Sonoma County, California Income Statistics
Sonoma County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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B
Sonoma County Around averageWealthier than 84% of counties in California
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Sonoma County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $105,553 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $73,724 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.7% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 19.9% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 20.7% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Sonoma County is about 6% higher than in California. Income has been growing faster in Sonoma County (5.7%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 20% of adults in Sonoma County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Sonoma County, California grew by 64.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $105,553 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Sonoma County
| Metric | Sonoma County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.529 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $82,398 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $73,248 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 11.1% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Sonoma County, it is 0.529, lower than California's 0.572, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 12% more than women's income in Sonoma County, California. Over a 35-year career, a 12% wage gap accumulates to roughly $320,250 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Sonoma County, California has narrowed from about 21% to 11% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 10% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,044 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Sonoma County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 15.9% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 14,728 people are unemployed in Sonoma County, California.
The average commute time in Sonoma County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Sonoma County, California has fallen from 8.7% to 5.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.2% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.3% in 2019.
Sonoma County, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Sonoma County, CA is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 485,012 residents against a local median of 134,769. There is no headline here. Every measure below sits within 15% of the median across the nearest counties, which makes Sonoma County, CA an unremarkable member of its own neighbourhood rather than an outlier in it.
The largest of those small differences is income growth, 7% above the local median at 5.7%/yr against 5.3%/yr. Sonoma County, CA has the 3rd highest income growth of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonoma County, CA | 485,012 | $105,553 #4/6 | 5.7%/yr #3/6 | 5.7% #2/6 | 0.529 #3/6 |
| Marin County, CA | 257,932 | $149,382 | 5.2%/yr | 6.1% | 0.520 |
| Napa County, CA | 134,769 | $112,778 | 5.3%/yr | 5.2% | 0.542 |
| Lake County, CA | 68,148 | $60,936 | 6.8%/yr | 11.1% | 0.571 |
| San Francisco County, CA | 829,818 | $140,554 | 6.0%/yr | 6.1% | 0.505 |
| Colusa County, CA | 21,984 | $75,609 | 4.1%/yr | 9.8% | 0.566 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Sonoma County, California has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than California, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Sonoma County, California.
How Rich Is Sonoma County, California?
Sonoma County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $105,553, about 6% higher than the California average of $99,161.
How fast is household income rising in Sonoma County, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Sonoma County, California rose 64%, from $64,202 to $105,553. Over the same years, income here kept pace with California as a whole: +64% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Sonoma County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Sonoma County, California was $103,209, up 4% from $99,386 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Sonoma County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Sonoma County, California was $86,547. By 2024 it had risen 22% to $105,553.
What is the Gini coefficient in Sonoma County, California?
The Gini coefficient in Sonoma County is 0.529. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Sonoma County, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Sonoma County, California has narrowed from about 21% to 11% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 10% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,044 since 2009.
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