The Town FilesPetaluma, California
City in Sonoma County · population 59,776 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $878,600
- Household income
- $115,430
- Jan low / Jul high
- 39° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 45.3
Petaluma is a city of 59,776 people in Sonoma County, California. The median home is worth $878,600, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more seaside character than 88% of California towns, better for young professionals than 81% of California towns, better transit than 81% of California towns.
How Petaluma ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Petaluma is worth $878,600, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 7.6 times the median household income of $115,430, which is more affordable than 33% of California towns. Median rent is $2,440 a month. 64.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Petaluma | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $878,600 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,440 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $115,430 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.6× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 64.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Petaluma
| People | Petaluma | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.1% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 18.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.8% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.5% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.3% | — |
| Work from home | 20.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 30.7 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.9% | 93.3% |
Weather in Petaluma
July highs average 80.8°F and January lows 39.0°F. About 25.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 21 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 21 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Petaluma since 1950.
Severe weather in Sonoma County since 1996
Sonoma County has been included in 36 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| October 16, 2020 | Fire | DR-4569: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Sonoma County
Sonoma County had 206,849 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,422 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Petaluma itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Public schools in Petaluma
38 public schools with 11,142 students, about 21.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casa Grande High | 9-12 | 1,631 | 21.7 |
| Petaluma High | 9-12 | 1,253 | 22.0 |
| Kenilworth Junior High | 7-8 | 824 | 20.6 |
| Heartwood Charter (charter) | K-12 | 600 | 28.6 |
| Mary Collins Charter School at Cherry Valley (charter) | K-8 | 482 | 25.4 |
| Loma Vista Immersion Academy (charter) | K-6 | 468 | 23.4 |
| Sonoma Mountain Elementary (charter) | K-6 | 451 | 26.5 |
| Petaluma Junior High | 7-8 | 428 | 19.5 |
| Corona Creek Elementary | K-6 | 417 | 21.9 |
| McKinley Elementary | K-6 | 385 | 25.7 |
| Grant Elementary | K-6 | 373 | 23.3 |
| Meadow Elementary | K-6 | 371 | 23.2 |
Towns near Petaluma
- Penngrove, CA4.6 mi · 2,637 people · home $1,196,000
- Sonoma State University, CA7.2 mi · 2,679 people · home —
- Cotati, CA7.4 mi · 7,584 people · home $746,800
- Rohnert Park, CA8.3 mi · 44,390 people · home $666,300
- El Verano, CA8.4 mi · 3,867 people · home $909,300
- Boyes Hot Springs, CA9.0 mi · 6,215 people · home $783,300
- Fetters Hot Springs-Agua Caliente, CA9.7 mi · 4,233 people · home $823,800
- Sonoma, CA9.7 mi · 10,739 people · home $970,500
Petaluma questions
Is Petaluma, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Petaluma scores better for retirees than 64% of California towns and quieter than 41%. 22.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.3).
How much does a house cost in Petaluma?
The median owner-occupied home in Petaluma is valued at $878,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $115,430, so homes cost about 7.6 times income. Median rent is $2,440 a month.
What is the weather like in Petaluma?
July highs average 80.8°F and January lows 39.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 25.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Petaluma get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Petaluma in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)