Median Income
$80,239
household / year
Median Home Value
$652,200
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$2,138
gross / month
Cost of Living
113
national avg = 100

Is Seaside, CA a Good Place to Live?

Seaside is a small city of 32,291 in California, with a median household income of $80,239 and a 7.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 113 (US average = 100), which is 13% above the national average.

Strengths: Seaside stands out for lower-than-average crime, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Seaside is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Seaside 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: 113.0

Seaside's overall cost of living index is 113.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Seaside costs roughly 13% more than the average American city.

Metric Seaside, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $652,200 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $2,138 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 39.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $80,239 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Seaside's violent crime rate is 513.2 per 100,000 residents — 35% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
513.2 /100k
Property Crime
832.7 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Seaside is served primarily by International School of Monterey District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.4:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Seaside, CA National Avg
School District International School of Monterey District —
Elementary Schools 1 —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio 21.4:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.9% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 82.4% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Seaside sees average highs of 61.6°F in January and 68.9°F in July, with 16.2 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricSeaside, CA
Average High — January61.6°F
Average High — July68.9°F
Annual Precipitation16.2"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricSeaside, CANational Avg
Population32,291—
Median Age34.038.9
Unemployment Rate7.1%3.7%
Avg Commute Time21.8 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)45.0%59.3%
Black or African American6.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino29.8%18.9%
Asian10.5%6.3%
Under 1822.3%22.2%
65 and over13.7%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Sand City, CA 2 mi Del Rey Oaks, CA 3 mi Monterey, CA 4 mi Marina, CA 4 mi Pacific Grove, CA 6 mi

ZIP Codes in Seaside

Seaside, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

93955

Seaside vs Other Cities

Seaside, CA vs Sand City, CA Seaside, CA vs Del Rey Oaks, CA Seaside, CA vs Monterey, CA Seaside, CA vs Marina, CA Seaside, CA vs Pacific Grove, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Seaside's cost of living index is 113, where 100 is the national average. That puts Seaside roughly 13% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $652,200 and median rent is $2,138/month.
Seaside's violent crime rate is 513.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 832.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Seaside are operated by International School of Monterey District. The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and several high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.4:1. 24.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Seaside, CA has a population of 32,291, a median household income of $80,239, and an unemployment rate of 7.1%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Seaside averages 61.6°F in January and 68.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 16.2 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Seaside, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 93955.
The population of Seaside, California is 32,291 with a median age of 34.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Seaside: cost of living index 113 (100 = US average), median home $652,200, median household income $80,239, crime index 97 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Seaside side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.