Monterey County ( ), officially the County of Monterey, is a county located on the Pacific coast in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, its population was 439,035. The county's largest city and county seat is Salinas. Monterey County comprises the Salinas, California, Metropolitan Statistical Area. It borders on the southern part of Monterey Bay, after which it is named (northern half of the bay is in Santa Cruz County). Monterey County is a member of the regional governmental agency: the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments. Scenic features along the coastline - including Carmel-by-the-Sea, Big Sur, State Route 1, and the 17 Mile Drive on the Monterey Peninsula - have made the county famous around the world. Back when California was under Spanish and Mexican rule, the city of Monterey was its capital. Today, the economy of the county is mostly based on tourism in its coastal regions, and on agriculture in the region of the Salinas River valley. Most of the county's inhabitants live near the northern coast or in Salinas Valley; the southern coast and inland mountainous regions are sparsely populated.

History

thumb|left|upright|[[Gaspar de Zúñiga, 5th Count of Monterrey, namesake of Monterey Bay and thus the city and the county.]]

Monterey County was one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood. Parts of the county were given to San Benito County in 1874. The area was originally populated by Ohlone, Salinan and the Esselen tribes.

The county derives its name from Monterey Bay. The bay was named by Sebastián Vizcaíno in 1602 in honor of the Conde de Monterrey (or Count of Monterrey), then the Viceroy of New Spain. Monterrey is a variation of Monterrei, a municipality in the Galicia region of Spain where the Conde de Monterrey and his father (the Fourth Count of Monterrei) were from.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (13%) is water. The county is roughly 1.5 times larger than the state of Delaware, and roughly similar in population and the size to Santa Barbara County.

Adjacent counties

Santa Cruz County to the north, San Benito County, Fresno County, and Kings County to the east as well as San Luis Obispo County to the south.

National protected areas

  • Los Padres National Forest (part)
  • Pinnacles National Park (part)
  • Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge
  • Ventana Wilderness (part)

In October 2019, the Bureau of Land Management ended a five-year moratorium on leasing federal land in California to fossil fuel companies, opening 725,000 acres (1100 sq. miles; 29,000 ha) to drilling in San Benito, Monterey, and Fresno counties.

Marine protected areas

  • Soquel Canyon State Marine Conservation Area
  • Elkhorn Slough State Marine Reserve
  • Elkhorn Slough State Marine Conservation Area
  • Moro Cojo Slough State Marine Reserve
  • Portuguese Ledge State Marine Conservation Area
  • Pacific Grove Marine Gardens State Marine Conservation Area
  • Lovers Point State Marine Reserve
  • Edward F. Ricketts State Marine Conservation Area
  • Asilomar State Marine Reserve

Flora and fauna

Monterey County has habitat to support the following endangered species:

  • Hickman's potentilla
  • Santa Cruz Long-toed Salamander
  • Santa Cruz Tarweed
  • Southern Steelhead Trout
  • Yadon's piperia

Demographics

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According to the California Secretary of State, as of April 2008, Monterey County has 147,066 registered voters. Of those voters, 72,550 (49.3%) are registered Democratic, 42,744 (29.1%) are registered Republican, 5,488 (3.7%) are registered with other political parties, and 26,284 (17.9%) declined to state a political party. Except for Sand City, all of the other cities, towns, and the unincorporated area of Monterey County have more individuals registered with the Democratic Party than the Republican Party. In Sand City, the Republicans have the advantage by 1 voter.

In August 2018, it adopted a flag designed by a Watsonville resident.

Crime

The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"

|-

! colspan="3" | Population and crime rates

|-

! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Population

| 2,118 || 5.15

|-

! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Homicide

| 6,245 || 15.18

|-

! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Motor vehicle theft

! data-sort-type="number" | Violent crimes

Transportation

Major highways

  • 25px|link= |alt= U.S. Route 101
  • 20px|link= |alt= State Route 1
  • 20px|link= |alt= State Route 25
  • 20px|link= |alt= State Route 68
  • 25px|link= |alt= State Route 146
  • 25px|link= |alt= State Route 156
  • 25px|link= |alt= State Route 183
  • 25px|link= |alt= State Route 198
  • 25px|link= |alt= State Route 218

Public transportation

Monterey County is served by Amtrak trains and Greyhound Lines buses.

