Monterey County bookkeeping and payroll

Last reviewed: October 2026

General information, not legal advice.

Monterey employer totals and independent operators

County figures: 9,212 employer establishments, including 8,843 with 1-49 employees, and 26,932 solo businesses (nonemployers), from the 2023 Census business datasets. In 2025 the county recorded 3,530 new business applications, +67% versus 2019. Applications are not a count of businesses that opened.

The research radius analysis places 56.8% of Monterey County's population within 100 miles of Atascadero. Coverage is measured using census-tract centroids, not driving distance. These business totals cover the entire county; they are not counts restricted to the radius.

Sources: Census County Business Patterns 2023: Monterey County; Census Nonemployer Statistics 2023: Monterey County; Census Business Formation Statistics: county applications; Census ACS 2024 population: tract-based radius analysis; Census Gazetteer 2025: radius geography

Food, wine, farm and construction establishments

Across Monterey County, the county-level segment counts are 1,107 construction employer establishments and 2,102 construction nonemployers; 905 restaurants/food-service establishments; 40 employer wineries; and 1,057 farms (USDA 2022). These categories use different datasets and should not be added together as one business total.

For the full radius, research estimates ~2,550 real estate employer establishments and ~15,100 nonemployers. This is a population-weighted regional comparison rather than a Monterey count.

Sources: Census County Business Patterns 2023: Monterey County; Census Nonemployer Statistics 2023: Monterey County; USDA 2022 Census of Agriculture: Monterey County

Wastewater capacity and irrigation connections

Greenfield: New wastewater treatment plant (capacity from 1.2 to 2 MGD). Amount recorded: $111.3 million total ($75 million grant + $36.3 million SRF loan at 2.2%). Source status (2026): Funded; construction management contract approved. Agency: City of Greenfield (State Water Board / Central Coast Water Board funding).
Soledad: Recycled Water Project: about 4.7 miles of recycled water pipeline and irrigation improvements serving schools and parks. Source status (2026): Construction began; completion is a FY 2026-27 goal. Agency: City of Soledad.

Sources: Greenfield: wastewater capacity and irrigation connections; Soledad: wastewater capacity and irrigation connections

Sidewalk grants and a downtown funding request

King City: Citywide sidewalk improvements (repairs, ADA ramps, new sidewalk) funded by a $3.5 million CDBG. Amount recorded: $3.5 million. Source status (None): Grant received. Agency: City of King.
King City: King City Downtown Streetscape Project, final phase (landscaping, public art, pedestrian safety, bike infrastructure). Amount recorded: $950,000 Community Project Funding requested (FY 2026 THUD). Source status (2025): Shovel-ready; federal request May 2025. Agency: City of King.

Sources: King City: sidewalk grants and a downtown funding request; King City: sidewalk grants and a downtown funding request

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