Note: As defined by the US Census Bureau, a city's official boundaries often extend miles beyond the city itself and may even cross county lines. As such, several thousand US cities officially exist in two or more counties (and therefore appear on multiple counties' lists of cities.)
City | Rank | 2024 Pop. | 2020 Pop. | Change | Density (/mi²) | Area (mi²) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas | 1 | 158,211 | 163,391 | -0.81% | 6,728 | 23.5 | City |
| Seaside | 2 | 30,977 | 32,335 | -1.09% | 3,472 | 8.9 | City |
| Monterey | 3 | 28,784 | 30,111 | -1.14% | 3,330 | 8.6 | City |
| Soledad | 4 | 23,701 | 24,683 | -1.03% | 5,314 | 4.5 | City |
| Marina | 5 | 23,015 | 22,287 | 0.8% | 2,583 | 8.9 | City |
| Greenfield | 6 | 21,195 | 18,951 | 2.72% | 7,129 | 3.0 | City |
| Prunedale | 7 | 19,674 | 20,560 | 0.77% | 427 | 46.1 | CDP |
| Pacific Grove | 8 | 14,647 | 15,087 | -0.74% | 5,111 | 2.9 | City |
| King City | 9 | 14,105 | 13,352 | 1.35% | 3,715 | 3.8 | City |
| Gonzales | 10 | 8,223 | 8,637 | -1.25% | 4,298 | 1.9 | City |
| Interlaken | 11 | 8,159 | 7,596 | 0.74% | 832 | 9.8 | CDP |
| Castroville | 12 | 6,643 | 6,332 | 0.17% | 6,506 | 1.0 | CDP |
| Carmel Valley Village | 13 | 4,681 | 4,175 | 0.41% | 247 | 19.0 | CDP |
| Greenfield | 14 | 4,488 | 3,777 | 0.81% | 3,385 | 1.3 | CDP |
| Lake Nacimiento | 15 | 3,337 | 3,021 | 2.02% | 318 | 10.5 | CDP |
| Del Monte Forest | 16 | 3,233 | 3,783 | -2.74% | 403 | 8.0 | CDP |
| Carmel-by-the-Sea | 17 | 3,069 | 3,208 | -1.13% | 2,893 | 1.1 | City |
| Las Lomas | 18 | 3,065 | 3,818 | 0.1% | 2,956 | 1.0 | CDP |
| Amesti | 19 | 2,976 | 3,240 | -1.2% | 1,014 | 2.9 | CDP |
| Aromas | 20 | 2,760 | 2,609 | 0.29% | 583 | 4.7 | CDP |
| Pajaro | 21 | 2,665 | 3,509 | -1.08% | 2,869 | 0.9 | CDP |
| La Selva Beach | 22 | 2,233 | 2,544 | -1.89% | 422 | 5.3 | CDP |
| Pine Canyon | 23 | 2,137 | 2,939 | 1.09% | 641 | 3.3 | CDP |
| Boronda | 24 | 1,914 | 1,740 | 0.74% | 3,334 | 0.6 | CDP |
| Del Rey Oaks | 25 | 1,536 | 1,590 | -0.9% | 1,457 | 1.1 | City |
| Elkhorn | 26 | 1,238 | 998 | -1.9% | 258 | 4.8 | CDP |
| Fort Hunter Liggett | 27 | 1,020 | 327 | 7.71% | 367 | 2.8 | CDP |
| Chualar | 28 | 920 | 1,413 | -2.13% | 1,470 | 0.6 | CDP |
| San Ardo | 29 | 642 | 628 | 1.42% | 1,430 | 0.4 | CDP |
| Lockwood | 30 | 578 | 451 | 7.84% | 106 | 5.4 | CDP |
| San Lucas | 31 | 395 | 415 | 2.33% | 1,003 | 0.4 | CDP |
| Sand City | 32 | 329 | 325 | 0.3% | 601 | 0.5 | City |
| Lockwood | 33 | 211 | 351 | -5.38% | 19 | 10.9 | CDP |
| Oak Shores | 34 | 129 | 325 | -10.42% | 25 | 5.1 | CDP |
| Spreckels | 35 | 119 | 373 | -24.68% | 975 | 0.1 | CDP |
| Bradley | 36 | 99 | 99 | 7.61% | 1,151 | 0.1 | CDP |
| Pajaro Dunes | 37 | 84 | 235 | -5.62% | 33 | 2.6 | CDP |
Note: City markers shown outside the county boundary mean that a part of the city extends into this county, but is primarily located in an adjacent county.
Salinas is the largest city in Monterey County.
Pajaro Dunes is the smallest city in Monterey County.
There are 37 cities in Monterey County, California.