12 cities
| City | Rank | 2025 Pop. ↓ | 2020 Pop. | Annual Change | Density | Area (mi²) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas | 1 | 160,130 | 163,393 | -0.41% | 6,810 | 24 | City |
| Seaside | 2 | 31,321 | 32,335 | -0.64% | 3,510 | 9 | City |
| Monterey | 3 | 28,719 | 30,196 | -1.02% | 3,322 | 9 | City |
| Soledad | 4 | 26,258 | 26,692 | -0.33% | 5,887 | 4 | City |
| Marina | 5 | 23,215 | 22,375 | 0.73% | 2,605 | 9 | City |
| Greenfield | 6 | 21,564 | 18,951 | 2.48% | 7,253 | 3 | City |
| Pacific Grove | 7 | 14,791 | 15,089 | -0.4% | 5,161 | 3 | City |
| King City | 8 | 14,061 | 13,354 | 1.01% | 3,703 | 4 | City |
| Gonzales | 9 | 8,382 | 8,627 | -0.58% | 4,382 | 2 | City |
| Carmel-by-the-Sea | 10 | 3,102 | 3,210 | -0.7% | 2,924 | 1 | City |
| Del Rey Oaks | 11 | 1,545 | 1,582 | -0.52% | 1,466 | 1 | City |
| Sand City | 12 | 328 | 325 | 0% | 600 | 1 | City |
Salinas is the largest city in Monterey County, with a population of 160,130.
Sand City is the smallest city in Monterey County, with a population of 328.
There are 12 cities in Monterey County, California.