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Cost of living, pay and housing

36.58° N · 121.94° W · GEOID 0618590

Del Monte Forest

Monterey County, California · part of the Salinas, CA metro

Limited data population under 5,000

CaliforniaDel Monte Forest, CADel Monte ForestDel Monte Forest

The short answer

Del Monte Forest is home to 3,613 people. Median household income is $142,763 a year and median rent is $3,501 a month, 29.4% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is moderate. The median home is valued at $2,000,001, about 14.0x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$3,501
156% above the median place
Median household income
$142,763
78% above the median place
Median home value
$2,000,001
above the median place (median $319,400)
Unemployment
5.2%
6% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Del Monte Forest

  • The median home is valued at $2,000,001, more than in 99% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the highest of 655 California places.
  • Median rent is $3,501 a month, higher than in 98% of places its size. It is the highest of 655 California places.
  • The median resident is 63.4 years old, older than in 98% of places its size.
  • 43% of homes stand vacant, more than in 97% of places its size.
  • Household income has grown -0.7% a year across the last five survey releases, slower than in 96% of places its size.

Many people here skip the commute entirely: 31% work from home, which keeps total commuting time lower than in 84% of places.

01

Moving to Del Monte Forest

Monterey County loses about 12.8 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in11,763
Moved out16,313
Net−4,550

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within California, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within CaliforniaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$101K
Leavers$77K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Monterey County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
5.3% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 1.8% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Monterey County report $100,800 a year in income on average; those leaving, $76,800, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$140,000 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $3,501 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $4,001 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $2,000,001.
Getting to work
24 minutes each way on average; 30.8% work from home; 1.1% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Sausalito, CA matches it on character. Compare the two
Net movers per 1,000 people7
-12.8
below the median place (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7
$100,819
43% above the median place
Income of households moving out7
$76,838
9% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureDel Monte ForestAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure5.3%8% below
Moved from another state1County figure1.8%9% below
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure-12.8below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$100,81943% above
Income of households moving out7County figure$76,8389% above
02

What it costs to live here

Home price to income is 14.0x, 269% above the median place.

Del Monte Forest29.4%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$140,040
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
29.4%
44% above the median place
Home price to income
14.0x
269% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
29%
just under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$99,500
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Del Monte Forest, $3,501 a month, and local prices for everything else (101.5 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Del Monte Forest, but easier on the budget

Close matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income.

PlaceRent to incomeMore left a year
Sausalito, CA23.0% vs 29.4%$42,000Compare
Malibu, CA21.6% vs 29.4%$50,300Compare
Larkspur, CA25.6% vs 29.4%$5,800Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Del Monte Forest.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Del Monte Forest? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Median home value1
$2,000,001
above the median place (median $319,400)
Vacant homes1
42.9%
above the median place (median 7.1%)
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$4,001
114% above the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasureDel Monte ForestAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$3,501156% above
Rent to income129.4%44% above
Home price to income114.0x269% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure109.08% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$2,41650% above
HUD area median income4County figure$110,5003% above
Property tax paid (median)1$10,001206% above
Median home value1$2,000,001above (median $319,400)
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure1.3%59% below
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure43.9%15% below
Homeownership187.2%31% above
Renters paying 30%+145.6%10% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$4,001114% above
Vacant homes142.9%above (median 7.1%)
Median year built119700% below
03

Work and pay

Income per person is $123,102, 207% above the median place.

Income per person1
$123,102
207% above the median place
Works from home1
30.8%
147% above the median place
Median household income1
$142,763
78% above the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureDel Monte ForestAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$142,76378% above
Income per person1$123,102207% above
Unemployment1County figure5.2%6% above
Average annual pay6County figure$63,5944% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure3.6%3% below
Jobs6County figure198,52532% above
Poverty rate16.1%43% below
Mean commute124 min4% below
Works from home130.8%147% above
Commutes by transit1County figure1.1%34% above
04

Who lives here

Median age is 63.4, 63% above the median place.

Median age1
63.4
63% above the median place
High school or higher1
99.0%
7% above the median place
Household size1
2.0
20% below the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Bachelor's or higher71.5% 2.2×
Homes with broadband96.4% +4%
Born abroad10.8% +23%
All 8 people measures
MeasureDel Monte ForestAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population13,6136646th largest
Median age163.463% above
Bachelor's or higher171.5%123% above
High school or higher199.0%7% above
Household size12.020% below
Born abroad110.8%23% above
No health insurance1County figure9.6%50% above
Homes with broadband196.4%4% above
05

Life in Del Monte Forest

64 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 8 of them National Historic Landmarks.

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents8.3 −18%
Playgrounds per 10k0.0 −100%
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k16.6 +49%
Libraries per 10k5.5 6.4×
Named paths and bike trails15 km 7.3×
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.4 +76%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars20.7 −0%
Shops29.2 −4%
Arts, recreation and fitness4.0 −2%
Doctors' offices and clinics17.5 −13%
Child care centers1.9 −17%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Students per teacher11
21.5
40% above the median place
Public schools11
149
above the median place (median 9)
Public school students11
73,728
above the median place (median 4,897)
All 16 schools and local life measures
MeasureDel Monte ForestAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools11County figure149above (median 9)
Public school students11County figure73,728above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher11County figure21.540% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure20.70% below
Shops per 10k8County figure29.24% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure4.02% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure17.513% below
Child care centers per 10k8County figure1.917% below
Parks per 10k98.318% below
Playgrounds per 10k90.0below (median 9.4)
Grocery stores per 10k90.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k916.649% above
Libraries per 10k95.5above (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails914.7above (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi90.476% above
National Register listings10County figure64392% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

Wildfire risk is 98.7, 61% above the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Del Monte Forest. Larger places are fetched first.

Wildfire risk13
98.7
61% above the median place
Tornado risk13
28.7
65% below the median place
Good air days14
86.0%
26% above the median place
All 10 weather and risk measures
MeasureDel Monte ForestAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high12County figure86°F1% below
January average low12County figure38°F51% above
Average temperature12County figure59°F7% above
Annual precipitation12County figure21.0 in52% below
Natural hazard risk13County figure98.77% above
Tornado risk13County figure28.765% below
Wildfire risk13County figure98.761% above
Heat wave risk13County figure95.86% above
Median air quality index14County figure3812% below
Good air days14County figure86.0%26% above
08

Del Monte Forest in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 30% of the median income in 2030, up from 29% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$3,501/mo (2024)$4,430/mo$3,640 to $5,400/mo+4.0%
Median household income$142,763 (2024)$177,000$149,500 to $209,000+3.6%
Median home value$2,000,001 (2024)$2,861,000$2,077,000 to $3,941,000+6.1%

The median home would be worth 16.2 years of the median income in 2030, against 14.0 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Del Monte Forest

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Sausalito, CA$3,501$182,357Compare
Laguna Beach, CA$2,986$143,843Compare
Malibu, CA$3,501$194,421Compare
Larkspur, CA$3,001$140,417Compare
Larkspur, CAMalibu, CALaguna Beach, CASausalito, CADel Monte Forest, CADel Monte ForestLaguna BeachMalibuDel Monte ForestLaguna Beach

Common questions

Is Del Monte Forest a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. The median home is valued at $2,000,001, more than in 99% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the highest of 655 California places. Median rent is $3,501 a month, higher than in 98% of places its size. It is the highest of 655 California places. On cost, space and class size it scores 22 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Del Monte Forest expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 29.4% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $2,000,001.

What salary do you need to live in Del Monte Forest?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $140,040 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Del Monte Forest?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Sausalito, CA, Laguna Beach, CA, Malibu, CA and Larkspur, CA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  11. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  12. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  13. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  14. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Del Monte Forest with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Del Monte Forest itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/del-monte-forest-california

Citytistics. “Del Monte Forest, California.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/del-monte-forest-california/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.