The Town FilesSt. Helena, California
City in Napa County · population 5,430 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,647,700
- Household income
- $148,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 40° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 48.9
St. Helena is a city of 5,430 people in Napa County, California. The median home is worth $1,647,700, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for retirees than 92% of California towns, better for young professionals than 92% of California towns, better for cycling than 91% of California towns.
How St. Helena 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 St. Helena is worth $1,647,700, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 11.1 times the median household income of $148,750, which is more affordable than 5% of California towns. Median rent is $2,535 a month. 66.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | St. Helena | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,647,700 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,535 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $148,750 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 11.1× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 66.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.9% | — |
Who lives in St. Helena
| People | St. Helena | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.9 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 32.7% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 56.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.1% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 25.1% | — |
| Work from home | 19.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.0% | 93.3% |
Weather in St. Helena
July highs average 88.7°F and January lows 40.2°F. About 34.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 55 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 14 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of St. Helena since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 28, 1958.
Severe weather in Napa County since 1996
Napa County has been included in 39 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 Napa County
Napa County had 80,265 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $70,866 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in St. Helena itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Public schools in St. Helena
5 public schools with 1,101 students, about 12.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Helena High | 9-12 | 421 | 13.6 |
| Saint Helena Elementary | 3-5 | 249 | 14.6 |
| Robert Louis Stevenson Intermediate | 6-8 | 244 | 11.6 |
| Saint Helena Primary | K-2 | 177 | 11.1 |
| Saint Helena Opportunities Program | 12-12 | 10 | 10.0 |
Towns near St. Helena
- Angwin, CA4.6 mi · 2,633 people · home $708,100
- Calistoga, CA7.8 mi · 5,228 people · home —
- Yountville, CA9.9 mi · 3,436 people · home $802,200
- Fetters Hot Springs-Agua Caliente, CA12.8 mi · 4,233 people · home $823,800
- Santa Rosa, CA13.7 mi · 178,127 people · home $713,900
- Boyes Hot Springs, CA13.9 mi · 6,215 people · home $783,300
- El Verano, CA14.9 mi · 3,867 people · home $909,300
- Sonoma, CA15.4 mi · 10,739 people · home $970,500
St. Helena questions
Is St. Helena, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, St. Helena scores better for retirees than 92% of California towns and quieter than 56%. 32.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.9).
How much does a house cost in St. Helena?
The median owner-occupied home in St. Helena is valued at $1,647,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $148,750, so homes cost about 11.1 times income. Median rent is $2,535 a month.
What is the weather like in St. Helena?
July highs average 88.7°F and January lows 40.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does St. Helena get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of St. Helena 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)