Petaluma, CA
Census place 0656784 · pop 59,247
Once the 'Egg Basket of the World,' its preserved downtown stood in for 1962 Modesto in the film 'American Graffiti.'
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$878,600 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,758/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
99/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
31 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-2.5% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.0% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
274 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
64.5% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities
1198 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
93.9% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
15.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
43.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
6.5% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.65% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
6.7% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
10.0% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
19.0% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$115,430 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
25.2% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
19 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
Frequently asked
- Is Petaluma, CA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Petaluma scores 52/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is air quality (aqi) and its weakest is housing cost. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Petaluma, CA?
- Petaluma reports 274 violent crimes per 100k and 1198 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Petaluma, CA expensive to live in?
- Petaluma has a median home value of $878,600 and typical rent around $2,758/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Petaluma, CA?
- Its weakest measured area is housing cost ($878,600) — 6/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Petaluma, CA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is air quality (aqi) (19 AQI) — 99/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Once the 'Egg Basket of the World,' its preserved downtown stood in for 1962 Modesto in the film 'American Graffiti.'
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.