Best for affordability: Fresno, California
Fresno, California looks like the easiest place here to live with less financial drag. It comes out ahead on rent burden and rent.
Demand-Backed Comparison
Compare Monterey vs Fresno on cost, climate, safety, and daily life
People have logged this comparison 1 times on WhyThere. The cards open full city pages. The charts and matrix below are the fast side-by-side read on housing, climate, walkability, safety, schools, parks, and day-to-day tradeoffs.
MontereyFresno
What Stands Out
A quick read on this comparison
Deterministic summaries based on the data in view.
Biggest tradeoff: Monterey, California
Monterey, California is the sharpest split in this comparison: strong on daily convenience, weaker on sunshine.
Potential dealbreaker: Monterey, California
Monterey, California needs a closer look before you get too attached, especially on tax burden.
Comparison Matrix
| City | ||
|---|---|---|
| Route | ||
| General Info | ||
| Population | 28,338 | 520,052 |
| Population Density | N/A | 4.7k /sq mi |
| Elevation | 26 ft(8 m) | 308 ft(94 m) |
| Housing & Wealth | ||
| Median Home | $1,131,505 | $381,978 |
| Median Rent | $2,887 | $1,695 |
| Median Income | $98,003 | $63,001 |
| Rent Burden | 35% | 32% |
| Climate & Risks | ||
| Sunny Days | 340 days/yr | 343 days/yr |
| Avg. High | 61°F | 79°F |
| Comfort Score | 90/100Excellent | 63/100Good |
| Temp Swing | 11°F | 48°F |
| Annual Rainfall | 22"(56 cm) | 15"(38 cm) |
| Annual Snowfall | 0"(0 cm) | 0"(0 cm) |
| Air Quality | AQI 35 (Avg)0 days > 100 | AQI 50 (Avg)62 days > 100 |
| Infrastructure & Lifestyle | ||
| Walk Score | 60 | 38 |
| Transit Score | 43 | N/A |
| Safety Score | 69 / 100 | 53 / 100 |
| School Rating | 7.4/10 | 5.8/10 |
| Internet Access | Fiber: 51%Cable: 97% | Fiber: 33%Cable: 94% |
| Demographics | ||
| Median Age | 36.8 years | 32.1 years |
| College Educated | 54% | 24% |
| Remote Workers | 21% | 9% |
| Nature Access | ||
| Local Nature & Reserves | Finding... | Finding... |
| Scouting & Local Help | ||
Plan a first lookWays to plan a first visit or connect with a relevant local partner. | Featured Local Partner ADYour logo Partner spot available For organizations that can help someone land in Monterey | Featured Local Partner ADYour logo Partner spot available For organizations that can help someone land in Fresno |
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