Napa receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Napa
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
Opportunity
70 · Top 24%
vs55 · Bottom 49%
Growth
34 · Bottom 25%
vs53 · Top 45%
Climate
81 · Top 4%
vs81 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
22 · Bottom 11%
vs19 · Bottom 9%
Housing affordability
48 · Bottom 2%
vs46 · Bottom 1%
Access
79 · Top 45%
vs62 · Bottom 25%
Economic stability
76 · Top 18%
vs82 · Top 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Napa | Santa Rosa-Petaluma | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 134,869 | 485,040 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $111,471 | $104,674 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $61,040 | $56,640 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 179/sq mi | 308/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $869,500 | $815,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,237 | $2,158 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.4% | 62.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.8% | 38.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.5% | 8.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 355 | 1,671 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 3.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -9.9% | 74.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 20.2" | 33.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 42 mi | 67 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 26.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.9 | 42.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Napa
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, inland flooding.
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Napa
59
Your Score
54
Area Score
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
57
Your Score
52
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Napa, CA Metro Area · Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology