Where to live

Where to live near Presidio of Monterey

10 towns within about an hour of the main post area: drive time, rent, home values and the school district for each.

Town centers and the main post area. Dot size is population.

Quick answers

ClosestMonterey4 min drive

Biggest nearbySalinas161,761 people

Lowest median rentWatsonville$1,889 a month

Most E-5 BAH left overCastroville$1,722 over a 2-bedroom

10 towns, closest first

Towns around Presidio of Monterey

The green or red number is an E-5 with dependents' 2026 BAH ($3,465) minus that town's median 2-bedroom rent. Check your own pay grade.

Monterey, CA

4 min drive · 1.9 road mi

Median rent: $2,353
2 bedrooms: $2,424
3 bedrooms: $3,501
Home value: $1,076,300
People: 29,613
Homes rented: 64%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,041 a month

Monterey Peninsula Unified School District: 20 schools, 9,252 students, 19.7 students per teacher. District facts

Seaside, CA

9 min drive · 4.6 road mi

Median rent: $2,409
2 bedrooms: $2,198
3 bedrooms: $2,924
Home value: $787,100
People: 31,814
Homes rented: 65%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,267 a month

Monterey Peninsula Unified School District: 20 schools, 9,252 students, 19.7 students per teacher. District facts

Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA

9 min drive · 5.8 road mi

Median rent: $2,707
2 bedrooms: $3,172
3 bedrooms: $2,826
Home value: $2,000,001
People: 3,162
Homes rented: 40%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$293 a month

Carmel Unified School District: 9 schools, 2,159 students, 15.8 students per teacher. District facts

Pacific Grove, CA

11 min drive · 5.2 road mi

Median rent: $2,455
2 bedrooms: $2,638
3 bedrooms: $3,501
Home value: $1,190,400
People: 14,951
Homes rented: 50%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$827 a month

Pacific Grove Unified School District: 5 schools, 1,727 students, 16.4 students per teacher. District facts

Marina, CA

12 min drive · 8.9 road mi

Median rent: $2,101
2 bedrooms: $2,058
3 bedrooms: $2,900
Home value: $818,700
People: 22,563
Homes rented: 57%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,407 a month

Monterey Peninsula Unified School District: 20 schools, 9,252 students, 19.7 students per teacher. District facts

Del Monte Forest, CA

15 min drive · 8.1 road mi

Median rent: $3,501
2 bedrooms: $3,501
3 bedrooms: $3,501
Home value: $2,000,001
People: 3,613
Homes rented: 13%

E-5 BAH short after the median 2-bedroom rent: -$36 a month

Monterey Peninsula Unified School District: 20 schools, 9,252 students, 19.7 students per teacher. District facts

Castroville, CA

16 min drive · 14.5 road mi

Median rent: $1,948
2 bedrooms: $1,743
3 bedrooms: $2,116
Home value: $617,100
People: 6,720
Homes rented: 54%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,722 a month

North Monterey County Unified School District: 8 schools, 4,435 students, 22 students per teacher. District facts

Carmel Valley Village, CA

27 min drive · 15.7 road mi

Median rent: $2,211
2 bedrooms: $2,513
3 bedrooms: $3,501
Home value: $1,275,500
People: 4,785
Homes rented: 21%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$952 a month

Carmel Unified School District: 9 schools, 2,159 students, 15.8 students per teacher. District facts

Salinas, CA

29 min drive · 20.8 road mi

Median rent: $1,991
2 bedrooms: $2,065
3 bedrooms: $2,240
Home value: $654,100
People: 161,761
Homes rented: 53%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,400 a month

Salinas City Elementary School District (high school: Salinas Union High School District): 15 schools, 8,206 students, 22.5 students per teacher. District facts

Watsonville, CA

34 min drive · 26.8 road mi

Median rent: $1,889
2 bedrooms: $1,775
3 bedrooms: $2,470
Home value: $686,000
People: 51,712
Homes rented: 55%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,690 a month

Pajaro Valley Joint Unified School District: 34 schools, 17,013 students, 21.2 students per teacher. District facts

Where these numbers come from

Towns: every town, city and census place of 1,000 or more people within about an hour's drive, from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Drive time: from each town's center to the main post area on OpenStreetMap roads, without traffic, so rush hour runs longer.
Rent, home value, renters: Census American Community Survey 2020-2024 medians. They include long-time renters and utilities, so new leases usually cost more. Use them to compare towns, and the HUD rent on the BAH page for today's level.
Schools: the public district that covers each town's center, with size from the NCES Common Core of Data (2023-24). Confirm the school for a specific address with the district.

Updated October 12, 2026. How we get our numbers.

Presidio of Monterey base guide Presidio of Monterey BAH Other bases

FAQ

Living near Presidio of Monterey

What is the closest town to Presidio of Monterey?

Monterey, CA is about 4 minutes from the main post area (1.9 road miles) without traffic.

What is the biggest town near Presidio of Monterey?

Salinas, CA, with about 161,761 people, 29 minutes from the main post area. Bigger towns usually mean more rentals, schools and jobs to choose from.

Which town near Presidio of Monterey has the lowest rent?

Watsonville, CA, where the Census median rent is $1,889 a month (rent plus utilities, 2020-2024 average). New leases usually cost more than the median, so check current listings too.

Does BAH cover rent near Presidio of Monterey?

For an E-5 with dependents the 2026 DoD BAH is $3,465 a month. That is at or above the Census median 2-bedroom rent in 9 of the 10 towns here with a Census figure for that size, with the most left over in Castroville, CA.

What school district serves Monterey?

Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, with 20 schools and 9,252 students (19.7 students per teacher), from the NCES Common Core of Data. Always confirm the school for a specific address with the district.