Demographics & People — Salinas, California
Population Overview
| Population (Census) | 161,993 |
| Estimated 2026 | ~161,200 |
| Median Age | 32.4 |
| Total Households | 43,624 |
| Family Households | 34,171 |
| Average Household Size | 3.66 |
| Diversity Index | 0.4172 (moderately diverse) |
Race & Ethnicity
| White | 35,371 |
| Black or African American | 2,299 |
| Asian | 9,251 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 130,015 |
Heritage & Ancestry
| Group | Count |
| Hispanic: Hispanic or Latino | 130,548 |
| Hispanic: Mexican | 120,904 |
| Other groups | 118,944 |
| Unclassified or not reported | 29,332 |
| Hispanic: Central American | 5,064 |
| Hispanic: Salvadoran | 3,983 |
| German | 3,669 |
| English | 3,542 |
| Italian | 2,822 |
| Irish | 2,778 |
Language
| English Only | 41,642 |
| Spanish | 100,593 |
| Population 5+ | 148,740 |
Veterans
| Veterans | 3,329 |
| Population 18+ | 114,071 |
Commuting
| Mean Commute Time | 26.6 minutes |
| Work from Home | 4.3% |
| Commuter Profile | N/A |
Source: Census ACS 5-Year 2023; Census ACS 5-Year 2023, Table B01003; Census ACS 5-Year 2023, B19013. Data for Salinas, California.