What kinds of homes are in San Rafael, CA?

Name: Types of homes in San Rafael, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

San Rafael, CA has 23,909 (±721) homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is about 1,441 homes per square mile of land.

47.6% are detached single-family houses.

11.2% are in buildings of two to four units.

31.6% are in buildings of five or more units.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Housing units: 23,909 (±721)
Detached houses: 47.6%
2–4 unit buildings: 11.2%
5+ unit buildings: 31.6%

Homes in San Rafael by building size

Housing units by units in structure, 2020–2024
Building type	San Rafael	Marin County	California	United States
Single-family, detached	47.6% (±2.4 points)	63.2%	57.0%	61.3%
Single-family, attached (townhouse, rowhouse)	8.1% (±1.2 points)	7.7%	7.4%	6.2%
2 units	3.9% (±1.3 points)	3.5%	2.4%	3.4%
3 or 4 units	7.3% (±1.5 points)	4.9%	5.4%	4.3%
5 to 9 units	7.7% (±1.7 points)	6.0%	5.7%	4.5%
10 to 19 units	7.2% (±1.4 points)	4.2%	4.9%	4.3%
20 or more units	16.7% (±2.1 points)	8.9%	13.6%	10.3%
Mobile home	1.4% (±0.5 points)	1.3%	3.5%	5.6%
Boat, RV, van, etc.	0.1% (±0.2 points)	0.3%	0.1%	0.1%

In San Rafael, the share of homes in buildings of five or more units is higher than in Marin County (19.1%).

It is also higher than in California (24.2%).

It is higher than the national figure (19.1%).

Homes in buildings of 5 or more units in places near San Rafael

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with San Rafael
Place	Distance	Homes in buildings of 5 or more units	Compared with this place
San Rafael	—	31.6% (±3.0 points)	—
Santa Venetia	1.7 mi	14.4% (±8.6 points)	Lower
Larkspur	3.1 mi	45.1% (±6.3 points)	Higher
Ross	3.2 mi	0.0% (±7.8 points)	Lower
Corte Madera	3.4 mi	13.7% (±4.9 points)	Lower
San Anselmo	3.4 mi	9.7% (±3.2 points)	Lower
Kentfield	4.2 mi	8.6% (±3.5 points)	Lower
Fairfax	4.8 mi	11.1% (±5.0 points)	Lower
Sleepy Hollow	4.9 mi	0.0% (±6.2 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Santa Venetia, CA (14.4%), Ross, CA (0.0%), Corte Madera, CA (13.7%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Larkspur, CA (45.1%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Homes in buildings of 5 or more units across Marin County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes in buildings of 5 or more units
1	Marin City	55.9% (±15.5 points)
2	Larkspur	45.1% (±6.3 points)
3	Strawberry	39.9% (±8.1 points)
4	San Rafael	31.6% (±3.0 points)
5	Alto	29.1% (±29.7 points)
6	Tiburon	21.2% (±6.5 points)
7	Novato	20.3% (±2.6 points)
8	Santa Venetia	14.4% (±8.6 points)
9	Corte Madera	13.7% (±4.9 points)
10 (tie)	Mill Valley	13.3% (±3.9 points)

Showing 10 of 24 places in Marin County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about San Rafael

How many homes are in San Rafael?

San Rafael, CA has an estimated 23,909 (±721) housing units, occupied and vacant (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Are most homes in San Rafael houses or apartments?

47.6% are detached houses and 8.1% attached houses, while 42.8% are in buildings of two or more units.

How many two-family and small multifamily homes are in San Rafael?

11.2% of homes in San Rafael are in buildings of two to four units, the small rental buildings that are often owner-occupied.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — San Rafael city, California

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 API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0007PE, DP04_0007PM, DP04_0008PE, DP04_0008PM, DP04_0009PE, DP04_0009PM, DP04_0010PE, DP04_0010PM, DP04_0011PE, DP04_0011PM, DP04_0012PE, DP04_0012PM, DP04_0013PE, DP04_0013PM, DP04_0014PE, DP04_0014PM, DP04_0015PE, DP04_0015PM

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.