Monterey-Salinas Transit provides transit service throughout most of Monterey County, with buses to Big Sur and King City as well as in Monterey, Salinas and Carmel. MST also runs service to San Jose, California in Santa Clara County.

Airports

  • Monterey Regional Airport is located just east of the city of Monterey, California. Commercial flights are available.
  • Marina Municipal Airport is located in the city of Marina, California.
  • Salinas Municipal Airport is located in the southeast part of Salinas, California.
  • Mesa Del Rey Airport is located in the city of King City, California.

Communities

Cities

  • Carmel-by-the-Sea
  • Del Rey Oaks
  • Gonzales
  • Greenfield
  • King City
  • Marina
  • Monterey
  • Pacific Grove
  • Salinas (county seat)
  • Sand City
  • Seaside
  • Soledad

Census-designated places

  • Aromas
  • Boronda
  • Bradley
  • Carmel Valley Village
  • Castroville
  • Chualar
  • Del Monte Forest, includes the well-known community of Pebble Beach
  • Elkhorn
  • Fort Hunter Liggett
  • Las Lomas
  • Lockwood
  • Moss Landing
  • Pajaro
  • Pine Canyon
  • Prunedale
  • San Ardo
  • San Lucas
  • Spreckels

Unincorporated communities

  • Ambler Park
  • Big Sur Village
  • Bryson
  • Cachagua
  • Carmel Highlands
  • Carmel Valley
  • Corral de Tierra
  • Gorda
  • Jamesburg
  • Jolon
  • Notleys Landing
  • Old Hilltown
  • Pacific Grove Acres
  • Parkfield
  • Plaskett
  • Posts
  • Robles del Rio
  • San Benancio
  • Santa Lucia Preserve
  • Slates Hot Springs
  • Springtown
  • Sycamore Flat
  • Tassajara Hot Springs
  • White Rock

Other places

  • Big Sur
  • Laguna Seca Ranch
  • Fort Ord Military Base decommissioned in the 1990s, some of it was converted to California State University, Monterey Bay
  • Naval Postgraduate School
  • Fort Hunter Liggett
  • Presidio of Monterey, home to the Defense Language Institute and one of three presidios in California
  • Jacks Peak Park, including the highest point on the Monterey Peninsula

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Monterey County.

† county seat

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|-

!Rank

!City/Town/etc.

!Municipal type

!Population (2020 Census)

|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"

| 1

|† Salinas

| City

| 163,542

|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"

| 2

|Seaside

| City

| 32,366

|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"

| 3

|Monterey

| City

| 30,218

|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"

| 4

|Soledad

| City

| 24,925

|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"

| 5

|Marina

| City

| 22,359

|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"

| 6

|Greenfield

| City

| 18,937

|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 7

|Prunedale

| CDP

| 18,885

|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"

| 8

|Pacific Grove

| City

| 15,090

|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"

| 9

|King City

| City

| 13,332

|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"

| 10

|Gonzales

| City

| 8,647

|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 11

|Castroville

| CDP

| 7,515

|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 12

|Carmel Valley

| CDP

| 6,189

|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 13

|Del Monte Forest

| CDP

| 4,204

|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"

| 14

|Carmel-by-the-Sea

| City

| 3,220

|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 15

|Las Lomas

| CDP

| 3,046

|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 16

|Pajaro

| CDP

| 2,882

|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 17

|Aromas (partially in San Benito County)

| CDP

| 2,708

|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 18

|Pine Canyon

| CDP

| 1,871

|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 19

|Boronda

| CDP

| 1,760

|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"

| 20

|Del Rey Oaks

| City

| 1,592

|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 21

|Elkhorn

| CDP

| 1,588

|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 22

|Chualar

| CDP

| 1,185

|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 23

|Spreckels

| CDP

| 692

|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 24

|San Ardo

| CDP

| 392

|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 25

|Lockwood

| CDP

| 368

|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"

| 26

|Sand City

| City

| 325

|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 27

|San Lucas

| CDP

| 324

|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 28

|Moss Landing

| CDP

| 237

|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 29

|Bradley

| CDP

| 69

|}

Education

School districts include:

Unified:

  • Aromas-San Juan Unified School District
  • Big Sur Unified School District
  • Gonzales Unified School District - It serves grades PK-12 in some sections and grades 9–12 only in other sections
  • Carmel Unified School District
  • Coalinga-Huron Unified School District
  • Monterey Peninsula Unified School District
  • North Monterey County Unified School District
  • Pacific Grove Unified School District
  • Pajaro Valley Joint Unified School District
  • Shandon Joint Unified School District
  • Soledad Unified School District

