San Rafael, California
Among the top 2% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 1% 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.
- The median home value in San Rafael is $1.2M, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in San Rafael is $114k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in San Rafael is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- San Rafael has a violent crime rate of 1308/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in San Rafael is 28 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
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$12kbetter than 3% 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
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)
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. Median rent is $2k.
- 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.