Moving to Salinas? (Monterey: low income, apartments, to rent)

[cordellnan9]

What is the average salary of someone in Salinas California?
How do moderate family incomes survive in this high cost area?

[mstnghu2]

Try the search feature on the main City Data page. There are city profiles for all California cities, including median household income.


As far as how families afford to live in Salinas...the same could be asked for many of California's cities. There are lots of variables. Some people do have good incomes, some people have owned their home/property for many years, some people are very frugal, some just scrape by. Salinas isn't even close to being the most expensive place to live in CA and honestly isn't exactly the nicest place to live along the central coast.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by cordellnan9

What is the average salary of someone in Salinas California?
How do moderate family incomes survive in this high cost area?

The short answer is that people live with family members or have roommates. Some have incomes that would qualify them for home ownership elsewhere, but they have to rent apartments here.

Many native born Americans with kids leave the areas. Many of the people with kids are immigrants (legal and illegal). The legal immigrants tend to be ambitious and well educated, with good incomes. The illegal ones tend to not be well educated and have low incomes and live 10 people to a house. Of course, there are exceptions to these general rules, but I think you've got the idea.....You have to make major sacrifices in your housing expectations if you're going to live in California. The higher prevailing incomes don't make up for the much higher housing costs. And in some areas, like Salinas, the prevailing incomes aren't even higher than average.

[georgste]

Live near Salinas. When I was there, they had a problems with gangs.

[Californiagreengal]

THe south side and going towards Monterey are very nice areas. I have not seen or heard of many problems in this area since I have lived here about 6 months now. But yes in these areas it is also higher priced, but definately worth the costs. To survive in high cost area one must work and make above a certain amount or live with others to share costs. My husband makes good money, so I can stay home and take care of my children. He is the boss of a company, so this is how we make it. We don't buy the most expensive cars or buy the fanciest things. We go out on occasion to eat and sometimes eat cheap, but I would rather make food at home, since I know that's the healthiest.

I am not sure what the average salary of someone in Salinas is. But factoring in certain areas and many low paying jobs that certain people have in Salinas, I am sure that brings the average income down a lot. There are many areas with million dollar homes here and $500,000 + homes as well.

I would guess that if it was just one family, in order to survive the income would need to be $75000 and up, but that also depends on your rent or mortgage payment and car payment. If you have a lower rent and no car payment, I'm sure you would be okay with less than that.

I have heard of many crimes and problems on East side and once in a while on North. We stay away from East side, never go there and just go to North side during the day and everyone is nice and not many scary looking people in the areas I have went to. I love being so close to Monterey, go there all the time.