 1,461 | 32 | 2.4 | $4.6M | 180 | 16 |
| Funeral homes | 75 | #127 of 1,472 | 16 | 1.2 | $1.4M | 203 | 10 |
| Barbershops | 74 | #147 of 1,356 | 45 | 3.4 | $3.3M | 175 | 5 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 72 | #45 of 479 | 6 | 0.5 | $26.8M | 195 | 8 |
| Home inspectors | 71 | #48 of 415 | 7 | 0.5 | Index only | 141 | 4 |
| Car washes and detailing | 71 | #198 of 1,451 | 42 | 3.2 | $3.8M | 152 | 19 |
| Chiropractors | 65 | #327 of 1,490 | 57 | 4.3 | $3.3M | 138 | 34 |
| Child care and preschools | 65 | #382 of 1,611 | 70 | 5.3 | $1.5M | 154 | 83 |
| Pet businesses | 65 | #456 of 2,200 | 124 | 9.4 | $1.2M | 135 | 75 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 64 | #272 of 1,334 | 54 | 4.1 | $3.3M | 163 | 41 |
| Gas stations | 62 | #663 of 2,358 | 151 | 11.4 | $2.6M | 111 | 116 |
| Convenience stores | 61 | #706 of 2,261 | 94 | 7.1 | $9.1M | 116 | 45 |
| Pet stores | 60 | #308 of 974 | 24 | 1.8 | $6.1M | 135 | 14 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 60 | #425 of 1,302 | 58 | 4.4 | $3.3M | 104 | 18 |
| Gyms | 59 | #546 of 1,792 | 103 | 7.8 | $1.7M | 132 | 53 |
| Veterinarians | 58 | #532 of 1,485 | 50 | 3.8 | $2.9M | 108 | 45 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 58 | #663 of 2,088 | 189 | 14.3 | $937K | 142 | 94 |
| Hair salons | 57 | #826 of 2,339 | 308 | 23.2 | $482K | 112 | 63 |
| Roofing and gutters | 56 | #439 of 1,177 | 30 | 2.3 | $13.9M | 164 | 41 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 54 | #297 of 777 | 32 | 2.4 | $5.5M | 136 | 53 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 54 | #699 of 1,707 | 81 | 6.1 | $5.1M | 108 | 131 |
| Spas and skin care | 54 | #745 of 1,769 | 161 | 12.2 | $922K | 105 | 20 |
| Tire shops | 53 | #694 of 1,530 | 59 | 4.5 | $2.7M | 109 | 31 |
| Pizza | 53 | #887 of 2,090 | 100 | 7.5 | $5.9M | 115 | 305 |
| Auto repair and car care | 53 | #1,066 of 2,401 | 511 | 38.6 | $315K | 117 | 251 |
| Home repair trades | 52 | #923 of 2,057 | 146 | 11.0 | $2.9M | 117 | 303 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 51 | #424 of 887 | 60 | 4.5 | Index only | 111 | 22 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 51 | #800 of 1,656 | 77 | 5.8 | $2.5M | 138 | 267 |
| Pest control | 50 | #345 of 699 | 19 | 1.4 | $10.1M | 99 | 19 |
| Auto repair shops | 50 | #1,179 of 2,378 | 331 | 25.0 | $486K | 109 | 181 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 48 | #1,209 of 2,222 | 185 | 14.0 | $3.2M | 104 | 305 |
| Electricians | 47 | #644 of 1,160 | 35 | 2.6 | $11.9M | 99 | 131 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 47 | #784 of 1,493 | 72 | 5.4 | $2.7M | 91 | 165 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 46 | #754 of 1,327 | 56 | 4.2 | $2.9M | 93 | 46 |
| Insurance agencies | 45 | #1,290 of 2,272 | 210 | 15.9 | $1.3M | 106 | 102 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 45 | #1,323 of 2,176 | 367 | 27.7 | Index only | 129 | 134 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 45 | #1,457 of 2,385 | 620 | 46.8 | $239K | 113 | 136 |
| Nail salons | 42 | #906 of 1,328 | 86 | 6.5 | $1.7M | 103 | 48 |
| Physical therapy | 42 | #924 of 1,422 | 92 | 6.9 | $2.1M | 85 | 59 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 42 | #1,574 of 2,394 | 903 | 68.2 | $209K | 137 | 573 |
| Dry cleaners | 41 | #341 of 507 | 14 | 1.1 | $19M | 121 | 23 |
| Real estate | 40 | #1,609 of 2,229 | 486 | 36.7 | Index only | 123 | 293 |
| Property management | 39 | #634 of 910 | 52 | 3.9 | Index only | 90 | 116 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 39 | #1,283 of 1,771 | 130 | 9.8 | $1.5M | 88 | 296 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 38 | #1,664 of 2,402 | 347 | 26.2 | $2.5M | 73 | 165 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 36 | #1,553 of 2,063 | 175 | 13.2 | $3.4M | 91 | 130 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 32 | #1,577 of 1,886 | 192 | 14.5 | $984K | 100 | 183 |
