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Moving to Petaluma, CA?

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Everything You Should Know Before Moving to Petaluma, CA

Considering a move to Petaluma, CA? With a friendly population of nearly 60,000, this Sonoma County city offers a mild climate featuring 69% sunny days, outstanding schools, and a vibrant downtown. Home values average around $885,000, and rents for a two-bedroom are about $2,350, reflecting the higher Bay Area cost of living. Petaluma boasts low violent crime (142 per 100K), short 30-minute average commutes, and strong educational attainment—perfect for families and professionals seeking charm, safety, and a laid-back Northern California lifestyle.

Demographics - Petaluma, CA

Demographics - Petaluma, CA

Petaluma is home to nearly 60,000 residents, with a median age of just over 41, reflecting a mature and diverse community. The city features a strong mix of cultures, with about 24% identifying as Hispanic or Latino and nearly one in five residents speaking a language other than English at home. Its balanced gender ratio and moderate population density contribute to a welcoming small-city atmosphere.

demograph population
Population:
59,776
demograph density
Density:
4,500 per sq mi
demograph median age
Median Age:
41.2
Demograph Gender Ratio
Gender Ratio:
95 males per 100 females
demograph Non English Speakers Percentage
Non-English Speakers Percentage:
19.4%
demograph ethnicCompositionEthnic Composition
demograph whites
White:
69.2%
demograph blacks
Black:
1.1%
demograph asian
Asian:
3.5%
demograph others
Others:
2.6%
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People moving

Cost Of Living

Cost Of Living

What is the average cost of living in Petaluma, CA?

Living in Petaluma comes with a higher-than-average cost, as reflected by a cost of living index of 163.2 and median home prices around $885,000. Monthly rents for a two-bedroom apartment average $2,350, and utility and transportation costs are above national norms. While costs are high, residents enjoy access to quality amenities and a desirable Northern California lifestyle.

cost of living medianHouseValue
Median House Value:
$885,000
cost of living grossRent
Gross Rent:
$2,350
cost of living monthlyElectricityCharges
Monthly Electricity Charges:
$175
cost of living autoInsurance
Auto Insurance:
$1,950
cost of living houseownerCostWithMortgage
House Owner Cost With Mortgage:
$3,250
cost of living houseownerCostWithoutMortgage
House Owner Cost Without Mortgage:
$950
cost of living stateTaxes State Taxes:
Low:
1%
|
High:
13.3%
cost of living costOfLivingIndex
Cost Of Living Index:
163.2
cost of living grocery
Grocery:
129.3
cost of living housing
Housing:
227.0
cost of living utilities
Utilities:
115.6
cost of living transportation
Transportation:
136.2
cost of living health-care
Health Care:
117.8
cost of living miscellaneous
Miscellaneous:
108.9

Crime

Crime

Is Petaluma, CA a safe place to live?

Petaluma enjoys a relatively low violent crime rate of 142 incidents per 100,000 people, making it a safe choice for families and professionals. Property crime occurs at a moderate rate, with a 1 in 74 chance annually, but overall, the city maintains a secure and community-focused environment. Residents benefit from a strong sense of safety and neighborhood cohesion.

crime voilentCrimes
Violent Crimes Per 100k:
142
crime propertyCrime
Property Crimes Per 100k:
1,349
crime crimeIndex
Crime Index:
1,491
crime chanceOfViolentCrime
Chance Of Violent Crime:
1 in 704
crime chanceOfPropertyCrime
Chance Of Property Crime:
1 in 74
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Weather

Weather

What is the weather like in Petaluma, CA year-round?

Petaluma boasts a mild Mediterranean climate, with summer highs averaging 83°F and winter lows rarely dipping below 38°F. The city receives about 24 inches of annual rainfall and enjoys sunshine nearly 70% of the year. This pleasant weather supports an active, outdoor-oriented lifestyle year-round.

weather winterWinter
weather min
Min:
38°F
weather max
Max:
58°F
weather springSpring
weather min
Min:
44°F
weather max
Max:
70°F
weather summerSummer
weather min
Min:
50°F
weather max
Max:
83°F
weather fallFall
weather min
Min:
45°F
weather max
Max:
76°F
weather averageRainfallInches
Average Rainfall Inches:
24.1 inches
weather sunnyDays Percentage
Sunny Days Percentage:
69%

Neighbors

Neighbors

Residents of Petaluma enjoy a comfortable standard of living, with a median household income topping $100,000 and a low poverty rate of 7.2%. Most adults have at least a high school diploma, and nearly half hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, reflecting a well-educated community. Commute times average about 30 minutes, and unemployment remains below 4%, supporting both career growth and work-life balance.

neighbor medianIncome
Median Income:
$54,800
neighbor householdIncome
Household Income:
$100,200
neighbor familyIncome
Family Income:
$120,500
neighbor perCapitaIncome
Per Capita Income:
$47,400
neighbor incomeMale
Income Male:
$62,000
neighbor incomeFemale
Income Female:
$49,500
neighbor povertyRate
Poverty Rate:
7.2%
neighbor nonEnglishSpeakers
Non English Speakers:
19.4%
neighbor rent
Rent:
$2,350
neighbor unemployment
Unemployment Rate:
3.8%
neighbor publicTransport
Public Transport Usage:
3.1%
neighbor commuteTime
Commute Time:
30.2 minutes
neighbor educationEducation
neighbor highSchool
High School or Higher:
92.8%
neighbor bachelors
Bachelors or More:
40.1%
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People moving

Education

Education

How are the schools in Petaluma, CA?

