The Town FilesSonoma, California
City in Sonoma County · population 10,739 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $970,500
- Household income
- $98,527
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 57.3
Sonoma is a city of 10,739 people in Sonoma County, California. The median home is worth $970,500, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for retirees than 94% of California towns, hipper than 91% of California towns, better for a vacation home than 84% of California towns.
How Sonoma 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 Sonoma is worth $970,500, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 9.9 times the median household income of $98,527, which is more affordable than 10% of California towns. Median rent is $2,226 a month. 65.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sonoma | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $970,500 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,226 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $98,527 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.9× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 65.0% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.5% | — |
Who lives in Sonoma
| People | Sonoma | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 57.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 34.3% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 14.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.2% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.2% | — |
| Work from home | 22.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 25.4 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.3% | 93.3% |
Weather in Sonoma
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 38.4°F. About 28.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 44 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 Sonoma 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 Sonoma itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.
Public schools in Sonoma
9 public schools with 3,317 students, about 19.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonoma Valley High | 9-12 | 1,125 | 19.4 |
| Altimira Middle | 6-8 | 351 | 16.7 |
| Flowery Elementary | K-5 | 350 | 21.9 |
| El Verano Elementary | K-5 | 340 | 22.7 |
| Adele Harrison Middle | 6-8 | 330 | 18.3 |
| Sassarini Elementary | K-5 | 284 | 20.3 |
| Prestwood Elementary | K-5 | 260 | 18.6 |
| Sonoma Charter (charter) | K-8 | 226 | 25.1 |
| Creekside High | 9-12 | 51 | 25.5 |
Towns near Sonoma
- El Verano, CA1.8 mi · 3,867 people · home $909,300
- Boyes Hot Springs, CA2.2 mi · 6,215 people · home $783,300
- Fetters Hot Springs-Agua Caliente, CA3.0 mi · 4,233 people · home $823,800
- Napa, CA8.6 mi · 79,246 people · home $856,400
- Yountville, CA8.8 mi · 3,436 people · home $802,200
- Petaluma, CA9.7 mi · 59,776 people · home $878,600
- Penngrove, CA11.5 mi · 2,637 people · home $1,196,000
- Sonoma State University, CA12.1 mi · 2,679 people · home —
Sonoma questions
Is Sonoma, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sonoma scores better for retirees than 94% of California towns and quieter than 70%. 34.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 57.3).
How much does a house cost in Sonoma?
The median owner-occupied home in Sonoma is valued at $970,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $98,527, so homes cost about 9.9 times income. Median rent is $2,226 a month.
What is the weather like in Sonoma?
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 38.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 28.3 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Sonoma get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Sonoma 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)