Monterey County

Monterey County, California — key demographics

Population size

• Total population: ~434,000 (2023 ACS 1-year estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~35 years
• Under 18: ~24%
• 18–64: ~61%
• 65 and over: ~15%

Gender

• Male: ~51%
• Female: ~49%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS ethnicity is “Hispanic or Latino of any race”)

• Hispanic/Latino: ~60%
• White (non-Hispanic): ~29–30%
• Asian (non-Hispanic): ~6%
• Black/African American (non-Hispanic): ~2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (non-Hispanic): ~1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander (non-Hispanic): <1%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~2–3% (Note: categories may not sum to 100% due to rounding and ACS race/ethnicity definitions.)

Household data

• Households: ~135,000
• Average household size: ~3.2 persons
• Family households: ~75% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~35–40%

Key insights

• Majority-Hispanic county with relatively young age structure and larger-than-average household sizes compared with the U.S.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 1-year and recent 5-year estimates.

• Population base: ≈439,000 residents (Monterey County, 2023 est.); ≈330,000 adults (18+).
• Email users (estimated): ≈310,000 total users countywide.
  • Adults: ≈285,000 (≈86% of adults use email).
  • Teens 13–17: ≈26,000 (≈85% use email).
• Age distribution of email users (share of users):
  • Teens 13–17: 8%
  • 18–29: 19%
  • 30–49: 34%
  • 50–64: 24%
  • 65+: 15%
• Gender split: Nearly even among users (≈50% female, ≈50% male), mirroring county demographics.
• Digital access and usage:
  • Households with a computer: ≈94%.
  • Households with a broadband subscription: ≈89%.
  • Smartphone-only internet households: ≈11% (higher in agricultural/rural areas).
  • Email is a near-universal online activity among internet users across all adult age groups; usage intensity is highest for working-age adults.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density ≈130 people per square mile.
  • Strong fixed broadband and fiber in urban centers (Salinas, Monterey Peninsula); coverage and speeds drop in mountainous/coastal Big Sur and South County (Gonzales–King City corridor), leading to higher mobile reliance.
  • Ongoing state and regional buildouts are narrowing rural gaps, raising household broadband adoption gradually year over year.

Mobile phone usage in Monterey County, CA: 2023–2024 snapshot

Headline metrics and user estimates

• Population: ~432,000; households: ~136,000; adults (18+): ~320,000.
• Estimated smartphone users: ~320,000 residents use a smartphone as a primary device (adults and teens), reflecting high penetration similar to statewide norms.
• Household smartphone access: roughly 9 in 10 households have at least one smartphone.
• Cellular-only internet households: estimated 12–15% rely primarily on a cellular data plan for home internet—several points higher than the California average—indicating greater mobile dependence in the county.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Ethnicity and language: ~59% Hispanic/Latino population with a large Spanish-speaking community. Mobile-only internet reliance is disproportionately higher among Hispanic/Latino, lower-income, and renter households in Salinas, North and South County (e.g., Gonzales, Soledad, Greenfield, King City) compared with the Monterey Peninsula.
• Age: Younger households (students and young families) show near-universal smartphone use and higher rates of mobile-only internet; older residents have higher fixed broadband adoption but still high mobile ownership.
• Income and housing: Agricultural and service-sector workers show above-average use of prepaid/MVNO plans (e.g., Metro, Cricket, Boost) and hotspot tethering; homeowners on the Peninsula are more likely to bundle fixed broadband with mobile.
• Education and institutions: CSUMB, Defense Language Institute, and Naval Postgraduate School populations contribute to dense mobile use and strong campus Wi‑Fi offload in Seaside, Marina, and Monterey.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carriers and 5G: All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) provide 4G/5G across urban corridors. Mid‑band 5G coverage is strongest along US‑101 (Salinas Valley) and on the Monterey Peninsula (Monterey, Seaside, Marina), with weaker service in mountainous and coastal stretches.
• Rural and coastal gaps: Persistent dead zones remain in Big Sur (Highway 1), upper Carmel Valley, the Santa Lucia and Gabilan ranges, parts of Fort Hunter Liggett, and near Pinnacles—terrain and permitting limit tower density and backhaul.
• Backhaul and fiber: Robust fiber follows the US‑101 spine and into the Peninsula business districts; backhaul constraints in remote areas limit capacity and recovery during peak events or disasters.
• Event-driven capacity: Major events (Monterey Car Week, Pebble Beach tournaments, Laguna Seca) regularly trigger temporary cell-on-wheels deployments to manage traffic surges.
• Agriculture and private networks: Salinas Valley agritech use (sensors, telematics, automation) has driven early adoption of private LTE/CBRS and point-to-point links on farms and packing facilities—more prevalent than in most urban California counties.
• Public connectivity and safety: Libraries, schools, and municipal hotspots help offset affordability gaps. Wildfire and storm response has prioritized mobile resiliency (backup power on sites, hardening) due to past outages and evacuation needs on the coast and in canyons.

