Marina receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Marina
Salinas
Opportunity
62 · Top 38%
vs40 · Bottom 17%
Growth
72 · Top 14%
vs49 · Bottom 47%
Climate
85 · Top 9%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
12 · Bottom 8%
vs12 · Bottom 8%
Housing affordability
39 · Bottom 4%
vs47 · Bottom 9%
Access
74 · Bottom 16%
vs73 · Bottom 15%
Economic stability
60 · Top 50%
vs54 · Bottom 38%
Measured values
| Metric | Marina | Salinas | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,563 | 161,761 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $95,955 | $91,908 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,714 | $29,650 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,532/sq mi | 6,879/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $818,700 | $654,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,101 | $1,991 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 42.9% | 47.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 6.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.9% | 16.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 13.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 192 | 234 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.5 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 43.3% | 44.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 69°F | 71°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 43°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 16.2" | 12.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 48 mi | 49 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 28.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.9 | 32.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 43 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.84 | 22.32 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 55.4% | 85.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Marina
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, wildfire.
Salinas
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, wildfire.
Full profiles: Marina, CA · Salinas, CA · How this is calculated: methodology