Moving to Salinas, California

by btobers · Published June 5, 2019 · Updated November 18, 2024

Population: 151,060. Estimated population in July 2024: 146,431 (-3.1% change)
Males: 80,361 (53.2%), Females: 70,699 (46.8%)

Monterey County

Zip codes: 93901, 93905, 93906, 93907, 93908.

Demographics

Median resident age: 28.5 years
Median household income: $43,720
Median house value: $195,700

Population by Race

Races in Salinas:

Hispanic (64.1%)
Other race (38.7%)
White Non-Hispanic (24.2%)
Two or more races (5.1%)
Filipino (3.9%)
Black (3.3%)
American Indian (2.0%)
Chinese (0.6%)
Japanese (0.5%)

(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)

Ancestries: German (4.7%), Irish (3.8%), English (3.3%), United States (2.4%), Italian (2.2%), French (1.1%).

Elevation: 53 feet

Land area: 19.0 square miles

Map of Salinas, CA

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Salinas

High school or higher: 56.0%
Bachelor’s degree or higher: 12.3%
Graduate or professional degree: 4.0%
Unemployed: 12.0%
Mean travel time to work: 24.2 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Salinas city

Never married: 29.2%
Now married: 52.5%
Separated: 3.9%
Widowed: 4.9%
Divorced: 9.6%

35.1% Foreign born (30.8% Latin America).

Population change in the 1990s: +42,240 (+38.8%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers in Salinas:

NATIVIDAD MEDICAL CENTER (1441 CONSTITUTION BOULEVARD)
SALINAS VALLEY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL (450 EAST ROMIE LANE)

Other hospitals/medical centers near Salinas:

COMM HOSP OF THE MONTEREY PENINSULA (about 19 miles; MONTEREY, CA)
WATSONVILLE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (about 19 miles; WATSONVILLE, CA)
HAZEL HAWKINS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL (about 22 miles; HOLLISTER, CA)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Salinas:

MONTEREY PENINSULA (about 15 miles; MONTEREY, CA; Abbreviation: MRY)
NORMAN Y. MINETA SAN JOSE INTERNATIONAL (about 50 miles; SAN JOSE, CA; Abbreviation: SJC)
MODESTO CITY-CO-HARRY SHAM FLD (about 81 miles; MODESTO, CA; Abbreviation: MOD)

Other public-use airports nearest to Salinas:

SALINAS MUNI (about 4 miles; SALINAS, CA; Abbreviation: SNS)
MARINA MUNICIPAL (about 8 miles; MARINA, CA; Abbreviation: OAR)
WATSONVILLE MUNI (about 20 miles; WATSONVILLE, CA; Abbreviation: WVI)

Amtrak station:
SALINAS (11 STATION PLACE). Services: ticket office, partially wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, vending machines, free short-term parking, free long-term parking, call for car rental service, call for taxi service, public transit connection.

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/Universities in Salinas:

HARTNELL COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 4,003; Location: 156 HOMESTEAD AVE; Public; Website: www.hartnell.cc.ca.us)
HEALD COLLEGE-SALINAS (Full-time enrollment: 635; Location: 1450 N MAIN ST; Private, not-for-profit; Website: www.heald.edu)
CENTER FOR EMPLOYMENT TRAINING-SALINAS (Full-time enrollment: 99; Location: 421 MONTEREY ST; Private, not-for-profit)
CENTRAL COAST COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 77; Location: 480 S MAIN; Private, for-profit; Website: www.cccbus.com)
SALINAS BEAUTY COLLEGE (Location: 916 S MAIN ST; Private, for-profit)
WAYNES COLLEGE OF BEAUTY (Location: 1271 N MAIN ST; Private, for-profit)

Other colleges/universities with over 2000 students near Salinas:

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY-MONTEREY BAY (about 15 miles; SEASIDE, CA; Full-time enrollment: 2,383)
MONTEREY PENINSULA COLLEGE (about 19 miles; MONTEREY, CA; Full-time enrollment: 4,295)
GAVILAN COLLEGE (about 24 miles; GILROY, CA; Full-time enrollment: 2,791)
CABRILLO COLLEGE (about 27 miles; APTOS, CA; Full-time enrollment: 6,638)
SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY (about 35 miles; SAN JOSE, CA; Full-time enrollment: 20,861)
SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY (about 35 miles; SANTA CLARA, CA; Full-time enrollment: 6,229)
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-SANTA CRUZ (about 37 miles; SANTA CRUZ, CA; Full-time enrollment: 11,773)

Schools

Public high schools in Salinas:

SALINAS HIGH (Students: 2,617; Location: 726 S. MAIN ST.; Grades: 09 – 12)
EVERETT ALVAREZ HIGH (Students: 2,188; Location: 1900 INDEPENDENCE BLVD.; Grades: 09 – 12)
ALISAL HIGH (Students: 2,177; Location: 777 WILLIAMS ROAD; Grades: 09 – 12)
NORTH SALINAS HIGH (Students: 2,001; Location: 55 KIP DR.; Grades: 09 – 12)
MOUNT TORO HIGH (Students: 325; Location: 10 SHERWOOD PLACE; Grades: 09 – 12)

Private high schools in Salinas:

PALMA HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 664; Location: 919 IVERSON STREET; Grades: 7 – 12; Boys only)
NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 413; Location: 455 PALMA DRIVE; Grades: 9 – 12; Girls only)
TEMPLE PHILA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (Students: 70; Location: 140 PAJARO ST.; Grades: 1 – 12)
WINHAM STREET CHRISTIAN ACAD (Students: 54; Location: 526 CALIFORNIA ST P O BOX 176; Grades: KG – 12)

Biggest public primary/middle schools in Salinas:

WASHINGTON MIDDLE (Students: 1,293; Location: 560 IVERSON ST.; Grades: 07 – 08)
HARDEN MIDDLE (Students: 1,222; Location: 1561 MCKINNON ST.; Grades: 07 – 08)
GAVILAN VIEW MIDDLE (Students: 1,148; Location: 18250 VAN BUREN AVE.; Grades: 06 – 08)
SHERWOOD ELEMENTARY (Students: 1,133; Location: 110 S. WOOD ST.; Grades: KG – 06)
LA PAZ MIDDLE (Students: 1,073; Location: 1300 N. SANBORN RD.; Grades: 07 – 08)
KAMMANN (HENRY F.) ELEMENTARY (Students: 980; Location: 521 ROCHEX ST.; Grades: KG – 06)
EL SAUSAL MIDDLE (Students: 875; Location: 1155 E. ALISAL ST.; Grades: 07 – 08)
BARDIN ELEMENTARY (Students: 832; Location: 425 BARDIN ROAD; Grades: KG – 06)
NATIVIDAD ELEMENTARY (Students: 799; Location: 1465 MODOC AVE.; Grades: KG – 06)
SPECIAL EDUCATION (Students: 794; Location: 132 W. MARKET ST.; Grades: KG – 12)

Private primary/middle schools in Salinas:

SACRED HEART ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 311; Location: 123 W MARKET STREET; Grades: KG – 8)
MADONNA DEL SASSO SCHOOL (Students: 293; Location: 20 SANTA TERESA WY; Grades: KG – 8)
PACIFIC COAST CHRISTIAN ACAD (Students: 238; Location: 381 SAN JUAN GRADE RD; Grades: PK – 10)
MONTESSORI LEARNING CENTER (Students: 194; Location: P O BOX 2051; Grades: PK – 7)
WEE CARE LEARNING CENTER (Students: 67; Location: 1025 FAIRVIEW AVENUE; Grades: PK – 4)
GOOD SHEPHERD NURSERY SCHOOL (Students: 56; Location: 301 CORRAL DE TIERRA; Grades: PK – KG)

Libraries

Libraries in Salinas:

MONTEREY COUNTY FREE LIBRARIES (Operating income: $5,197,475; Location: 26 CENTRAL AVE.; 310,854 books; 6,967 audio materials; 6,577 video materials; 749 serial subscriptions)
SALINAS PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $3,455,885; Location: 110 W. SAN LUIS ST.; 238,177 books; 12,478 audio materials; 5,661 video materials; 423 serial subscriptions)