Salinas ranked 7th most expensive U.S. city

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV)- It is not a secret that the Golden State is known for its great weather, good food and quality of life... And how expensive it is to call the state home.

When you think of expensive places to live in California you think of San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego, and they are expensive. U.S. News & World Report ranked them the 6th, 2nd and most expensive places in the country, respectively.

Salinas may not come to mind when thinking of expensive areas to live but it was ranked 7th in the United States. It is more expensive than some famous American cities such as New York City, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, etc.

The median home price was measured at $925,458 and the median monthly rent was listed as $1,718. The average annual salary was calculated to be $56,350.

"The region's high cost of living is mainly driven by real estate prices, which are about twice the national median home sale price," said the list. "However, home prices in Salinas are more affordable by California standards, particularly when compared to nearby coastal towns like Monterey, Pacific Grove and Carmel, not to mention the Silicon Valley, which is an hour's drive north."

To see how the rankings were scored, click here.