Continued from above
Petaluma is primarily a middle class community, with median income levels well above the California average at $61,679 per year for the typical family. Homebuyers relocating to Petaluma typically paid 5% more than the average for real estate in the Sonoma County area as a whole. For those who don't own their own homes, the cost of renting a home in Petaluma is far above that in surrounding communities, with rental prices averaging $705 for single-bedroom apartments up to $982 for larger homes.


The average commute for people in Petaluma is 34 minutes, with 44% traveling more than 30 minutes to work. The overwhelming majority of Petaluma residents (90.14%) drive to their place of employment, while 5.26% use public transportation of some kind to get to work. The rest reside close enough to their place of employ to either bike or walk to work.

Petaluma is offers many choices for parents, with 108 elementary schools, 5 middle or junior high schools and 6 high schools open to local children.