Housing data for San Rafael, CA
San Rafael, CA has an estimated 60,433 residents and 23,909 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in Marin County.
47.0% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $2,377 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+2.8%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 60,433 (±83)
- Housing units
- 23,909 (±721)
- Households that rent
- 47.0%
- Median gross rent
- $2,377
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +2.8%
What stands out in San Rafael
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 31.6% (±3.0 points) in San Rafael, higher than in Marin County (19.1%).
Households that rent: 47.0% (±2.2 points) in San Rafael, higher than in Marin County (35.3%).
Households without a vehicle: 8.7% (±1.9 points) in San Rafael, higher than in Marin County (4.9%).
Median household income: $119,435 (±$8,545) in San Rafael, lower than in Marin County ($149,091).
- Types of homes in San Rafael
- Renters and owners in San Rafael
- Commute and cars in San Rafael
- Income and affordability in San Rafael
Housing in San Rafael at a glance
- Median rent: $2,377 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $2,664 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 57.9% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 47.0% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $119,435 median household income
- Home values: $1,355,600 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $4,000 or more median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $10,000 or more median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 31.6% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 48.1% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 71.1% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 1.9% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 61.2% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 25.3 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 365 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +2.8% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 21.9% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 10.0% of homes have more than 1 person per room
San Rafael against Marin County, its state and the nation
| San Rafael | Marin County | California | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 60,433 (±83) | 257,969 (exact) | 39,287,377 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 23,909 (±721) | 112,116 (±118) | 14,644,735 (±1,665) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 47.0% (±2.2 points) | 35.3% (±1.1 points) | 44.1% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $2,377 (±$73) | $2,668 (±$83) | $2,036 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $119,435 (±$8,545) | $149,091 (±$4,474) | $99,122 (±$310) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $1,355,600 (±$62,301) | $1,507,300 (±$27,346) | $734,700 (±$1,307) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $10,000 or more | $10,000 or more | $5,124 (±$17) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 71.1% (±4.2 points) | 74.8% (±1.8 points) | 56.0% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 25.3 minutes (±1.5) | 27.4 minutes (±0.7) | 28.7 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 94.6% (±1.3 points) | 95.8% (±0.6 points) | 93.5% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 43.2 years (±1.4) | 47.4 years (±0.3) | 37.9 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
San Rafael covers 16.6 square miles of land, about 3,643 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How San Rafael has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 58,775 (±61) | 60,433 (±83) | +2.8% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 24,468 (±573) | 23,909 (±721) | −2.3% | Not a measurable change |
| Median gross rent | $1,937 (±$63) | $2,377 (±$73) | +22.7% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $923,100 (±$20,715) | $1,355,600 (±$62,301) | +46.9% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $91,742 (±$7,531) | $119,435 (±$8,545) | +30.2% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 50.0% (±1.9 points) | 47.0% (±2.2 points) | −3.0 percentage points | Measurable decrease |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.8% (±2.0 points) | 1.9% (±1.2 points) | −1.9 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in San Rafael
In 2025, the San Rafael Police Department reported 365 violent and 2,043 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Marin County, the departments that report recorded 181 violent and 1,230 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in San Rafael
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 94901 | 78% | 41,307 | $2,256 | $1,512,600 | $115,330 |
| 94903 | 32% | 30,615 | $2,993 | $1,197,300 | $142,083 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near San Rafael
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Venetia | 1.7 mi | — | $1,006,300 | 29.6% |
| Larkspur | 3.1 mi | $3,001 | $1,996,600 | 53.5% |
| Ross | 3.2 mi | $3,500 or more | $2,000,000 or more | 13.1% |
| Corte Madera | 3.4 mi | $3,500 or more | $1,755,200 | 31.2% |
| San Anselmo | 3.4 mi | $2,797 | $1,576,700 | 31.6% |
| Kentfield | 4.2 mi | $2,741 | $2,000,000 or more | 19.1% |
| Fairfax | 4.8 mi | $2,367 | $1,163,600 | 31.1% |
| Sleepy Hollow | 4.9 mi | — | $2,000,000 or more | 12.3% |
Places in California most like San Rafael
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Palo Alto | $2,244 | $1,102,600 | $113,493 | 50.9% |
| Torrance | $2,280 | $1,074,700 | $116,217 | 45.0% |
| Redondo Beach | $2,691 | $1,279,200 | $150,245 | 46.6% |
| Arcadia | $2,191 | $1,441,800 | $113,516 | 41.9% |
| Huntington Beach | $2,510 | $1,100,000 | $120,919 | 44.6% |
| Campbell | $2,737 | $1,617,000 | $145,268 | 48.3% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across California.
HUD Fair Market Rent for San Rafael, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,574 | $3,003 | $3,697 | $4,832 | $5,439 |
HUD income limits for San Rafael, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $44,150 | $73,550 | $117,700 |
| 2 people | $50,450 | $84,050 | $134,500 |
| 3 people | $56,750 | $94,550 | $151,300 |
| 4 people | $63,050 | $105,050 | $168,100 |
| 5 people | $68,100 | $113,500 | $181,550 |
| 6 people | $73,150 | $121,900 | $195,000 |
| 7 people | $78,200 | $130,300 | $208,450 |
| 8 people | $83,250 | $138,700 | $221,900 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $200,800.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about San Rafael
What is the average rent in San Rafael, CA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in San Rafael is $2,377 (±$73) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in San Rafael?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in San Rafael, CA is $2,062 (±$164) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in San Rafael rent-burdened?
57.9% of renting households in San Rafael pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in San Rafael?
San Rafael has an estimated 10,770 (±632) renting households, 47.0% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in San Rafael?
The median household income in San Rafael is $119,435 (±$8,545) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in San Rafael, CA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $1,355,600 (±$62,301) for owner-occupied homes in San Rafael (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is San Rafael growing?
In San Rafael, the number of residents went from 58,775 in 2015–2019 to 60,433 in 2020–2024 (+2.8%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in San Rafael?
The ZIP codes that cover San Rafael are 94901, 94903.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 94901?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 94901 is $2,256 (±$64) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — San Rafael city, California
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — San Rafael city, California
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — San Rafael city, California
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — San Rafael city, California
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — San Rafael city, California
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — San Rafael city, California
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — San Rafael city, California
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: San Rafael Police Department (ORI CA0210900)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for San Rafael city, California (place:68364, in state:06).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .