Santa Rosa-Petaluma receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Salinas
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 32%
vs55 · Bottom 49%
Growth
48 · Bottom 47%
vs53 · Top 45%
Climate
89 · Top 1%
vs81 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
10 · Bottom 3%
vs19 · Bottom 9%
Housing affordability
44 · Bottom 1%
vs46 · Bottom 1%
Access
47 · Bottom 10%
vs62 · Bottom 25%
Economic stability
58 · Top 41%
vs82 · Top 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Salinas | Santa Rosa-Petaluma | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 437,613 | 485,040 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $97,230 | $104,674 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,422 | $56,640 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 133/sq mi | 308/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $781,000 | $815,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,055 | $2,158 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.1% | 62.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.2% | 38.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.7% | 8.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 891 | 1,671 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.0 | 3.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 48.0% | 74.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 71°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 12.6" | 33.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 85 mi | 67 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.3 min | 26.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.5 | 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
Salinas
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, wildfire.
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.
Salinas
49
Your Score
46
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: Salinas, CA Metro Area · Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology