Petaluma receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Santa Rosa
Petaluma
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 42%
vs57 · Top 49%
Growth
51 · Top 48%
vs56 · Top 39%
Climate
81 · Top 15%
vs81 · Top 15%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 12%
vs20 · Bottom 14%
Housing affordability
47 · Bottom 8%
vs46 · Bottom 8%
Access
70 · Bottom 12%
vs79 · Bottom 21%
Economic stability
66 · Top 39%
vs70 · Top 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Santa Rosa | Petaluma | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 177,090 | 59,247 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $99,060 | $115,430 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,066 | $60,931 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,163/sq mi | 4,110/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $713,900 | $878,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,152 | $2,440 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.7% | 64.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.1% | 43.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.7% | 6.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 683 | 225 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.9 | 3.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 164.7% | 177.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.8" | 20.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 57 mi | 42 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 32.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.2 | 45.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 58 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.52 | 22.64 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 58.8% | 41.5% | 2024-25 school 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
Santa Rosa
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
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.
Santa Rosa
55
Your Score
51
Area Score
Petaluma
58
Your Score
53
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Santa Rosa, CA · Petaluma, CA · How this is calculated: methodology