The Town FilesSebastopol, California
City in Sonoma County · population 7,521 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $845,700
- Household income
- $87,684
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 49.1
Sebastopol is a city of 7,521 people in Sonoma County, California. The median home is worth $845,700, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks hipper than 91% of California towns, better for young professionals than 82% of California towns, better for retirees than 81% of California towns.
How Sebastopol 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 Sebastopol is worth $845,700, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 9.6 times the median household income of $87,684, which is more affordable than 12% of California towns. Median rent is $1,902 a month. 56.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sebastopol | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $845,700 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,902 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $87,684 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.6× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 56.3% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Sebastopol
| People | Sebastopol | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.9% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 16.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.3% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.7% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.9% | — |
| Work from home | 29.6% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 23.6 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.4% | 93.3% |
Weather in Sebastopol
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 37.3°F. About 39.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 34 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 43 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sebastopol since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 1, 1958 about 2.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 18, 2011.
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 Sebastopol itself the ACS puts it at 6%.
Public schools in Sebastopol
14 public schools with 4,076 students, about 18.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analy High | 9-12 | 1,450 | 19.1 |
| Gravenstein Elementary (charter) | K-5 | 478 | 19.1 |
| Hillcrest Middle (charter) | 6-8 | 289 | 17.0 |
| Apple Blossom | K-5 | 288 | 20.6 |
| Sebastopol Independent Charter (charter) | K-8 | 284 | 18.9 |
| Park Side Elementary | K-4 | 246 | 18.9 |
| Sunridge Charter (charter) | K-8 | 234 | 26.0 |
| Orchard View (charter) | K-12 | 228 | 17.5 |
| Twin Hills Charter Middle (charter) | 6-8 | 207 | 15.9 |
| Brook Haven Middle | 5-8 | 197 | 17.9 |
| Oak Grove Elementary | K-K | 102 | 20.4 |
| Gravenstein First | 1-1 | 41 | 20.5 |
Towns near Sebastopol
- Forestville, CA6.6 mi · 3,264 people · home $730,300
- Santa Rosa, CA7.3 mi · 178,127 people · home $713,900
- Rohnert Park, CA7.8 mi · 44,390 people · home $666,300
- Cotati, CA8.1 mi · 7,584 people · home $746,800
- Larkfield-Wikiup, CA8.8 mi · 8,492 people · home $704,700
- Sonoma State University, CA9.3 mi · 2,679 people · home —
- Windsor, CA9.9 mi · 26,344 people · home $801,100
- Penngrove, CA10.9 mi · 2,637 people · home $1,196,000
Sebastopol questions
Is Sebastopol, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sebastopol scores better for retirees than 81% of California towns and quieter than 55%. 27.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.1).
How much does a house cost in Sebastopol?
The median owner-occupied home in Sebastopol is valued at $845,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $87,684, so homes cost about 9.6 times income. Median rent is $1,902 a month.
What is the weather like in Sebastopol?
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 37.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Sebastopol get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sebastopol since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 1, 1958. 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)