The Town FilesHollister, California
City in San Benito County · population 41,678 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $717,500
- Household income
- $111,834
- Jan low / Jul high
- 39° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 34.1
Hollister is a city of 41,678 people in San Benito County, California. The median home is worth $717,500, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more vibrant than 78% of California towns, more of a college town than 77% of California towns, more walkable than 75% of California towns.
How Hollister ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Hollister is worth $717,500, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.4 times the median household income of $111,834, which is more affordable than 50% of California towns. Median rent is $1,914 a month. 65.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hollister | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $717,500 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,914 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $111,834 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.4× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 65.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Hollister
| People | Hollister | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.0% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 27.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.1% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.9% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 22.1% | — |
| Work from home | 8.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 36.6 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.7% | 93.3% |
Weather in Hollister
July highs average 79.6°F and January lows 38.7°F. About 13.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 25 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 18 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hollister since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 11, 1985 about 0.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on January 6, 2016.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on March 15, 2008.
Severe weather in San Benito County since 1996
San Benito County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in San Benito County
San Benito County had 18,032 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,013 a year. Unemployment was 6% in 2023; in Hollister itself the ACS puts it at 5.6%.
Public schools in Hollister
20 public schools with 10,902 students, about 24.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hollister High | 9-12 | 3,448 | 24.1 |
| Hollister Dual Language Academy | K-8 | 850 | 22.4 |
| Ladd Lane Elementary | K-8 | 760 | 23.0 |
| Spring Grove Elementary | K-8 | 750 | 22.1 |
| Rancho Santana | K-8 | 653 | 29.7 |
| Cerra Vista Elementary | K-8 | 640 | 25.6 |
| Sunnyslope Elementary | K-8 | 640 | 26.7 |
| Calaveras Elementary | K-8 | 599 | 28.5 |
| Rancho San Justo | 6-8 | 589 | 21.8 |
| Hollister Prep (charter) | K-8 | 534 | 31.4 |
| R. O. Hardin Elementary | K-5 | 459 | 24.2 |
| Maze Middle | 6-8 | 420 | 20.0 |
Towns near Hollister
- Ridgemark, CA3.9 mi · 3,212 people · home $850,300
- Aromas, CA12.8 mi · 2,708 people · home $863,500
- Prunedale, CA14.4 mi · 18,885 people · home $833,400
- Gilroy, CA14.6 mi · 59,520 people · home $1,027,400
- Salinas, CA17.3 mi · 163,542 people · home $654,100
- Las Lomas, CA18.4 mi · 3,046 people · home $687,300
- San Martin, CA19.1 mi · 7,008 people · home $1,430,600
- Pajaro, CA19.2 mi · 2,882 people · home $750,000
Hollister questions
Is Hollister, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hollister scores better for retirees than 22% of California towns and quieter than 17%. 11.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.1).
How much does a house cost in Hollister?
The median owner-occupied home in Hollister is valued at $717,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $111,834, so homes cost about 6.4 times income. Median rent is $1,914 a month.
What is the weather like in Hollister?
July highs average 79.6°F and January lows 38.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 13.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Hollister get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hollister since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 11, 1985. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)