Where Are People Moving in Monterey, CA?
IRS county-to-county migration, 2023 tax year (released about two years after the tax year it covers).
People moving in
4,702
People moving out
6,480
Net migration
-4,502
Monterey, CA is a net loser of residents. In the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), 4,702 people moved in and 6,480 moved out, for a net loss of -4,502. Net outflows can soften local rent and price growth over time, though the cause matters as much as the number.
Migration is most useful read alongside the rest of the market. People move for jobs, affordability, climate, and lifestyle, and where they come from and go to says a lot about what a county is competing on. Below are the specific counties driving Monterey, CA’s flows in each direction.
Top counties people moved to Monterey, CA from
| Origin county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz, CACalifornia | 721 | 1,337 |
| Santa Clara, CACalifornia | 577 | 943 |
| Los Angeles, CACalifornia | 299 | 428 |
| San Diego, CACalifornia | 226 | 385 |
| Sacramento, CACalifornia | 178 | 284 |
| Fresno, CACalifornia | 172 | 290 |
| Alameda, CACalifornia | 170 | 256 |
| San Benito, CACalifornia | 155 | 242 |
| San Luis Obispo, CACalifornia | 126 | 180 |
| San Mateo, CACalifornia | 109 | 172 |
Top counties people left Monterey, CA for
| Destination county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara, CACalifornia | 606 | 967 |
| Santa Cruz, CACalifornia | 545 | 966 |
| Los Angeles, CACalifornia | 346 | 471 |
| San Diego, CACalifornia | 310 | 488 |
| Sacramento, CACalifornia | 259 | 386 |
| San Benito, CACalifornia | 234 | 457 |
| Fresno, CACalifornia | 212 | 411 |
| Yuma, AZArizona | 201 | 406 |
| Alameda, CACalifornia | 181 | 258 |
| Merced, CACalifornia | 171 | 388 |
“Returns” counts tax returns (a household proxy) that moved along each flow; “People” counts the individuals on those returns, when reported. IRS aggregate and foreign pseudo-rows are excluded. Informational only, not financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
Are people moving to Monterey, CA or leaving?
Monterey, CA had a net loss of -4,502 residents in the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), with 4,702 people moving in and 6,480 moving out. Net migration is inflow minus outflow.
Where are people moving to Monterey, CA from?
The largest sources of new Monterey, CA residents are Santa Cruz, CA, Santa Clara, CA, Los Angeles, CA. The full top-ten list of origin counties is in the table above.
Where do people leaving Monterey, CA go?
People leaving Monterey, CA most often move to Santa Clara, CA, Santa Cruz, CA, Los Angeles, CA. The full top-ten list of destination counties is in the table above.
What does Monterey, CA migration mean for housing?
Migration is a leading demand signal. Sustained net inflows tend to support rents and home prices when supply cannot keep up, while net outflows can soften them. Read this alongside Monterey, CA's price forecast, building permits, and affordability on the full county dashboard before drawing a conclusion.
How current is this Monterey, CA migration data?
It comes from IRS Statistics of Income county-to-county migration data, which is released about two years after the tax year it covers; the figures above reflect the 2023 tax year. That lag is normal for this dataset, which counts actual tax returns rather than survey estimates.