Best city for young professionals? Salinas, CA

Score

34/100

Rank #179 (top 200 cities)

Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

Salinas can still work for young professionals if you’re leaning into typical rent (2br) alongside median household income. Overall, it’s not a top-ranked option in this set (#179 of 200), so fit matters. The main watch-out is bachelor’s+ rate.

Methodology · Sources · CA rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. That’s why some cities can look very different vs their surrounding region.

Why Salinas ranks here

Median household income: $89,150 (18% higher than the national median; better for this metric).
Typical rent (2BR): $1,925/mo (34% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).
Broadband subscription: 93% (3% higher than the national median; better for this metric).

Watch-outs

Bachelor’s+ rate: 16% (55% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).
Work-from-home share: 4% (65% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population

161,993

Estimated total population (ACS).

Male vs female

Male 51%Female 49%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)

$1,925/mo

National median: $1,441/mo

Median household income

$89,150

National median: $75,598

Age 25–34 share

14%

National median: 16%

Bachelor’s+ rate

16%

National median: 35%

Work-from-home share

National median: 12%

Commute 45+ min share

14%

National median: 11%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City

National median (dataset)

Career

Income and workforce proxies that often correlate with opportunity.

39/100

Affordability

Housing costs that affect early-career budgets.

32/100

Young-adult mix

Age 25–34 presence and broad stability signals.

32/100

Comfort

Commute friction as a time/quality proxy.

86/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

38%

Less than HS

47%

HS / Some college

11%

Bachelor’s

Advanced

Age mix

Share of residents age 25–34 (ACS).

14%

Age 25–34

86%

Other ages

Commute mix

Share of commuters with 45+ min travel time (ACS).

14%

45+ min

86%

Under 45

Map

Open in OpenStreetMap →

Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City

National median (dataset)

Median household income

National median $75,598

$89,150

Bachelor’s+ rate

National median 35%

16%

Work-from-home share

National median 12%

Broadband subscription

National median 91%

93%

Typical rent (2BR)

National median $1,441/mo

$1,925/mo

Age 25–34 share

National median 16%

14%

Below poverty line

National median 15%

14%

Commute 45+ min share

National median 11%

14%

Similar cities (by score)

FAQ

›What is Salinas’s young professionals score and rank?

Salinas, CA scores D (34/100) and ranks #179 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.

›Is this based on Salinas city proper or the metro area?

City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level rankings can differ a lot from the city itself.

›What is the population of Salinas, CA?

Population is about 161,993 (ACS 2023, city proper).

›What is the male vs female split in Salinas, CA?

About 51% male and 49% female (ACS 2023).

›What is a typical 2BR rent in Salinas, CA?

Typical rent (2BR) is $1,925/mo (national median: $1,441/mo).

›What is median household income in Salinas, CA?

Median household income is $89,150 (national median: $75,598).

›How large is the 25–34 population in Salinas, CA?

Age 25–34 share is 14% (national median: 16%).

›Where does this data come from for Salinas, CA?

Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (neighborhoods, taxes, commute, schools, safety, and your support network).