Petaluma vs Windsor
Petaluma, California versus Windsor, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Petaluma and Windsor score about the same overall (49 vs 52 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Petaluma | Windsor |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $109k | $128k |
| Cost of Living | $86k | $75k |
| Home Value | $806k | $723k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.67% | 0.88% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 21.20% | 21.20% |
| Unemployment | 4.7% | 3.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 48°F | 48°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 64°F | 67°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 25.6 in | 33.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 284 days | 312 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 51°F |
| Comfortable Days | 148 days | 155 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 94.0 | 90.1 |
| Air Quality | 34 AQI | 16 AQI |
| School Quality | 95.5 | 70.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1431/100k | 945/100k |
| Property Crime | 1209/100k | 1150/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 59,682 | 26,320 |
| Median Age | 43.5 | 41.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.41 | 0.52 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+68 | D+53 |
| White (%) | 69.2% | 59.3% |
| Black (%) | 1.3% | 0.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 19.3% | 32.1% |
| Asian (%) | 4.7% | 2.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.6% | 5.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 31 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 15.5/20 | 14.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 43 mi | 65 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.4% | 94.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 20.44 | 17.86 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Petaluma or Windsor more affordable?
- Windsor has the lower cost of living: its index is $75k, compared with Petaluma's $86k and Windsor's $75k. Median rent is $2k in Petaluma versus $2k in Windsor.
- Is Petaluma or Windsor safer?
- Windsor has the lower violent crime rate. Petaluma reports 1431/100k and Windsor reports 945/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Petaluma or Windsor?
- The median home value is $806k in Petaluma and $723k in Windsor, so homes are more affordable in Windsor.