Employers, employees and customers will find this heart of the City a delightful relief from the typical mall, power center or office park environment. Characteristics include:



In April 1997 Readers Digest Poll Ranked Salinas In The Top 25 Of The Best Places To Raise A Family. Entrepreneur Magazine, Regarded As A Small Business Authority, Ranked Salinas Among The Top Ten Cities For Small Businesses Opportunities.

The City of Salinas anchors the northern part of the Salinas Valley and is the Monterey County seat. The city stands in its historic rural setting, poised to capitalize on the opportunities of the future. With a population exceeding 130,000 there is constant pressure to grow.

Oldtown Salinas continues is the heart and soul of this thriving community. Splendid examples of Victorian and later era architecture create a pleasurable atmosphere for visitors, professionals, specialty shops, restaurants and community events.

Photo: Steinbeck House


The Salinas City Hall and the Monterey County Administrative Offices, both within walking distance of Oldtown attract an array of business and support services. The nearby nexus of interstate highways plus the Monterey-Salinas Transit system and the future Intermodal Transit Center offer convenient access to and from Oldtown setting the stage for a surge of visitors to Oldtown.

The Greater Salinas Valley is home to a $2 billion agricultural industry. Rich soil and a superb climate provide the foundation for the success of a variety of crops that feed the world. The huge labor force generated by the agricultural industry has brought on a surge of affordable housing, enticing more and more people to the area. Our County also boasts a $1.8 billion tourism industry, as thousands of visitors come to the area each year, exploring the beauty of the valley and nearby Monterey Peninsula.

With tremendous social, economic, and geographic diversity, the region promises a bright future for a variety of business interests.



Oldtown Salinas is home to The National Steinbeck Center, a 40,000 square-foot facility in the heart of Oldtown, paying tribute to the Salinas-bred Pulitzer Prize and Nobel Prize winning author John Steinbeck. The Center attracts hundreds of visitors each day and an estimated 250,000 visitors annually. A new "Agricultural Wing" is being developed that will depict the Valley's role in that industry.


The National Steinbeck Center hosts an interactive state-of-the-art museum featuring: John Steinbeck's international appeal combined with the beauty of the Salinas Valley will greatly expand Monterey County's current $1.8 billion tourism industry.



As "Salad Bowl Of The World," (photo: Noel Yzquierdo) the Salinas Valley:
City Demographics Indicate A Healthy Diversity, Skilled Work force, and Opportunity For Economic Growth The City of Salinas acts as a hub for the agricultural, financial, governmental and recreational activity for the county. It is a link in the movement of people from the State's two biggest metropolitan areas, Los Angeles and San Francisco.