San Rafael
- Town in California
San Rafael
- grade B+Overall Grade
- Town in California
- Rating 4.08 out of 5 66 reviews
Report Card
- Public Schoolsgrade A minus
- Crime & Safetygrade B minus
- Housinggrade D+
- Nightlifegrade A minus
- Good for Familiesgrade B+
- Diversitygrade A
- Jobsgrade C+
- Weathergrade A+
- Cost of Livinggrade D
- Health & Fitnessgrade A
- Outdoor Activitiesgrade A
- Commutegrade A minus
editorial
About
Real Estate
Median Home Value
$1,037,200
National
$244,900Median Rent
$2,122
National
$1,163Area Feel
Urban Suburban Mix
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Home Listings
San Rafael 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 B minus
Based on violent and property crime rates.
Violent Crimes
- Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
- Assault232.4national 282.7
- Murder0national 6.1
- Rape44.4national 40.7
- Robbery114.5national 135.5
Property Crimes
- Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
- Burglary444.4national 500.1
- Theft1,968.8national 2,042.8
- Motor Vehicle Theft854.5national 284
Residents
Working in San Rafael
Jobs
grade C+
Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
Median Household Income
$104,521
National
$69,021Top Public Schools Serving San Rafael
Top Private Schools Near San Rafael
- grade A+
San Francisco University High School
- Rating 3.94 out of 5 67 reviews
- grade A+
The Branson School
- Rating 4.45 out of 5 82 reviews
- grade A+
Marin Academy
- Rating 4.22 out of 5 109 reviews
- grade A+
Convent & Stuart Hall
- Rating 3.98 out of 5 84 reviews
- grade A+
San Domenico School
- Rating 4.46 out of 5 109 reviews
Similar Places
Places like San Rafael
San Rafael Reviews
Rating 4.08 out of 5 66 reviews
San Rafael is basically the arm pit of Marin County. Social services for homeless, mentally unstable and drug addicted people are given here. Single family homes that were once gorgeous are now multi unit and run by slum lords. There are nice pockets near Andy’s market and peacock gap but the downtown is very off. Cute small businesses are made less appealing by the overwhelming amount of tax write off businesses. Things like, smoke shops liquor stores, bail bonds, cash for gold, boost mobile, dirty diner cafes and the transit center make the downtown ugly and attracts the type of people I would want to hide my children from.
San Rafael needs to prioritize home owners who pay the taxes for San Rafael and business owners. Clean up the city and make the streets safe for pedestrians and bicyclists. This town is overrun by cars and idiotic zoning for street parking that clog the streets. San Rafael is overpriced for the community you get if you are trying to buy.
San Rafael needs to prioritize home owners who pay the taxes for San Rafael and business owners. Clean up the city and make the streets safe for pedestrians and bicyclists. This town is overrun by cars and idiotic zoning for street parking that clog the streets. San Rafael is overpriced for the community you get if you are trying to buy.
Lived in San Rafael most of my life. It's in a perfect location and surrounded by natural beauty. People are generally nice.
The population is older and many have lived there for a long time and own their homes. Few options to rent and good luck buying anything for under a million bucks. The main public middle school and the main High School are rough and I'd never send my kids there bec of gangs and fights. Most people of means (of which there are many) send their kids to private schools.
Traffic is horrendous.
Furthermore the homeless make their way here from SF and other places due to the services offered. They've created a city-funded encampment under the freeway and petty crime is frequent. There are nuts on many corners begging and my was bike stolen in broad daylight from a locked bike rack during a 15 minute shopping trip at Andy's Market. The police did nothing despite video evidence, a license plate and the cost of theft reaching felony status.
The population is older and many have lived there for a long time and own their homes. Few options to rent and good luck buying anything for under a million bucks. The main public middle school and the main High School are rough and I'd never send my kids there bec of gangs and fights. Most people of means (of which there are many) send their kids to private schools.
Traffic is horrendous.
Furthermore the homeless make their way here from SF and other places due to the services offered. They've created a city-funded encampment under the freeway and petty crime is frequent. There are nuts on many corners begging and my was bike stolen in broad daylight from a locked bike rack during a 15 minute shopping trip at Andy's Market. The police did nothing despite video evidence, a license plate and the cost of theft reaching felony status.
I moved here in 2012 and was excited to live in walking distance of downtown and driving distance of wonderful hiking trails. Unfortunately over the past few years and especially last year during Covid, the downtown area has gotten really shoddy. There are homeless people hanging out on every street corner. I feel for them and it also makes the area unappealing, with the type of trash you get when people are living in all the doorways of the local shops. There's not a lot to do downtown. There isn't a single restaurant we like or a decent coffee shop (sorry to the two that exist here, we just don't like their coffee). There is no where to sit and relax here, no nice views. The rent is HIGH. The city itself is very loud, with constant construction noise six days a week from 7 am until 8 pm. For people who work at home or have kids, this is very annoying as you have constant noise. It's also not friendly here, sad to say. When I take walks, none of my neighbors say hi.