Families in Petaluma benefit from strong educational options, including well-regarded public schools such as Petaluma High School and access to local colleges like Santa Rosa Junior College’s Petaluma Campus. Class sizes in public schools average around 2124 students per teacher, and private schooling is also available. Higher education opportunities are nearby, supporting lifelong learning and workforce development.

education PublicSchoolsPublic Schools
education publicName
Name:
Petaluma High School
education publicStreet
Street:
201 Fair St
education publicPhone
Phone:
707-778-4652
education publicStudents
Students:
1,300
education publicStudentTeacherRatio
Student Teacher Ratio:
24.1


education publicName
Name:
Kenilworth Junior High School
education publicStreet
Street:
800 Riesling Rd
education publicPhone
Phone:
707-778-4724
education publicStudents
Students:
950
education publicStudentTeacherRatio
Student Teacher Ratio:
21.3


education privateSchoolsPrivate Schools
education privateName
Name:
St. Vincent de Paul High School
education privateStreet
Street:
849 Keokuk St
education privatePhone
Phone:
707-763-1032
education privateStudents
Students:
200


education collegesColleges
education collegeName
Name:
Santa Rosa Junior College – Petaluma Campus
education collegeCity
City:
Petaluma
education collegeState
State:
CA
education collegeDistance
Distance:
0 miles
education collegeStudents
Students:
6,000


education collegeName
Name:
Sonoma State University
education collegeCity
City:
Rohnert Park
education collegeState
State:
CA
education collegeDistance
Distance:
14 miles
education collegeStudents
Students:
8,600


Healthcare

Healthcare

Healthcare in Petaluma is robust, with access to top facilities like Petaluma Valley Hospital and a high rate of insurance coverage at 93.8%. The city offers about 2.7 physicians per 1,000 residents, ensuring timely access to both routine and emergency care. Residents benefit from a well-developed healthcare infrastructure and quality medical services.

healthcare majorHospitals Major Hospitals
healthcare hospitalName
Name:
Petaluma Valley Hospital
healthcare hospitalAddress
Address:
400 N McDowell Blvd, Petaluma, CA 94954
healthcare hospitalPhone
Phone:
(707) 778-1111
healthcare hospitalType
Type:
General & Surgical
healthcare emergencyServices
Emergency Services:
Yes


healthcare hospitalName
Name:
Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center
healthcare hospitalAddress
Address:
401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
healthcare hospitalPhone
Phone:
(707) 571-4000
healthcare hospitalType
Type:
General & Surgical
healthcare emergencyServices
Emergency Services:
Yes


healthcare physiciansPer1000
Physicians Per 1000:
2.7
healthcare healthInsuranceCoverage
Health Insurance Coverage:
93.8%
healthcare healthCareIndex
Health Care Index:
77.1
Healthcare
Housing Market

Housing Market

Housing Market

What is the housing market like in Petaluma, CA?

Petaluma’s housing market is characterized by high demand, with median home prices at $885,000 and a strong owner-occupancy rate of nearly 68%. Rental options are relatively limited, with a low vacancy rate of 3.6% and average rents around $2,350 for a two-bedroom. The market has seen steady appreciation, reflecting the city’s ongoing desirability and stable investment potential.

housing market medianHomePrice
Median Home Price:
$885,000
housing market averageRentFor2Bedroom
Average Rent For 2 Bedroom:
$2,350
housing market ownerOccupiedRate
Owner Occupied Rate:
67.9%
housing market rentalVacancyRate
Rental Vacancy Rate:
3.6%
housing market homeAppreciationRate1Yr
Home Appreciation Rate (1yr):
4.1%
housing market newConstructionRate
New Construction Rate:
1.1%
housing market foreclosureRate
Foreclosure Rate:
0.3%

DMV Information

DMV Information

Petaluma residents can conveniently access the California Department of Motor Vehicles at the local Southpoint Blvd branch. This DMV office provides essential services like driver licensing, vehicle registration, and title transfers. For information and appointments, residents can visit the state DMV website or call the dedicated service line.

dmv state
State:
California
dmv department
Department:
California Department of Motor Vehicles
dmv address
Address:
715 Southpoint Blvd, Petaluma, CA 94954
dmv phone
Phone:
1-800-777-0133
DMV

Disclaimer: The information provided on this page is based on publicly available sources including AccuWeather, U.S. Census Bureau, local government data, and third-party partners such as Neustar. While we strive to ensure accuracy, all data is provided “as is” and should be independently verified before making any decisions. Movers.com makes no guarantees regarding the completeness or reliability of the information.

Top Movers in Petaluma, CA

Planning a relocation in or near Petaluma? We have you covered. Whether you're moving across a street or across town, our dependable network of local movers is ready to handle every aspect of your relocation. Find expert movers who will make your move as seamless, efficient, and stress-free as possible, from packing and loading to transporting and unpacking. Explore specialty moving services, compare estimates, and contact a reputable moving company in Petaluma.

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FAQs About Moving to Petaluma, CA

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Check the cost of living, housing, traffic, and public transit in Petaluma. Each neighborhood has its own vibe, so pick one that fits your lifestyle. Be prepared for Petaluma climate and weather.

Moving within Petaluma usually costs between $300 and $1,500. Moving long distances can cost anywhere from $2,000 to more than $5,000. The price may go up if you need extra services like packing or storage. Fill out Movers.com quote form to compare the quotes easily.

While moves happen year-round, spring and fall are often more comfortable in Petaluma. Booking outside of peak summer or winter seasons can save money and make scheduling easier.

Yes! Majority of moving companies in Petaluma offer full service moving, which means they will help you pack, unpack, and arrange your belongings.

You should plan your move from Petaluma at least 4 to 8 weeks in advance, especially if you're moving during the busy season (summer). You can get better availability, prices, and flexibility with your moving date if you book early. If you book at the last minute, you may have fewer choices or pay more.
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