Median Income
$90,476
household / year
Median Home Value
$416,700
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$2,044
gross / month
Cost of Living
105
national avg = 100

Is Salida, CA a Good Place to Live?

Salida is a small city of 14,849 in California, with a median household income of $90,476 and a 10.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 105 (US average = 100), which is 5% above the national average.

Strengths: Salida's profile is close to national averages across most measures.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Salida is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Salida city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 105.0

Salida's overall cost of living index is 105.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Salida costs roughly 5% more than the average American city.

Metric Salida, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $416,700 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $2,044 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 80.6% 65.9%
Median Household Income $90,476 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Salida's violent crime rate is 481.8 per 100,000 residents — 27% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
481.8 /100k
Property Crime
1803.1 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Salida is served primarily by Salida Union Elementary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20.6:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Salida, CA National Avg
School District Salida Union Elementary —
Elementary Schools 4 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio 20.6:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.5% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 83.0% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Salida sees average highs of 56.1°F in January and 95.0°F in July, with 13.1 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricSalida, CA
Average High — January56.1°F
Average High — July95.0°F
Annual Precipitation13.1"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricSalida, CANational Avg
Population14,849—
Median Age31.938.9
Unemployment Rate10.7%3.7%
Avg Commute Time30.1 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)55.1%59.3%
Black or African American1.7%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino31.6%18.9%
Asian7.4%6.3%
Under 1820.7%22.2%
65 and over11.2%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Ripon, CA 3 mi Del Rio, CA 5 mi Modesto, CA 7 mi West Modesto, CA 7 mi Escalon, CA 7 mi

ZIP Codes in Salida

Salida, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

95368

Salida vs Other Cities

Salida, CA vs Ripon, CA Salida, CA vs Del Rio, CA Salida, CA vs Modesto, CA Salida, CA vs West Modesto, CA Salida, CA vs Escalon, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Salida's cost of living index is 105, where 100 is the national average. That puts Salida roughly 5% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $416,700 and median rent is $2,044/month.
Salida's violent crime rate is 481.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1803.1 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Salida are operated by Salida Union Elementary. The district has 4 elementary, 1 middle, and several high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20.6:1. 16.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Salida, CA has a population of 14,849, a median household income of $90,476, and an unemployment rate of 10.7%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Salida averages 56.1°F in January and 95.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 13.1 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Salida, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 95368.
The population of Salida, California is 14,849 with a median age of 31.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Salida: cost of living index 105 (100 = US average), median home $416,700, median household income $90,476, crime index 110 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Salida side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.