Petaluma
Town
Petaluma
- grade B+Overall Grade
- Rating 4.05 out of 5 192 reviews
Report Card
- Public Schoolsgrade A
- Crime & Safetygrade C+
- Housinggrade D+
- Nightlifegrade A minus
- Good for Familiesgrade B+
- Diversitygrade A minus
- Jobsgrade B minus
- Weathergrade A
- Cost of Livinggrade D+
- Health & Fitnessgrade A minus
- Outdoor Activitiesgrade A
- Commutegrade B
editorial
About
Real Estate
Median Home Value
$697,700
National
$244,900Median Rent
$2,144
National
$1,163Area Feel
Dense Suburban
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Map
Map
Home Listings
Petaluma Rankings
Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and expert insights.
Crime & Safety
Crime & Safety
grade C+
Based on violent and property crime rates.
Violent Crimes
- Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
- Assault320.7national 282.7
- Murder3.3national 6.1
- Rape41.1national 40.7
- Robbery54.3national 135.5
Property Crimes
- Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
- Burglary148national 500.1
- Theft981.8national 2,042.8
- Motor Vehicle Theft113.5national 284
Residents
Working in Petaluma
Jobs
grade B minus
Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
Median Household Income
$100,379
National
$69,021Top Public Schools Serving Petaluma
- grade A+
Wilson Elementary School
- grade A
Petaluma Accelerated Charter School
- Rating 3.8 out of 5 5 reviews
- grade A minus
Valley Oaks High (Alternative)
- Rating 5 out of 5 2 reviews
- grade A minus
McKinley Elementary School
- Rating 5 out of 5 2 reviews
- grade A minus
Live Oak Charter School
- Rating 5 out of 5 2 reviews
Top Private Schools Near Petaluma
- grade A+
Sonoma Academy
- Rating 4.5 out of 5 48 reviews
- grade A
St. Vincent de Paul College Prep
- Rating 3.79 out of 5 71 reviews
- grade A
Quest Forward Academy Santa Rosa
- Rating 3.62 out of 5 13 reviews
- grade A
Cardinal Newman High School
- Rating 4.06 out of 5 125 reviews
- grade A
Marin Christian Academy and North Bay Christian High School
- Rating 4.67 out of 5 9 reviews
Similar Places
Places like Petaluma
- grade B+Sebastopol
Petaluma Reviews
Rating 4.05 out of 5 192 reviews
I've been living in Petaluma for most of my life growing up. In a couple months I'm moving halfway across the country and despite my issues with Petaluma, I admit I'm going to miss this town. The downtown area is one of a kind, not a whole lot to do if you're young but still enjoyable. There's a great community feel in this town, lots of enjoyable little events. The housing prices are ridiculous here, which is the primary reason I'm moving once I graduate from high school. Unless you grew up rich, it's hard to survive here on your own. I hope to visit again every now and then once I'm out of here, since it's a nice place to look back on. If you can afford it, I recommend this town!
Honesty, a beautiful environment with greenery and golden hillsides if you dislike the urban habitat. For you busy city folks, their are sweet shops with caring employees. Schools are amazing and teach so much! I would say the price is high now, but sooner or later… rivers line some streets with fun outings and restaurants and cafes. My overall experience was so enjoyable. [^u^]
I've lived in Petaluma for some 27 years, having lived in the S.F. Bay Area for 71 years. When I first moved here, it was very enjoyable. It was easy to move about town and I wasn't worried about locking my door. I'd say in the last decade at least, developers have taken over and even the smallest of open area is turned into some type of housing. It is no longer easy to move about town from around 10:30 A.M. on. I make a point of checking my doors are locked before bed. It has gotten very noisy. Sad really, I had hoped moving here would be my last, but alas, no.