| House cleaning | 31 | #737 of 847 | 39 | 2.9 | $4.9M | 77 | 112 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 31 | #1,981 of 2,405 | 1,865 | 140.8 | $315K | 85 | 818 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 30 | #1,616 of 1,889 | 182 | 13.7 | $3.2M | 78 | 161 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 30 | #1,715 of 2,087 | 278 | 21.0 | $957K | 75 | 147 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 30 | #2,047 of 2,405 | 1,036 | 78.2 | $566K | 85 | 380 |
| Grocery stores | 29 | #1,679 of 2,070 | 161 | 12.2 | $5.3M | 57 | 120 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 26 | #1,948 of 2,210 | 418 | 31.5 | $636K | 72 | 197 |
| Laundromats | 22 | #689 of 785 | 37 | 2.8 | $7.2M | 57 | 27 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.3 | $47.2M | 192 | 12 |
Household spending in Monterey County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $160.8M | $1,214 | 127 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $398.5M | $3,008 | 116 |
| Food away from home | $586.8M | $4,429 | 109 |
| Groceries | $857.1M | $6,469 | 102 |
| Personal care products and services | $148.4M | $1,120 | 111 |
| Child care and other personal services | $108.3M | $817 | 141 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $177.2M | $1,337 | 136 |
| Medical and dental services | $188.9M | $1,426 | 111 |
| Pets | $146.9M | $1,109 | 122 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $266.1M | $2,008 | 98 |
| Vehicle insurance | $280.3M | $2,116 | 108 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $416.3M | $3,142 | 104 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $192.1M | $1,450 | 103 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $2.6B | $19,528 | 117 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Monterey County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 433,729−1.5% since 2020
- Households
- 132,489
- Median age
- 36.7
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 52%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.1
- Land area
- 3,282 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 133
- Median household income
- $97,230+36.9% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $131,514
- Median home value
- $781,000
- Jobs located here
- 167,373
- Daytime population
- 429,093Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Monterey County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Monterey County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
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Questions
How fast is Monterey County, CA growing?
Population estimates put Monterey County at 433,729 people in 2025, down 1.5% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 132,489 households. Median household income rose 36.9% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in Monterey County, CA spend?
Households in Monterey County spend about $2.6B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $857.1M on groceries and $586.8M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in Monterey County spend the most on child care and other personal services (an index of 141, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on clothing, shoes and related services (98).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Monterey County, CA?
The highest Groundwork market scores in Monterey County are for pet grooming and boarding businesses (78), funeral homes (75) and barbershops (74). Monterey County ranks #82 of 1,461 scored counties for pet grooming and boarding businesses.
How does Monterey County, CA compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in Monterey County is $97,230 a year, 20% above the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 1.5% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $781,000, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, Monterey County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for grocery stores (79% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for funeral homes (43% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 55 of the 56 business types have a score in Monterey County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Monterey County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in Monterey County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Monterey County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.