Salinas is a relatively large coastal city (i.e. on the ocean, a bay, or inlet) located in the state of California. With a population of 161,020 people and 39 associated neighborhoods, Salinas is the 33rd largest community in California.

Housing costs in Salinas are among some of the highest in the nation, although real estate prices here don't compare to real estate prices in the most expensive communities in California.

Salinas is also nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Quite often, nautical areas such as these attract visitors and locals who come to enjoy the scenery and various waterfront activities.

In terms of college education, the citizens of Salinas rank slightly lower than the national average. 15.03% of adults 25 and older in Salinas have a bachelor's degree or advanced degree, while 21.84% of adults have a 4-year degree or higher in the average American community.

The per capita income in Salinas in 2022 was $27,344, which is lower middle income relative to California and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $109,376 for a family of four. However, Salinas contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.

Salinas is an extremely ethnically-diverse city. The people who call Salinas home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. People of Hispanic or Latino origin are the most prevalent group in Salinas, accounting for 80.20% of the city’s residents (people of Hispanic or Latino origin can be of any race). The greatest number of Salinas residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in Salinas include German, English, Italian, Irish, and Portuguese.

Foreign born people are also an important part of Salinas's cultural character, accounting for 36.46% of the city’s population.

The most common language spoken in Salinas is Spanish. Other important languages spoken here include English and Tagalog.