San Rafael, California is a medium-sized city with a population of 58,948 residents. With a population density of 3,558 people per square mile, San Rafael is well above the nation's average density level. If we take a look at the last Census, the vast majority of the population falls within one racial group (67% White). Given that fact, San Rafael could be considered less diverse than other cities. Additionally, more than a quarter of the population of San Rafael are of Hispanic or Latino origin, and 25% of the population also speak Spanish. 77% of the people in San Rafael (over the age of 15) are married and 53% have kids under the age of eighteen. Knowing that, it’s safe to say that this area could be a great place for other families to lay down roots.
Are you trying to ascertain if living in San Rafael is the right fit for your lifestyle? To ensure a fulfilling experience before moving to any new city in California, you will probably want to make sure that you check all of the most important boxes. Using the livability score which includes data from categories like amenities, crime, education, employment, housing, you can easily compare the best places to live in San Rafael and also determine if there are any nearby cities that might be a better match for your lifestyle. You can also compare San Rafael to California and the national average.
San Rafael has a livability score of 66/100 and is ranked #571 in California and #15,681 in the USA. Based on the scores for each individual category, San Rafael has been rewarded with high marks for amenities (A+), weather (B) and employment (B). The bad news for San Rafael, there are some categories for which it does not rank well, this includes: crime (D), cost of living (F), education (D) and housing (D).
Conveniently located amenities and interesting attractions are a great way to continuously enjoy San Rafael on a regular basis. Knowing that there are an abundance of amenities and things to do can ensure that you always have access to nearby grocery stores, restaurants and coffee shops. Here are some of the more popular things to do in San Rafael: Marin County Farmers' Market--San Rafael, China Camp State Park, and Jessa Skin.
Assuming that San Rafael meets all of your requirements, the next most important item to examine is the affordability of real estate in San Rafael. Everything else becomes a lot less important if it turns out that home prices in San Rafael are simply unattainable. Median real estate prices in San Rafael come in at $758,600, which is 85.3% higher than the California average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In San Rafael, the home price to income ratio is 9.3, which is 45.3% higher than the California average. Year over year appreciation rates for homes in the San Rafael area were 6.7% and the 5 year appreciation rates came in at 8.2%. Why is this important? Knowing the appreciation rates for any area is a quick and easy way to determine if you will see a solid return on your investment.
| Statistic | San Rafael | California | National |
| Average one way commute | 28min | 28min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 62.2% | 73.5% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 10.6% | 10.6% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 12.0% | 5.2% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 1.6% | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 4.1% | 2.7% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 8.1% | 5.4% | 4.6% |
| Walk | Bike | Compact | Car | S.U.V. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distance | |||||
| Duration | |||||
| Cost/Month |
Here are the best places to live in California
These are the 10 most affordable cities in California
See the best places to live in & around San Rafael
10 Best cities in California for employment