NAICS 62

Healthcare and Social Assistance in Salinas, CA

Metro Market Score 32.3 (Favorable), ranked #30 of 248 metros. 6,384 establishments, 20,480 jobs.

Metro Market Score 32.3

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Favorable

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national healthcare and social assistance average.

💰High-Cost Market📈Rapid Growth🌱Emerging Market

Employment in Salinas's healthcare and social assistance sector grew faster than most metros last year, pushing its growth trend index to 96.0. Combined with a 32.3 market score, this metro sits in the top quartile for overall conditions.

Industry Concentration

8.1

LQ: 0.71

Rank #20 of 248 metros

Wage Competitiveness

84.7

$69,504 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 96.0

Employment growth index

Rank #11 of 248 metros

Wage Pressure

39.5

YoY wage change index

6,384 Healthcare and Social Assistance Firms in Salinas

6,384

Establishments

+13.1% YoY

20,480

Total Employment

+10.9% YoY

$69,504

Average Annual Wage

+2.8% YoY

0.71

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within California

#9 of 24

healthcare and social assistance metros in state

California state rank

#49 of 51

for healthcare and social assistance entry risk

vs State Median

-4.8

better than median (37.1)

Salinas vs California Statewide

How this metro's healthcare and social assistance market compares to California overall. The state ranks #49/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Salinas	CA Statewide
Overall Score	32.3 Favorable	54.6 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#30 of 248 metros	#49 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Salinas

Construction 31.6 Information 32.5 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 37.9 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 39.8 Other Services 50.2 Administrative and Support Services 51.2 Finance and Insurance 52.3 Retail Trade 53.7 Accommodation and Food Services 75.7

Healthcare and Social Assistance in Other California Metros

Visalia 15.8 #4/248 Merced 17.5 #6/248 Bakersfield-Delano 18.6 #7/248 El Centro 21.7 #8/248 Stockton-Lodi 26.8 #14/248 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura 26.9 #15/248 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario 27.0 #16/248 Hanford-Corcoran 31.8 #26/248 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles 34.9 #41/248 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim 36.2 #49/248

+ 13 more metros. View all in California →

Healthcare and Social Assistance Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Salinas's 32.3 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Mansfield, OH 32.1 #29/248 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI 32.5 #31/248 Columbus, IN 32.0 #28/248 Sumter, SC 32.6 #32/248 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL 31.8 #27/248 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 32.8 #33/248 Hanford-Corcoran, CA 31.8 #26/248 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL 31.4 #25/248 Iowa City, IA 31.1 #24/248 Albany, OR 33.6 #34/248

Healthcare and Social Assistance in States Bordering California

State-level entry risk for healthcare and social assistance in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Nevada 37.2 #22/51 Arizona 44.1 #32/51 Oregon 55.6 #50/51

Browse Healthcare and Social Assistance in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for healthcare and social assistance across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Salinas's healthcare and social assistance sector, the wage competitiveness component (84.7) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Salinas, CA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment