Thinking of Moving to Petaluma, CA [🚚]|ULTIMATE Living in Petaluma
Nestled in the heart of California wine country, Petaluma is a gorgeous city within a short drive to Sonoma and Napa. It is located in sunny northern California about 38 miles east of San Francisco. It is one of California’s oldest cities and its riverfront location made it a bustling place to be during California’s Gold Rush era. The city was founded in 1852, just two years after California became a state. The city soon became known as the World’s Egg Basket, with its giant poultry operation. Dairy is still an industry here, and it’s a player in the booming tech industry.
Population & Demographics
In 2019, the population of Petaluma was 60,767. Like all California cities, Petaluma is expensive to live in with an average home value of $633,900. But the city also has a median household income of $91,528 a year, and that is growing rapidly with a 4.3% increase in 2019. People continue to move to this beautiful city and its location near wine country. The city is a diverse place to live with 68.1% white and 10% Hispanic residents. The population also is made up of 4.4% Asian.
If you are wondering if Petaluma is a safe place to live, that answer is yes. The crime rate in Petaluma is slightly lower than the national average at 35.4 property crimes per 100,000 people. The rate in Petaluma is 28.4.
Married couples account for 53.5% of households in Petaluma.
Petaluma, CA Cost of Living
If you are considering moving anywhere in California, you know that the cost of living is high. But it also comes with a beautiful way of life. Petaluma is affordable if you have the right career. The median household income is $91,528 is high, but the average home costs $633,900, which is 2.64 times the national average. Between 2018 and 2019, home values went up 5.49%. And the housing boom is continuing today. Property taxes are cheaper in Petaluma than in many states with an average of $3,000 and up a year. There are 65.9% of people who own a home, and that’s slightly above the national average of 64.1%. Click to see what’s going on with the Petaluma real estate market.
The average rental costs in Petaluma is $2,621.
People in Petaluma have an average commute of 28 minutes.
Petaluma, CA Weather
Anyone moving to California knows the weather is what you will love. It’s sunny, dry weather makes for plenty of things to do outdoors. And it makes the area perfect for growing some of the best grapes — from Cabernet and Pinot Noir, to Chardonnay. The area receives more rain than many southern California cities and gets an average of 30 inches of rain a year, slightly less the 38 inches that is the national average. But if you are thinking about snow, forget about that. There is none of that happening in this city. But what it does get is plenty of sun. There are 260 days of sun with California wine country all around you. While summer temperatures in July average 84 degrees, most days here are perfect. In fact, it has almost a perfect rating of 9.4 on the comfort index for much of the year.
That 38 inches of rain is nothing though, compared to Snoqualmie, WA, where they get an average of 54 inches of rain a year!
Things To Do in Petaluma, CA
With San Francisco and wine country so close, there are plenty of things to do in Petaluma and surrounding areas. Here is a look at a few places to check out.
Did someone say Wine Wednesday (or any other day)?
Being in the heart of wine country in California with less than a half hour drive to Sonoma or Napa only 41 minutes away, there are wineries and food everywhere. This not only makes this a great place to live, but popular for anyone coming to visit you. And while you may have heard of those first two cities, another wine area to check out is Healdsburg 35 minutes to the north. It’s known for Zinfandel and has a beautiful downtown square with places to stay and art galleries. One place to check out there is Rochioli Winery that makes one of the top Pinots in the entire state. You’ll need an appointment to taste.
6192 Westside Road, Healdsburg
Marin French Cheese Company
This cheese place is THE PLACE to be in California for cheese. The Marin French Cheese Company has been around since 1865, making it the oldest cheese company in the United States.
7510 Pt. Reyes-Petaluma Rd., Petaluma
McEvoy Ranch
Try one of the largest producers of organic olive oil in America. Stunning views and plenty to taste at McEvoy Ranch.
Other things to check out in and around Petaluma
· Lagunitas Brewing Company Tap Room
· Petaluma Village Premium Outlets
Petaluma, CA Restaurants
Cucina Paradiso
If you are in the mood for Italian food, Cucina Paradiso is a spot for you. If prosciutto, shrimp and rack of lamb make your mouth water, then here it is. There also is an outdoor patio.
114 Petaluma Blvd N., Petaluma
Water Street Bistro
The place to get a great breakfast is the Water Street Bistro, offering quiche options that include spinach goat cheese, bacon and Swiss and chorizo.
100 Petaluma Blvd N Ste 106, Petaluma
Seared - Petaluma
The place for a great steak dinner after a day of wine tasting is Seared.
Petaluma, CA Map
Check out what Petaluma has to offer by looking at the map below.
Petaluma, CA Statistics & Information
Petaluma is located in Sonoma County. Its Zip Code is 94952. Its elevation is 30 feet.
The city is 14.52 square miles and is located in the Pacific Standard Time Zone.
Petaluma is 41 miles from San Francisco and 413 miles from Los Angeles.
Jobs in Petaluma, CA
Many people in Petaluma work in the San Francisco and wine country area, with an average commute time of 28 minutes to a job. With a median household income of $91,528, jobs pay well. The most common jobs are management and sales. There is wide variety of jobs like education and health care and the tech industry is close, as is wine country.
Like much of California, the residents in the city choose to drive solo with 72.6% doing that. But 11.6% do carpool.
Looking for employment in Petaluma, CA? Click here for an Indeed link to jobs in the area. Some of the most popular jobs are in health care, laborers, order fillers, food workers and teachers.
While there are plenty of sales jobs in the city, people have a wide variety of choices with so many cities nearby.
Schools in Petaluma, CA
Petaluma is served by Petaluma City Schools. The top-rated schools in Petaluma are Liberty Elementary School, Petaluma Accelerated Charter School and Petaluma High School. If parents prefer to send their children to private or parochial school, there are 34 in the Petaluma area to choose from. Students will also have access to the Petaluma Regional Library, as part of the Sonoma County Library System.
Nearby colleges include Napa Valley College, and Stanford is not far away.
The most popular degree at Stanford is computer science. You can also study wine and viticulture at nearby UC-Davis.
Living in Petaluma, CA Pros & Cons
Pro: The warm weather year-round.
Pro: Close to wine country and good jobs.
Con: High cost of living and traffic.
Making a move to Petaluma? Hire Petaluma’s best rated professional moving company to ensure an easy transition! Give Belfor Moving a call today at 415-892-1001 to discuss your move!