Sonoma County, California Demographics 2026
Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology
Sonoma County, California has a population of 485,040, the 17th most populous county in California. The median household income is $104,674 and the median home value is $815,500. The poverty rate is 8.9%.
Sonoma County Quick Facts
How Sonoma County Changed
Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.
| Metric | 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 499,772 | 485,040 | -2.9% |
| Median household income | $99,709 | $104,674 | +5.0% |
| Median home value¹ | $750,239 | $815,500 | +8.7% |
| Median gross rent | $1,995 | $2,158 | +8.2% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
- White: 57.9%
- Black: 1.5%
- Hispanic: 30.0%
- Asian: 4.3%
- Other: 0.7%
Diversity Index
A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.
State average: 70 | National average: 61
Education
Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)
- < HS: 11.3%
- HS Diploma: 18.8%
- Some College: 22.2%
- Associate's: 9.2%
- Bachelor's: 23.9%
- Graduate+: 14.5%
Cities & Places in Sonoma County
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa | 177,090 | $99,060 | 9.7% | $713,900 |
| Petaluma | 59,247 | $115,430 | 6.5% | $878,600 |
| Rohnert Park | 44,575 | $99,273 | 10.5% | $666,300 |
| Windsor | 26,081 | $133,979 | 5.9% | $801,100 |
| Healdsburg | 11,243 | $103,554 | 11.6% | $950,100 |
| Sonoma | 10,670 | $98,527 | 10.4% | $970,500 |
| Cloverdale | 8,886 | $117,177 | 4.1% | $619,400 |
| Larkfield-Wikiup | 8,765 | $97,071 | 6.5% | $704,700 |
| Cotati | 7,489 | $110,750 | 8.2% | $746,800 |
| Sebastopol | 7,445 | $87,684 | 8.7% | $845,700 |
| Boyes Hot Springs | 7,247 | $101,288 | 11.6% | $783,300 |
| Guerneville | 4,100 | $81,281 | 10.0% | $600,600 |
| Forestville | 3,717 | $115,962 | 7.4% | $730,300 |
| El Verano | 3,443 | $123,738 | 3.1% | $909,300 |
| Fetters Hot Springs-Agua Caliente | 3,347 | $85,694 | 25.2% | $823,800 |
| Sonoma State University | 2,210 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Penngrove | 2,119 | $107,147 | 8.2% | $1,196,000 |
| Graton | 1,806 | $91,429 | 24.3% | $878,100 |
| Temelec | 1,628 | $67,582 | 5.5% | $679,800 |
| Eldridge | 1,379 | $121,938 | 9.1% | $766,800 |
| Sea Ranch | 1,287 | $139,375 | 3.0% | $1,371,600 |
| Occidental | 1,225 | $108,207 | 7.0% | $1,167,800 |
| Bodega Bay | 1,139 | $182,898 | 2.1% | $1,294,900 |
| Glen Ellen | 1,078 | $202,097 | 26.0% | $1,371,400 |
| Kenwood | 1,028 | $99,526 | 6.7% | $881,900 |
| Monte Rio | 876 | $63,750 | 12.3% | $652,000 |
| Petaluma Center | 763 | $75,682 | 0.0% | N/A |
| Geyserville | 672 | $125,093 | 8.6% | $825,900 |
| Cazadero | 483 | $96,806 | 3.9% | $520,000 |
| Fulton | 453 | $183,158 | 3.8% | $760,100 |
| Bloomfield | 324 | $142,422 | 3.4% | $1,294,800 |
| Timber Cove | 199 | $110,938 | 0.0% | $986,100 |
| Bodega | 134 | $90,625 | 0.0% | $1,230,800 |
| Sereno del Mar | 101 | $78,214 | 0.0% | $1,071,400 |
| Carmet | 85 | $93,833 | 0.0% | $1,475,000 |
| Salmon Creek | 40 | N/A | 0.0% | N/A |
| Jenner | 18 | N/A | 0.0% | N/A |
Explore California Rankings
Population Overview
Sonoma County is located in California with a total population of 485,040. It is the 17th most populous county out of 58 in California. The county encompasses 37 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Sonoma County is 42.9 years. This is 13% higher than the state median of 37.9 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Sonoma County is $104,674. This is 6% higher than the state median of $99,122. It is also 30% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 8.9%. This is 26% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 5.7%. This is 14% lower than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $815,500. Housing costs are 11% higher than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 7.8x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 62.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 12% higher than the state average of 55.9%.
Race & Ethnicity
The largest racial or ethnic group in Sonoma County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 57.9% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 30.0%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (57.9% vs 33.8%). The Black or African American population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Asian population (4.3%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.
Education
38.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 4% higher than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 88.7%.
Data Sources & Methodology
All figures for Sonoma County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against California and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Sonoma County, California?
Sonoma County has a population of 485,040, making it the 17th most populous county in California.
What is the median income in Sonoma County?
The median household income in Sonoma County is $104,674 with a poverty rate of 8.9%.
How many cities are in Sonoma County, California?
Sonoma County contains 37 Census-designated places.