Secondary:

  • Paso Robles Joint Unified School District (While it is a K-12 unified school district, it only serves grades 9–12 in its section of this county)
  • Salinas Union High School District
  • South Monterey County Joint Union High School District

Elementary:

  • Alisal Union Elementary School District
  • Bradley Union Elementary School District
  • Chualar Union Elementary School District
  • Graves Elementary School District
  • Greenfield Union Elementary School District
  • King City Union Elementary School District
  • Lagunita Elementary School District
  • Mission Union Elementary School District
  • Pleasant Valley Joint Union Elementary School District
  • Salinas City Elementary School District
  • San Antonio Union Elementary School District
  • San Ardo Union Elementary School District
  • San Lucas Union Elementary School District
  • San Miguel Joint Union Elementary School District
  • Santa Rita Union Elementary School District
  • Spreckels Union Elementary School District
  • Washington Union Elementary School District

<gallery mode="packed">

File:CalifCentralCoast.jpg|Big Sur - Midcounty coastline with the McWay Rocks in foreground

File:CSUMB Fog.JPG|California State University at Monterey Bay

File:CarmelScene.jpg|Carmel-by-the-Sea - Beach scene

File:Golden Bough Playhouse.gif|Carmel-by-the-Sea - Golden Bough Playhouse

File:Forest Theater.jpg|Carmel-by-the-Sea - Forest Theater

File:Artichoke Capitol.JPG|Castroville - Main entrance to the city

File:Gonzales water tower.jpg|Gonzales - Water tower

File:View of sea.JPG|Gorda, California - A view of the Pacific Ocean

File:Marina homes.jpg|Marina neighborhood

File:Main Street Salinas CA December.jpg|Main Street - Salinas

File:Monterey Bay Aquarium exterior August 2016.jpg|Monterey - Monterey Bay Aquarium

File:Cannery Row at night.jpg|Monterey - Cannery Row

File:MontereyWharf&Harbor.jpg|Monterey - Fisherman's Wharf

File:MontereyCommercialWharf.jpg|Monterey - Commercial Wharf

File:Hat in three stages of landing claes oldemburg.jpg|Hat in three stages of landing by Claes Oldemburg - Salinas

File:Beach walk.JPG|Monterey - Beachside recreational trail

File:SCUBA diving lessons.JPG|Monterey - Scuba diving lessons in Monterey Bay

File:Fremont Peak viewed from Monterey Bay Aquarium.JPG|Monterey - Fremont Peak, viewed from the Monterey Bay Aquarium

File:Strawberry Fields near Amaral Road.JPG|Monterey County - Strawberry fields in rural area

File:Into the Distance.jpg|Lapis Road looking south

File:Junipero Serra Peak 2015 2.jpg|Junipero Serra Peak, highest point in the county

File:SteinbeckHouse.jpg|Salinas - John Steinbeck's former home

File:Sunset Marina.JPG|Marina Sunset

File:Colton Hall.JPG|Monterey - Colton Hall

File:Ranch style home in Salinas, California.JPG|Salinas - Newer Spanish-Revival style house in Harden Ranch

File:$700,000 Home.jpg|Salinas - An average home in North Salinas

File:North Salinas.jpg|Salinas - Residential neighborhood at Harden Ranch, Salinas

File:Downtown Salinas.jpg|Salinas - Downtown

File:NationalSteinbeckCentre.jpg|Salinas - National Steinbeck Center

File:Greenfield California.JPG|Agricultural fields in the Salinas Valley

File:SteinbeckHouse.jpg|Steinbeck House - Salinas

File:Nuestra Senora del la Soledad chapel.JPG|Soledad - Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad

</gallery>

See also

  • Coastal California
  • List of museums in the California Central Coast
  • List of school districts in Monterey County, California
  • Monterey County reforestation
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Monterey County, California
  • List of tourist attractions in Monterey County, California
  • Fort Hunter Liggett

Notes

References

  • Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau
  • Carmel Magazine: The Lifestyle Magazine of the Monterey Peninsula
  • Finding Aid to the Monterey County Miscellany, 1844-1850 at The Bancroft Library
  • Arts Council for Monterey County

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