Sonoma County, California

Sonoma county is located in northwest California. Sonoma county has 1,575.85 square miles of land area and 192.10 square miles of water area. As of 2010, the total Sonoma county population is 483,878, which has grown 5.51% since 2000. The population growth rate is lower than the state average rate of 9.99% and is lower than the national average rate of 9.71%. Sonoma county median household income is $63,274 in 2006-2010 and has grown by 19.21% since 2000. The income growth rate is lower than the state average rate of 21.51% and is about the same as the national average rate of 19.17%. Sonoma county median house value is $524,400 in 2006-2010 and has grown by 91.95% since 2000. The house value growth rate is higher than the state average rate of 75.37% and is much higher than the national average rate of 50.42%. As a reference, the national Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate for the same period is 26.63%. On average, the public school district that covers Sonoma county is better than the state average in quality. The Sonoma county area code is 707.

Population 483,878 (2010), rank #17
Population Growth 5.51% since 2000, rank #39
Population Density: 273.70/sq mi, rank #17
Median Household Income: $63,274 at 2006-2010—19.21% increase since 2000, rank #16
Median House Price: $524,400 at 2006-2010—91.95% increase since 2000, rank #14
Time Zone: Pacific GMT -8:00 with Daylight Saving in the Summer
Land Area: 1,575.85 sq mi, rank #29
Water Area: 192.10 sq mi (10.87%), rank #14
State: California
Area: Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
School District:
Area Code: 707

Sonoma County Population and Races

As of 2010, the total population of Sonoma County is 483,878, which is 5.51% more than it was in 2000. The population growth rate is lower than the state average rate of 9.99% and is lower than the national average rate of 9.71%. The Sonoma County population density is 273.70 people per square mile, which is higher than the state average density of 227.58 people per square mile and is much higher than the national average density of 81.32 people per square mile. The most prevalent race in Sonoma County is white, which represent 76.76% of the total population. The average Sonoma County education level is higher than the state average and is higher than the national average.

Sonoma County Income and Careers

As of 2010, the per capita income of Sonoma County is $29,510, which is higher than the state average of $27,353 and is higher than the national average of $26,059. Sonoma County median household income is $63,274, which has grown by 19.21% since 2000. The median household income growth rate is lower than the state average rate of 21.51% and is about the same as the national average rate of 19.17%. On average Sonoma County residents spend 24.1 minutes per day commuting to work, which is lower than the state average of 25.3 minutes and is about the same as the national average of 23.7 minutes.

Sonoma County Housing

As of 2006-2010, median price of a house in Sonoma County is $524,400, which is higher than the state average of $370,900 and is much higher than the national average of $179,900. The Sonoma County median house value has grown by 91.95% since 2000. The growth rate for the price of a house in Sonoma County is higher than the state average rate of 75.37% and is much higher than the national average rate of 50.42%. The median year that a house in Sonoma County was built is 1976, which is newer than the median year for a house built in the state which is 1973 and is about the same as the median year for a house built in the USA which is 1975.

County population in 2012: 491,829 (88% urban, 12% rural); it was 458,614 in 2000
County owner-occupied with a mortgage or a loan houses and condos in 2010: 83,732
County owner-occupied free and clear houses and condos in 2010: 28,548
County owner-occupied houses and condos in 2000: 110,511
Renter-occupied apartments: 73,545 (it was 61,892 in 2000)
% of renters here: 36%
State: 44%

Land area: 1576 sq. mi.
Water area: 192.3 sq. mi.
Population density: 310 people per square mile

(high).

Mar. 2012 cost of living index in Sonoma County: 128.2 (high, U.S. average is 100)