Census place 0668364

San Rafael

A Census profile of the people, homes, and daily patterns that shape this place.

Official Census name: San Rafael city

Relocation snapshot

What stands out in San Rafael.

According to the 2025 estimate, San Rafael has a population of 59,410 and 3,582 residents per square mile. Of the six relocation measures evaluated, the three largest relative differences from the median among 376 covered California places are: median home value is $1,355,600, above the comparison median of $717,000; median household income is $119,435, above the comparison median of $98,132; and average annual high is 64.1°F, below the comparison median of 74.8°F. These unweighted medians compare covered Census places and are not statewide estimates.

median home value
$1,355,600
Above the comparison median of $717,000
median household income
$119,435
Above the comparison median of $98,132
average annual high
64.1°F
Below the comparison median of 74.8°F

National context

Follow the metrics.

Compare San Rafael's values with other covered Census places. Rankings are descriptive, not recommendations.

At a glance

A city in numbers.

Population
59,410
2025 estimate
Annual change
-0.7%
Population estimate
Density
3,582/sq mi
16.6 sq mi land area
Median age
43.2 years
ACS 5-year estimate

Living here

The everyday equation.

Households, homes, education, and the time it takes to get around.

Median household income
$119,435
Median home value
$1,355,600
Median gross rent
$2,377
Bachelor’s degree or higher
49.7%
Typical commute
25.3 min
Drive-alone commute
48.3%
Public transit commute
5.6%
Walked to work
4.5%

Housing

Who rents, and what it takes.

Renter share and rent burden help describe the housing choices visible in this place.

Renter-occupied homes
47%
Renters paying 30%+ of income
57.9%

Work

How the workday lands.

Employment status and working-from-home share add context to income and commuting patterns.

Employed residents 16+
60.8%
Unemployed residents 16+
3.5%
Working from home
26.3%

Community

The everyday infrastructure.

Access, mobility, housing growth, and household composition add another layer to a place's day-to-day picture.

Households with broadband
94.6%
Homes built 2020+
0.3%
Households without a vehicle
8.7%
Households with children
27.2%
Residents with a disability
10.2%
Residents without insurance
6.7%

Environmental context

A record of declared events.

FEMA declarations for Marin County provide historical context, not a forecast or a property-level risk assessment.

Environmental declarations since 2000
10
Severe Storm declarations
6
Flood declarations
3
Hurricane declarations
1

Climate normals

The long view of weather.

Thirty-year averages, not a forecast. Temperature and precipitation describe the typical conditions recorded from 1991 through 2020.

Representative station: SAN FRANCISCO DWTN (15 mi from place center)
Average high
64.1°F
Average low
51.3°F
Annual rainfall
22.9"
Annual snowfall
0"

Month by month

A year in San Rafael.

Typical high and low °F
40°F50°F60°F70°F80°F
JFMAMJJASOND
Typical precipitation inches

Data vintage

Population is from the 2025 Population Estimates Program. Household, housing, education, and commute data are from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year release. Disaster declarations are from FEMA's OpenFEMA dataset and are refreshed with this edition.

Similar places

More places to consider.

Selected by the closest mix of population, density, median home value, and average annual high.

Sammamish, WA

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
66,110
Median home
$1,407,300

San Clemente, CA

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
62,226
Median home
$1,398,400

Gilroy, CA

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
60,764
Median home
$1,027,400

Keep exploring

Compare San Rafael with Sammamish