Windsor receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Windsor
Sonoma
Opportunity
56 · Top 49%
vs54 · Bottom 44%
Growth
55 · Top 41%
vs38 · Bottom 28%
Climate
81 · Top 15%
vs81 · Top 15%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 12%
vs19 · Bottom 13%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 25%
vs34 · Bottom 2%
Access
64 · Bottom 9%
vs79 · Bottom 21%
Economic stability
71 · Top 28%
vs43 · Bottom 21%
Measured values
| Metric | Windsor | Sonoma | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,081 | 10,670 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $133,979 | $98,527 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $55,802 | $73,346 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,507/sq mi | 3,888/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $801,100 | $970,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,433 | $2,226 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.6% | 65.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.3% | 51.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.9% | 10.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 119 | 9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.6 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 197.5% | 12.5% | 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 | 65 mi | 41 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.0 min | 28.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.7 | 57.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.29 | 19.76 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 51.2% | 37.2% | 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
Windsor
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Sonoma
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Windsor, CA · Sonoma, CA · How this is calculated: methodology