Residential comparison · 13 facts
San Rafael, CA vs Santa Rosa, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in San Rafael needs about $79,500 in Santa Rosa to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Santa Rosa, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $90,500 in San Rafael.
A few differences
- San Rafael is higher on median household income ($119,435 vs $99,060).
- Santa Rosa is lower on cost of living index (138 vs 181).
- Santa Rosa is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,192/mo vs $2,664/mo).
San Rafael vs Santa Rosa · facet by facet
| Facet | San Rafael, CA | Santa Rosa, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,355,600 | $713,900 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,664/mo | $2,192/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Cost of living index | 181 | 138 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $119,435 | $99,060 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 260 days | 260 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: San Rafael, CA · Santa Rosa, CA
Questions & answers
- Is San Rafael cheaper than Santa Rosa?
- Santa Rosa has the lower day-to-day cost index (138 vs 181 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Santa Rosa equals $85,000 in San Rafael?
- A household earning $85,000 in San Rafael needs about $79,500 in Santa Rosa to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Santa Rosa lifestyle costs about $90,500 in San Rafael.