HomeCaliforniaMonterey County
Monterey County, California: commercial real estate data.
Monterey County, California has a population of 437,613 across 3,281 square miles, down 1.1 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $38.35 bn in 2024, 9,212 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 307 7(a) approvals worth $210.4 m.
129 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Monterey County
How many people live in Monterey County
- Population437,613
- Households132,489
- Average household size3.30
- Median household income$97,230
- Median age35.5
- Median gross rent$2,055 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$781,000
- Home value to household income8.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income25.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher28.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree11.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over281,390
- Population under 18112,274
- Share under 1825.7 percent
- Population 65 and over65,068
- Share 65 and over14.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64260,271
- Civilian labor force197,008
- Unemployment rate5.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over60.6 percent
- Rank by population among California counties21st of 58
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents165th
Monterey County is the 21st largest of 58 California counties by population. A median home costs 8.0 times median household income, which is a stretched ownership market and usually shows up as rental demand. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 25.7 percent against 14.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Monterey County
Is Monterey County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.08 percent
- Census 2020 base population441,012
- Births, 20245,461
- Deaths, 20242,817
- Natural change, 20242,644
- Net domestic migration, 2024-5,447
- Net international migration, 20243,415
- Total net migration, 2024-2,032
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-23,456
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2214th
The county has lost 1.08 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Births exceeded deaths in 2024 but more people left than arrived, so the population is being sustained internally rather than attracting.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Monterey County
Where people moving to Monterey County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving7,615
- People arriving, from those returns13,308
- Adjusted gross income arriving$1.54 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$202,252
- Largest single originMonterey County Non-migrants (164,043 households)
- Largest single destination (164,043 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monterey County Non-migrants | 164,043 | 342,205 | $15.20 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 1,825 | 3,318 | $241.1 m |
| Other flows - South | 816 | 1,588 | $80.4 m |
| Santa Cruz County | 783 | 1,501 | $65.0 m |
| Santa Clara County | 670 | 1,147 | $171.0 m |
| Other flows - West | 465 | 812 | $110.2 m |
| Los Angeles County | 373 | 567 | $39.5 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 292 | 510 | $22.7 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Monterey County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Monterey County
What the Monterey County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$38.35 bn
- County GDP, 2023$37.04 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.5 percent
- GDP change over five years33.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among California counties18th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents155th
- GDP per resident$87,624
Output grew 3.5 percent in the latest year and 33.8 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Monterey County
Who employs people in Monterey County
- Covered employment, annual average200,244
- Establishments reporting15,844
- Average annual pay$61,375
- Average weekly wage$1,180
- Sector 11, employment55,530
- Sector 11, average annual pay$47,473
- Sector 72, employment22,555
- Sector 72, average annual pay$39,926
- Sector 62, employment20,480
- Sector 62, average annual pay$69,504
- Sector 44-45, employment16,085
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$44,749
- Sector 23, employment7,563
- Sector 56, employment7,358
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 11 | 55,530 | 590 | $47,473 |
| Sector 72 | 22,555 | 1,110 | $39,926 |
| Sector 62 | 20,480 | 6,384 | $69,504 |
| Sector 44-45 | 16,085 | 1,201 | $44,749 |
| Sector 23 | 7,563 | 1,184 | $75,820 |
| Sector 56 | 7,358 | 559 | $46,246 |
| Sector 42 | 5,690 | 384 | $90,508 |
| Sector 81 | 5,566 | 943 | $49,937 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 55,530 jobs, 27.7 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Monterey County
What businesses operate in Monterey County
- Establishments, all industries9,212
- Employment at those establishments116,784
- Annual payroll$7.05 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents21.1
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Monterey County
What is being built in Monterey County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024677
- Declared construction value permitted$163.4 m
- Single family units authorised512
- Multifamily units authorised165
- Multifamily share of units24.4 percent
- Average declared value per unit$241,330
- Units authorised per 1,000 households5.1
Multifamily is 24.4 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Monterey County
How much SBA lending happens in Monterey County
- 7(a) approvals recorded307
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$210.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$685,434
- Median 7(a) approval$289,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,000,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)3,531
- Jobs per approval11.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active61
- Distinct industries receiving approvals135
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer20.8 percent
- Loans on real estate terms64
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter232
- Franchise loans32
- Franchise share of approvals10.4 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (33)
- Most active lenderWest Coast Community Bank (36)
- 504 approvals recorded154
- 504 gross approval dollars$168.4 m
- Average 504 approval$1,093,545
- Median 504 approval$742,000
- Distinct CDCs active11
- 504 jobs per approval7.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved6.5
- Most active CDCMortgage Capital Development Corporation (43)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals66.6 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$378.8 m
The average approval of $685,434 sits well above the median of $289,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 20.8 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Monterey County
Do SBA loans in Monterey County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded64
- Paid in full62
- Charged off2
- Charge off rate on resolved loans3.1 percent
- Status: Cancelled34
- Status: Exempt from disclosure189
- Status: Paid in full62
- Status: Charged off2
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed20
Of the 64 loans that have reached a final outcome, 3.1 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Monterey County
Which parts of Monterey County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending23
- SALINAS, approvals90
- Monterey, approvals76
- PACIFIC GROVE, approvals28
- SEASIDE, approvals22
- CARMEL, approvals18
- MARINA, approvals15
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| SALINAS | 90 | $65,695,700 |
| Monterey | 76 | $47,317,900 |
| PACIFIC GROVE | 28 | $13,332,000 |
| SEASIDE | 22 | $21,634,100 |
| CARMEL | 18 | $8,197,600 |
| MARINA | 15 | $15,201,800 |
| CARMEL VALLEY | 9 | $973,800 |
| SOLEDAD | 8 | $3,482,700 |
SALINAS accounts for 90 approvals against 76 in Monterey. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Monterey County
How big is Monterey County
- Land area3,281 sq mi
- Rank by land area among California counties17th of 58
- Width, east to west98.3 mi
- Height, north to south77.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land133
- Establishments per square mile2.81
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Monterey County
What hazards affect Monterey County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book13
- Of those, participating in the NFIP13
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 7
- Communities carrying a CRS class2
The EPA places the county in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The best Community Rating System class in the county is 7, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for properties in the participating community.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Monterey County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Monterey County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population437,613
- Households132,489
- Average household size3.30
- Median household income$97,230
- Median age35.5
Common questions
Monterey County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Monterey County, California?
437,613, in 132,489 households, ranking 21st of 58 California counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Monterey County growing?
The population has fallen 1.08 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 5,461 births against 2,817 deaths, with net migration of -2,032. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Monterey County?
$97,230. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $781,000, which is 8.0 times income, and median gross rent is $2,055 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Monterey County?
9,212 establishments, employing 116,784 people with an annual payroll of $7.05 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Monterey County?
Average annual pay is $61,375, or $1,180 a week, across 200,244 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Monterey County?
307 7(a) approvals totalling $210.4 m since FY2020, across 61 lenders, with a median approval of $289,000, plus 154 504 approvals worth $168.4 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Monterey County get paid back?
Of the 64 loans that have reached a final outcome, 62 were paid in full and 2 charged off, a charge off rate of 3.1 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Monterey County?
677 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $163.4 m. Multifamily was 24.4 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Monterey County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Monterey County come from?
The largest single origin is Monterey County Non-migrants, with 164,043 households. Arriving households report an average income of $202,252 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Monterey County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Monterey County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.