Petaluma, California Housing Market Prices
Petaluma Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 77% below the California median$149,559
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Median rent 13% above the California median$2,301
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Petaluma | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $149,559 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 17.6% | 8.9% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $2,301 | $2,036 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.9% | 5.8% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Petaluma is about 77% lower than in California. Rent is about 13% higher than the California average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Petaluma, up about 17.6% and 5.9% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Petaluma rose about 58.4% between 2015 and 2024, from $1,453 to $2,301. Over the same span, rent in California rose about 62.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 1.4 yearly household incomes in Petaluma.
Buying the median-priced home in Petaluma costs roughly 5.4 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Petaluma. The price-to-rent ratio in California is about 26.6.
| Metric | Petaluma | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $149,559 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $110,772 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 1.4 | 6.6 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Petaluma fell about 55.9%, while median household income rose about 52.6% between 2009 and 2025 — income grew faster than the home price.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Petaluma | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 60.7% | 51.7% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 35.5% | 40.8% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 3.8% | 7.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 16.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2010 | 2011 | 2011 |
Petaluma has a homeownership rate of 60.7%, higher than the California average of 51.7%. Its housing vacancy rate is 3.8%, compared with 7.5% in California.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Petaluma | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.42 people | 2.84 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1975 | 1975 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.3 | 5.0 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Petaluma was built around 1975. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 5.3 rooms, staying for about 16.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Petaluma, California.
What is the median home price in Petaluma, California?
The median home price in Petaluma, California is $149,559, lower than the California average of $650,794.
What is the average home price in Petaluma, California?
The typical home price in Petaluma, California, reported as the median sale price, is $149,559. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Petaluma, California?
The median gross rent in Petaluma, California is $2,301 per month, higher than the California average of $2,036.
What was the median gross rent in Petaluma in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Petaluma, California was $1,916 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Petaluma, California?
The price-to-rent ratio in Petaluma, California is about 5.4, meaning it would take roughly 5.4 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Petaluma.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Petaluma, California?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Petaluma, up about 17.6% and 5.9% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Petaluma, California?
60.7% of households in Petaluma, California own their home, higher than the California average of 51.7%.
What is the vacancy rate in Petaluma, California?
The housing vacancy rate in Petaluma, California is 3.8%, lower than the California average of 7.5%.
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