San Rafael, California
Among the top 2% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 2% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 98% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 40% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 87% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 78% of US places
- top 1% for comfortable days
- top 6% for annual snowfall
- bottom 1% for estimated total tax burden
San Rafael is a mid-size city in California with about 61,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include comfortable days, annual snowfall, and walkability. It rates lower on cost of living and estimated total tax burden.
Official websitecityofsanrafael.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Mild summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain
cool
comfortable
cool
83%55%clearovercast
Precipitation 7.3 in0.1 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$114k90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$86kbetter than 1% of US places
Home Value$1.2M99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 4% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$4kbetter than 1% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.80%better than 64% of US places
Income Tax13.30%better than 3% of US places
Sales Tax8.85%better than 19% of US places
Estimated total tax burden24.69%better than 1% of US places
Unemployment4.8%better than 41% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)50°F89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)63°F2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation34.4 in30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 94% of US places
Sunny Days261 daysbetter than 79% of US places
Summer Humidity55°Fbetter than 83% of US places
Comfortable Days209 daysbetter than 99% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk85.0better than 18% of US places
Air Quality30 AQIbetter than 91% of US places
School Quality100.0better than 93% of US places
Violent Crime1308/100kbetter than 23% of US places
Property Crime3027/100kbetter than 7% of US places
Community
Population60,89198th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age44.062nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5690th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9850th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+681st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)55.8%21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.6%63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)32.5%91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)6.1%92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.9%61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time28 minbetter than 39% of US places
Walkability12.8/20better than 94% of US places
Airport Distance25 mibetter than 85% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access94.5%better than 81% of US places
Amenities Nearby50.42better than 39% of US places
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 75% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is San Rafael an affordable place to live?
- San Rafael is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $86k, better than 1% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in San Rafael?
- The median home value in San Rafael is $1.2M, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in San Rafael?
- Median household income in San Rafael is $114k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in San Rafael?
- Median gross rent in San Rafael is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is San Rafael safe?
- San Rafael is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1308/100k (better than 23%). Property crime is 3027/100k.
- What is the weather like in San Rafael?
- San Rafael averages 63°F in July and 50°F in January, with 34.4 in of annual precipitation and about 261 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in San Rafael?
- Public-school quality in San Rafael is above average, scoring better than 93% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in San Rafael?
- The average one-way commute in San Rafael is 28 min.
Other places in Marin County
Places near San Rafael
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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)