Signals
Prunedale
Salinas
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 27%
vs40 · Bottom 17%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
13 · Bottom 9%
vs12 · Bottom 8%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 19%
vs47 · Bottom 9%
Access
78 · Bottom 20%
vs73 · Bottom 15%
Economic stability
51 · Bottom 33%
vs54 · Bottom 38%
Measured values
| Metric | Prunedale | Salinas | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,723 | 161,761 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $103,819 | $91,908 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,932 | $29,650 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 428/sq mi | 6,879/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $833,400 | $654,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,618 | $1,991 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.7% | 47.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% | 6.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.8% | 16.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.1% | 13.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 71°F | 71°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 12.6" | 12.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 41 mi | 49 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.8 min | 28.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.8 | 32.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 43 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.40 | 22.32 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 72.2% | 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
Prunedale
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, wildfire.
Salinas
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, wildfire.
Full profiles: Prunedale, CA · Salinas, CA · How this is calculated: methodology