Santa Rosa, CA Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Santa Rosa, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Santa Rosa →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Population in Santa Rosa, California runs approximately 178,221. Median household income sits at $92,604, landing above the benchmark median we track across cities (+28%).
For renters and buyers alike, Santa Rosa offers a median home value of $661,700 (above the tracked median, +103%) and median rent of $2,024 monthly. Local property taxes and current mortgage rates will shape the real cost of buying.
Home prices in Santa Rosa run about 7.1× median household income — a stretched ratio that puts real pressure on affordability for local buyers. The market around Santa Rosa shows little movement, with prices up a mere 0.49% compared with a year ago. Santa Rosa carries a Relatively High hazard rating from FEMA — elevated risk that's typically reflected in higher insurance premiums.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $2,024/mo in Santa Rosa would take 26.2% of your income.
$291/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($661,700) would take 45.8% of your income toward principal & interest.
$1,372/mo over the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Santa Rosa
Median home value is $661,700 and median gross rent is $2,024/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Sonoma rose 0.49% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $2,827/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Santa Rosa's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Santa Rosa reported a violent crime rate of 293.7 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Santa Rosa
Planning a move to Santa Rosa? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Santa Rosa, CA?
- Santa Rosa's key cost-of-living figures: $661,700 median home value, $2,024 median monthly rent, and $92,604 median household income, per the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Santa Rosa?
- Comfortably affording rent in Santa Rosa — where the median runs $2,024/month — typically means earning about $80,960 a year, per the standard 30%-of-income benchmark. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Santa Rosa.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Santa Rosa?
- In Santa Rosa, comfortably renting the median unit ($2,024/month) takes about $80,960 in annual income, while buying the median home ($661,700) takes roughly $151,394 a year in principal and interest alone (assumes 20% down, a 30-year fixed loan, and current mortgage rates).
- Is Santa Rosa safe?
- In 2025, Santa Rosa reported 293.7 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, according to FBI data.
See the full salary breakdown for Santa Rosa →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Santa Rosa's.