Metro area profile · California
Salinas, CA metro area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Salinas metro area, each scored against other metro areas.
- 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
- 76
- Pet grooming and boarding, #24 of 386 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Salinas metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Salinas metro area. 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
An estimated 433,729 people live in the Salinas metro area, in 132,489 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Salinas metro area from 2020 to 2025 at −1.5%, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in the Salinas metro area is $97,230 a year, 20% above the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 36.9% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Salinas metro area 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).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Salinas metro area are for pet grooming and boarding businesses (76), home inspectors (73) and oil change and quick-lube shops (72). The Salinas metro area ranks #24 of 386 scored metro areas for pet grooming and boarding businesses.
The Salinas metro area is made up of one county, Monterey County. For its number of households, the Salinas metro area 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).
All 56 business types in the Salinas metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Salinas metro area with other metro areas 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 metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pet grooming and boarding | 76 | #24 of 386 | 32 | 2.4 | $4.6M | 180 | 16 |
| Home inspectors | 73 | #21 of 243 | 7 | 0.5 | Index only | 141 | 4 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 72 | #35 of 290 | 6 | 0.5 | $26.8M | 195 | 8 |
| Barbershops | 72 | #36 of 387 | 45 | 3.4 | $3.3M | 175 | 5 |
| Funeral homes | 71 | #66 of 377 | 16 | 1.2 | $1.4M | 203 | 10 |
| Car washes and detailing | 70 | #45 of 387 | 42 | 3.2 | $3.8M | 152 | 19 |
| Pet businesses | 63 | #93 of 387 | 124 | 9.4 | $1.2M | 135 | 75 |
| Child care and preschools | 62 | #95 of 387 | 70 | 5.3 | $1.5M | 154 | 83 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 61 | #87 of 387 | 54 | 4.1 | $3.3M | 163 | 41 |
| Hair salons | 61 | #88 of 387 | 308 | 23.2 | $482K | 112 | 63 |
| Chiropractors | 61 | #104 of 386 | 57 | 4.3 | $3.3M | 138 | 34 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 58 | #106 of 387 | 189 | 14.3 | $937K | 142 | 94 |
| Gyms | 56 | #128 of 387 | 103 | 7.8 | $1.7M | 132 | 53 |
| Spas and skin care | 56 | #140 of 387 | 161 | 12.2 | $922K | 105 | 20 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 55 | #144 of 386 | 58 | 4.4 | $3.3M | 104 | 18 |
| Pet stores | 55 | #152 of 382 | 24 | 1.8 | $6.1M | 135 | 14 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 54 | #138 of 387 | 367 | 27.7 | Index only | 129 | 134 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 54 | #150 of 387 | 620 | 46.8 | $239K | 113 | 136 |
| Roofing and gutters | 54 | #156 of 381 | 30 | 2.3 | $13.9M | 164 | 41 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 53 | #160 of 387 | 903 | 68.2 | $209K | 137 | 573 |
| Gas stations | 53 | #175 of 387 | 151 | 11.4 | $2.6M | 111 | 116 |
| Home repair trades | 52 | #176 of 387 | 146 | 11.0 | $2.9M | 117 | 303 |
| Auto repair and car care | 52 | #188 of 387 | 511 | 38.6 | $315K | 117 | 251 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 51 | #182 of 387 | 77 | 5.8 | $2.5M | 138 | 267 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 51 | #186 of 387 | 81 | 6.1 | $5.1M | 108 | 131 |
| Convenience stores | 51 | #191 of 387 | 94 | 7.1 | $9.1M | 116 | 45 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 50 | #162 of 347 | 32 | 2.4 | $5.5M | 136 | 53 |
| Real estate | 50 | #179 of 387 | 486 | 36.7 | Index only | 123 | 293 |
| Insurance agencies | 50 | #185 of 387 | 210 | 15.9 | $1.3M | 106 | 102 |
| Veterinarians | 50 | #198 of 384 | 50 | 3.8 | $2.9M | 108 | 45 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 49 | #191 of 373 | 60 | 4.5 | Index only | 111 | 22 |
| Pizza | 49 | #203 of 387 | 100 | 7.5 | $5.9M | 115 | 305 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 48 | #207 of 387 | 185 | 14.0 | $3.2M | 104 | 305 |
| Pest control | 47 | #189 of 345 | 19 | 1.4 | $10.1M | 99 | 19 |
| Tire shops | 46 | #228 of 386 | 59 | 4.5 | $2.7M | 109 | 31 |
| Auto repair shops | 46 | #236 of 387 | 331 | 25.0 | $486K | 109 | 181 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 43 | #225 of 385 | 72 | 5.4 | $2.7M | 91 | 165 |
| Electricians | 42 | #254 of 383 | 35 | 2.6 | $11.9M | 99 | 131 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 39 | #272 of 387 | 130 | 9.8 | $1.5M | 88 | 296 |
| Nail salons | 38 | #311 of 387 | 86 | 6.5 | $1.7M | 103 | 48 |
| Physical therapy | 37 | #294 of 386 | 92 | 6.9 | $2.1M | 85 | 59 |
| Dry cleaners | 36 | #205 of 272 | 14 | 1.1 | $19M | 121 | 23 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 35 | #292 of 381 | 56 | 4.2 | $2.9M | 93 | 46 |
| Property management | 35 | #309 of 374 | 52 | 3.9 | Index only | 90 | 116 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 34 | #320 of 387 | 192 | 14.5 | $984K | 100 | 183 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 32 | #328 of 387 | 175 | 13.2 | $3.4M | 91 | 130 |
| House cleaning | 30 | #333 of 375 | 39 | 2.9 | $4.9M | 77 | 112 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 25 | #338 of 387 | 278 | 21.0 | $957K | 75 | 147 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 25 | #355 of 387 | 1,865 | 140.8 | $315K | 85 | 818 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 25 | #362 of 387 | 1,036 | 78.2 | $566K | 85 | 380 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 25 | #368 of 387 | 182 | 13.7 | $3.2M | 78 | 161 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 23 | #354 of 387 | 347 | 26.2 | $2.5M | 73 | 165 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 21 | #352 of 387 | 418 | 31.5 | $636K | 72 | 197 |
| Grocery stores | 19 | #373 of 387 | 161 | 12.2 | $5.3M | 57 | 120 |
| Laundromats | 17 | #350 of 364 | 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 the Salinas metro area
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 the Salinas metro area
- 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 the Salinas metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. 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 the Salinas metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Salinas metro area 1
- Monterey County, CA437,613 people
Other markets based in California 12
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- Fresno, CA metro area1,177,665 people
- Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area915,075 people
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA metro area837,469 people
- Stockton-Lodi, CA metro area797,334 people
- Modesto, CA metro area553,990 people
- Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA metro area485,040 people
Questions
How fast is the Salinas, CA metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Salinas metro area at 433,729 people in 2025, down 1.5% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 132,489 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 36.9%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Salinas, CA metro area spend?
Households in the Salinas metro area spend about $2.6B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $857.1M on groceries and $586.8M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Salinas metro area 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).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Salinas, CA metro area?
Of the business types scored in the Salinas metro area, pet grooming and boarding businesses (76), home inspectors (73) and oil change and quick-lube shops (72) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For pet grooming and boarding businesses, that ranks #24 of 386 scored metro areas.
How does the Salinas, CA metro area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Salinas metro area is $97,230, 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. 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).
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 the Salinas metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Salinas metro area. 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 the Salinas metro area?
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 the Salinas metro area. 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.