San Rafael, California Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
San Rafael, CA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A
Health Above average
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A
Income Above average
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A+
Education Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | San Rafael | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 52,322 | 39,245,658 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 2320.9 | 239.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.07% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 40.4 | 35.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 19,699 | 13,531,619 | 130,235,071 |
Population in San Rafael grew by 20.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 52,322 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in San Rafael is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 22.9% of residents. That is 3.1 points above California as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 9,563 18.3% -3.4 pts
- Millennials 29–44 10,690 20.4% -3.2 pts
- Gen X 45–60 12,005 22.9% +3.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 9,727 18.6% +3.3 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below California, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.3% of the people living in San Rafael and men 49.7%.
- Women 50.3% California 49.9%
- Men 49.7% California 50.1%
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Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in San Rafael
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Economy
San Rafael has a the economy index of A, which means it is very prosperous.
| Metric | San Rafael | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $114,763 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.97% | 5.57% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.6% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in San Rafael is about 16% higher than in California.
Housing
| Metric | San Rafael | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $648,815 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $2,305 | $2,036 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 52.7% | 55.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in San Rafael is about 23.5 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $2,305 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in San Rafael spend about 42 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 176 hours, about 7.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | San Rafael | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 21.1 | 23.5 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 42.2 | 47.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 176 | 196 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,452 | $6,065 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 25.8% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 37,441 | 16,509 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,626 | 2,449 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in San Rafael is 21 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
San Rafael has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | San Rafael | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.6% | 33.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.55 | 2.84 | 2.53 |
Health
San Rafael has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | San Rafael | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.9 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.6% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 10.8% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about San Rafael, California.
How big is San Rafael, California by population?
About 52,322 people live in San Rafael, California, in 19,699 households of 2.6 people on average. The median age is 40.4, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 3 years.
Is San Rafael, California urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, San Rafael, California has 2,321 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 27 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in San Rafael, California?
The median home costs 5.7 times the median household income ($648,815 against $114,763), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $2,305 a month takes about 24% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How educated are people in San Rafael, California?
45.6% of adults in San Rafael, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 2), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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