Petaluma is a northern California city 39 miles north of San Francisco. The city was founded in 1852 and unified in 1858, and earlier known as one of the largest cities in California, along with being a thriving manufacturing and shipping center. The city was once known as the world’s egg basket and became famous for poultry farming. By mid-century, dairy farming became a major industry in Petaluma and still is today along with other high techs industries like telecommunications and tourism. Life in the city offers a perfect combination of city and country living and celebrates cultural diversity. This historic city has well-preserved buildings and other sites that survived San Francisco in 1906.
Petaluma has a moderate Mediterranean climate with dry summers, warm days, cool nights, and a level of diurnal temperature fluctuations. August is the warmest month with temperatures ranging from 82 degrees F to 53 degrees F. December is the coldest month with temperatures ranging from 57 degrees F to 39 degrees F. Winter is rainy and cool with occasional frost and snowfalls are very rare in the city. The 2020 census revealed a population of 62,361 in Petaluma and is the 146th largest city in California and the 607th largest in the US. The current growth rate in Petaluma is 0.36% which has increased by 7.63% since the last census. The population density stands at 4,326 people per square mile, spanning over 15 miles.
The average income is $112,296 with an average household income of $80,590 annually in Petaluma and a poverty rate of 8.88%. The average monthly rentals are $1,762, and the average house value is $600,900. The cities unemployment rate is 2.8% compared to the US average of 3.7%. The job market in Petaluma has increased over the last year by 1.7% and growth over the next 10 years is expected to rise to 35.6%, compared to the average of 33.5% in the US. The cost of housing in Petaluma is 138% higher than the national average. Properties average a cost of $498,200 which is 22% higher than the average home price in California. Renting a property costs an average of $1,548, as opposed to the average being 19% higher in California. On average 65.4% of people in the city own their own homes, with 2.7 people living on each property.
Many of the schools and educational institutions in Petaluma is said to be one of the best in the state. The majority of the neighborhoods are safe to live in with low crime rates, making Petaluma a perfect place to raise a family. Another great advantage of living or visiting the city is that it is close to larger cities like San Francisco. The city also offers some of the most stunning landmarks, museums, and architecture in the area. Residents and visitors that are avid art lovers can take part in a number of educational activities at the Petaluma Arts Center which include process painting and adult jewelry design to name a few. There are regular events held at the center which include films, exhibits, lectures and poetry reading, and much more. Petaluma boasts many historical figures such as Clark Coolidge a poet, Daedalus Howell a writer, Wayne Adam Ford a serial killer, and Em Rossi a singer and songwriter, and a host of sports figures just to mention a few.
There is an abundance of agricultural growth in Petaluma that provides a huge variety of locally grown fresh foods. The residents support three wonderful agricultural markets, namely the Petaluma East Side market, the Petaluma Theater, and Lucchesi Park market. There are many outstanding dog parks in the suburb where dogs can run free like the Deer Creek Village Dog Park, Rocky Memorial Dog Park, and McNear Park. One of the greatest advantages of moving or visiting Petaluma is being only an hour away from beautiful San Francisco. In addition to being surrounded by some of the most breathtaking scenery in the country that includes forests, mountains, huge trees, and rivers, you can go hiking, paddling, biking in this magical wonder. Best of all, more and more families are moving to Petaluma, of which the community not only welcomes you but is proud to call this enchanting city home.