How Monterey County differs from California overall

• Higher mobile dependence: A larger share of households are cellular-only for home internet (roughly 12–15% in-county vs single-digit percentages in many urban counties). Tethering and hotspot plans are common in Salinas Valley and South County.
• Slightly lower fixed-broadband take-up: Fixed broadband subscription rates trail statewide levels by several points, reflecting affordability challenges and rural last‑mile constraints.
• More prepaid/MVNO usage: The county’s income mix, seasonal/agricultural workforce, and language preferences produce a higher prevalence of prepaid plans and family/shared lines than California’s urban coastal counties.
• Sharper urban–rural divide: Coverage and capacity are solid in the Peninsula/Salinas corridor but drop off quickly in mountainous and coastal zones; this divide is more pronounced than in the state’s metro cores.
• Distinct enterprise demand: Agriculture’s use of private LTE/CBRS and field connectivity is a standout compared with most California counties, shifting some traffic off public networks and creating specialized spectrum/backhaul needs.
• Post-ACP pressure: With the federal Affordable Connectivity Program winding down in 2024, mobile substitution risk has risen more in Monterey than in higher-income California metros, as households shift from discounted fixed service to mobile-only plans.

Bottom line

• Monterey County’s overall smartphone adoption is high, but the county leans more heavily on mobile as a primary internet pathway than California’s urban averages. Geography (coast/mountains), the agricultural economy, language and income mix, and event-driven peaks shape a mobile landscape characterized by strong corridor coverage, persistent rural gaps, and above-average reliance on prepaid and cellular-only households.

Monterey County, CA — social media snapshot (best-available local estimates grounded in 2024 Pew Research national usage rates and county demographics)

Headline numbers

• Population: ≈439,000 residents; ≈335,000 adults (18+)
• Adult social media users: ≈280,000 (≈83% of adults)
• Access context: High smartphone reliance; the vast majority of social use is mobile-first

Age profile (share of adults in each group using any social platform)

• 18–29: ≈95%
• 30–49: ≈90%
• 50–64: ≈78%
• 65+: ≈45% Implication: The county’s large Hispanic/Latino population (majority of residents) and sizable student communities (CSUMB, Hartnell, NPS, MIIS) push usage and time spent higher among under-35s.

Gender breakdown (share of adults using any social platform)

• Women: ≈85%
• Men: ≈82% Platform skews: Pinterest and Instagram skew female; Reddit and X (Twitter) skew male; others are near-even.

Most-used platforms by adults (estimated local reach; percent of adults using the platform at least occasionally)

• YouTube: 82–85% (top reach; universal across age groups)
• Facebook: 68–72% (strong among 30+, community groups, local news)
• Instagram: 48–55% (very high among 18–34; hospitality/tourism content)
• WhatsApp: 32–40% (elevated by majority Hispanic/Latino population; family, community, cross-border ties)
• TikTok: 30–36% (dominant with teens/young adults; local food, outdoors, aquarium/Big Sur content)
• Snapchat: 28–34% (heavy daily use among high school/college-age)
• Pinterest: 28–32% (events, weddings, home, food)
• LinkedIn: 26–32% (education/healthcare/military communities)
• Reddit: 20–26% (tech/gaming/outdoors niches)
• X (Twitter): 18–24% (news, sports, government alerts)
• Nextdoor: 18–24% (neighborhood safety, city services; strongest in suburban areas)

Behavioral trends to know

• Bilingual-by-default: With a majority Hispanic/Latino population, Spanish and bilingual content performs strongly on Facebook, Instagram, and especially WhatsApp. Community updates, school info, and public health messaging see high engagement in Spanish.
• Community groups drive reach: Facebook Groups and WhatsApp communities are primary channels for neighborhoods, schools, youth sports, and local services; Nextdoor complements for hyperlocal issues.
• Tourism and hospitality flywheel: Instagram and TikTok heavily influence dining, lodging, and attractions (Cannery Row, Aquarium, Big Sur). Short-form video with location tags materially shifts foot traffic.
• Student and military micro-ecosystems: CSUMB/Hartnell/NPS/MIIS populations concentrate activity on Instagram, Snapchat, and Discord; LinkedIn usage rises around graduation and transitions.
• Alerts and civic info: County/city agencies, Cal Fire, CHP, and local news see spikes on Facebook and X during storms, fires, road closures. Reposts in Spanish amplify reach.
• Mobile, after-hours engagement: Peak local engagement typically evenings (7–10 pm PT) and weekends; shift-work and agriculture schedules produce early-morning and late-night spikes.
• Messaging > public posting: WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram DMs are core for coordination across families and workplaces; private share drives a large share of local discovery.
• Visual storytelling wins: Nature, ocean, and food content outperform; UGC and creator collaborations deliver above-average save/share rates for local brands.

Method note and sources

• Figures are modeled local estimates using 2024 Pew Research Center Social Media Use (platform penetration and age/gender splits) blended with Monterey County’s demographic profile from recent ACS/Census data. Where county-specific platform stats are not published, ranges reflect the expected local adjustment (notably higher WhatsApp and Facebook Group usage) given the county’s majority Hispanic/Latino population and student/military presence.