Petaluma, California
Among the top 1% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 3% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 100% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 41% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 76% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 66% of US places
- top 1% for walkability
- top 2% for comfortable days
- bottom 1% for cost of living
Petaluma is a mid-size city in California with about 60,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include walkability, comfortable days, and annual snowfall. It rates lower on income tax and cost of living.
Official websitecityofpetaluma.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain
cool
comfortable
warm
comf.
cool
86%56%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.1 in0.1 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$109k88th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$86kbetter than 1% of US places
Home Value$806k97th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 3% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 6% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.67%better than 75% of US places
Income Tax13.30%better than 3% of US places
Sales Tax8.85%better than 19% of US places
Estimated total tax burden21.20%better than 4% of US places
Unemployment4.7%better than 42% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)48°F88th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)64°F3rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation25.6 in19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 94% of US places
Sunny Days284 daysbetter than 92% of US places
Summer Humidity53°Fbetter than 86% of US places
Comfortable Days148 daysbetter than 98% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk94.0better than 5% of US places
Air Quality34 AQIbetter than 86% of US places
School Quality95.5better than 84% of US places
Violent Crime1431/100kbetter than 19% of US places
Property Crime1209/100kbetter than 40% of US places
Community
Population59,68298th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age43.560th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4175th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9951st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+681st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)69.2%30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.3%60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)19.3%85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)4.7%90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.6%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time31 minbetter than 23% of US places
Walkability15.5/20better than 99% of US places
Airport Distance43 mibetter than 72% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access93.4%better than 77% of US places
Amenities Nearby20.44better than 22% of US places
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 79% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Petaluma an affordable place to live?
- Petaluma is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $86k, better than 1% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Petaluma?
- The median home value in Petaluma is $806k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Petaluma?
- Median household income in Petaluma is $109k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Petaluma?
- Median gross rent in Petaluma is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Petaluma safe?
- Petaluma is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1431/100k (better than 19%). Property crime is 1209/100k.
- What is the weather like in Petaluma?
- Petaluma averages 64°F in July and 48°F in January, with 25.6 in of annual precipitation and about 284 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Petaluma?
- Public-school quality in Petaluma is above average, scoring better than 84% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Petaluma?
- The average one-way commute in Petaluma is 31 min.
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)