The Town FilesSan Rafael, California
City in Marin County · population 61,271 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,355,600
- Household income
- $119,435
- Jan low / Jul high
- 43° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 43.2
San Rafael is a city of 61,271 people in Marin County, California. The median home is worth $1,355,600, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more seaside character than 91% of California towns, better for young professionals than 87% of California towns, better transit than 87% of California towns.
How San Rafael 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 San Rafael is worth $1,355,600, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 11.4 times the median household income of $119,435, which is more affordable than 4% of California towns. Median rent is $2,377 a month. 53.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | San Rafael | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,355,600 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,377 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $119,435 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 11.4× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 53.0% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in San Rafael
| People | San Rafael | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.2 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.7% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.7% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 28.3% | — |
| Work from home | 26.3% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 25.3 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.6% | 93.3% |
Weather in San Rafael
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 42.6°F. About 34.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 3 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of San Rafael since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on December 5, 1998 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 5, 1998.
Severe weather in Marin County since 1996
Marin County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, 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 |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3428: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Marin County
Marin County had 110,934 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $93,552 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in San Rafael itself the ACS puts it at 5.4%.
Public schools in San Rafael
21 public schools with 9,071 students, about 20.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Rafael High | 9-12 | 1,302 | 21.7 |
| Terra Linda High | 9-12 | 1,205 | 20.8 |
| James B. Davidson Middle | 6-8 | 1,040 | 19.3 |
| Venetia Valley K-8 | K-8 | 771 | 20.3 |
| Miller Creek Middle | 6-8 | 593 | 17.4 |
| Bahia Vista Elementary | K-5 | 542 | 24.6 |
| Sun Valley Elementary | K-5 | 509 | 23.1 |
| San Pedro Elementary | K-5 | 497 | 22.6 |
| Mary E. Silveira Elementary | K-5 | 437 | 24.3 |
| Vallecito Elementary | K-5 | 412 | 22.9 |
| Coleman Elementary | K-5 | 380 | 23.8 |
| Lucas Valley Elementary | K-5 | 364 | 24.3 |
Towns near San Rafael
- Santa Venetia, CA1.7 mi · 4,289 people · home $1,006,300
- Larkspur, CA3.1 mi · 13,064 people · home $1,996,600
- Corte Madera, CA3.4 mi · 10,222 people · home $1,755,200
- San Anselmo, CA3.4 mi · 12,830 people · home $1,576,700
- Kentfield, CA4.2 mi · 6,808 people · home $2,000,001
- Fairfax, CA4.8 mi · 7,605 people · home $1,163,600
- Mill Valley, CA5.4 mi · 14,231 people · home $2,000,001
- Lucas Valley-Marinwood, CA5.6 mi · 6,259 people · home $1,445,600
San Rafael questions
Is San Rafael, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, San Rafael scores better for retirees than 57% of California towns and quieter than 35%. 20.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.2).
How much does a house cost in San Rafael?
The median owner-occupied home in San Rafael is valued at $1,355,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $119,435, so homes cost about 11.4 times income. Median rent is $2,377 a month.
What is the weather like in San Rafael?
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 42.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does San Rafael get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of San Rafael since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on December 5, 1998. The typical California town has had 2.
- 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)