Wood Pond, 2012
Kenwood’s story
133 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2012 and 5 maps from 1916 on.
- 1893Kenwood is settled
KenwoodCA
A town settled in 1893, now home to 1,028 people.
Photo: David Jordan · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,028
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$1.26M
−2.1% in a year
Household income
$100K
median
Median age
45.4
years
Jobs based here
446
A job hub
Is Kenwood a good place to live?
The best of Kenwood’s subject grades are an A+ for walkability and an A for health; the weakest is a D− for hazard risk. 65% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Kenwood, above both the California town median (29%) and the median of U.S. towns (29%). On hazard risk, just 52 of California’s 1,064 towns do worse. The typical home is worth about $1.3 million, 12 years of the Santa Rosa metro’s $105K median household income. Kenwood has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Kenwood stand out
Where Kenwood beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
WalkabilityA+
More walkable than 96% of U.S. towns
8.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here446
Residents who work251
Work
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 91% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
Worth knowing · Natural hazardsD−
Inland flooding and earthquakes at the top
FEMA National Risk Index.
A shrinking town
Kenwood has shrunk 17% from 2010 to 2020
1,028 counted in 2010 and 852 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Kenwood grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Kenwood is from typical.
Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listD−Open →Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesD−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 11.7 of 20; 0% of households have no carA+Open →HealthHealthier than 87% of U.S. towns; Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital 9 miles awayAOpen →Jobs & income$100K median household incomeA−Open →SchoolsNear typical for the towns comparedB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trails; 10% conserved landB+Open →HistoryBased on listed places, the town’s age and notable peopleC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 210 attractions →Fort Ross and 53 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Kenwood. Close and well known come first.
39 mi Ancient siteFort Ross
20 mi LakeLake Berryessa
35 mi National MonumentMuir Woods National Monument757K visitors a year
26 mi Theme parkSix Flags Discovery Kingdom
34 mi MountainMount Tamalpais
11 mi MuseumCharles M. Schulz Museum and Research CenterSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Fort Ross: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lake Berryessa: Unknown, Public domain · Muir Woods National Monument: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Six Flags Discovery Kingdom: Tinned Elk, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mount Tamalpais: Originally uploaded by Nelso (Transferred by DimiTalen), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center: BrokenSphere, CC BY-SA 3.0
.jpg){kind=link}
_01.JPG){kind=link}
Getting set up
Moving to Kenwood: who provides what
Kenwood is unincorporated, so Sonoma County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterKenwood Village Water Company (Puc)No health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers92% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesSonoma CountySonoma County provides services here
SchoolsKenwood Elementary School DistrictSanta Rosa High School District2 districts serve Kenwood; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSonoma County Registrar of VotersSonoma County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2026
ZIP codes95452, 9544295452 96% · 95442 4%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Kenwood.
HousingCost of living grade D−
Kenwood earns a D− for cost of living
Typical home values fell 2.1% in the year to September 2026. Among households in Kenwood, 76% live in a home they own.
$1.26MZillow home value
Typical home value
Kenwood$1.26M
California$762K
−2.1%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsB−
On state tests, Kenwood’s schools trail 52% of California districts
Public schools: the Kenwood school district. Its one school is below. Enrollment at the town’s public school: 124 students.
48%of CA districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenwood ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 124 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Kenwood has 1.8 jobs for every working resident, and 437 people commute in
In Kenwood, 6.7% of residents live below the poverty line. Just 4% of the town’s working residents have a job in town. For Kenwood, the average trip to work is 54 minutes. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs in Kenwood dropped by 69, to 446.
4%work in town
| Kenwood | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 54 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 6.7% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $100,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.6% | 6.6% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Kenwood4%
Santa Rosa15%
Sonoma7%
San Francisco4%
Glen Ellen4%
15 mi
median commute distance
446
jobs based in Kenwood
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 96% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−
Natural hazards: very high risk in Kenwood, mostly inland flooding
Federal disaster aid has reached households in Kenwood after 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2020. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 97% of U.S. communities. FEMA puts 65% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 23% to earthquakes.
97risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesWildfire
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthA
Fewer of Kenwood’s adults feel lonely than in the typical California or U.S. town
For adults 18 to 64 in Kenwood, the share who have no health insurance is 3.9%. Against the California average, Kenwood comes out ahead on 19 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 7. In Kenwood, 13% of adults report frequent mental distress, and 24% have obesity.
87%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Kenwood | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 36% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 17% | 17% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 29% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 16% | 16% |
32 measures vs. California
19 better6 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Kenwood | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 3.9% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7% | 17.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 13.6% | 6.4% |
Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital
9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
In Kenwood, expect mild winters and pleasant summers
July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 39° and snow is almost unheard of.
86°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter39–58°
Spring45–69°
Summer54–84°
Fall48–75°
Nov 27
typical first frost
Mar 2
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
86°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsB+
Conserved land covers 9.5% of Kenwood
1.5 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. For Kenwood, the density of trails is 0.3 miles per square mile. Parks and preserves in the town: 3, covering 8 acres.
9.5%conserved
| Kenwood | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 9.5% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
9.5%
conserved · 311 of 3,286 acres
1.5 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Alder Park | — | 4 |
| 2. Shaw Park | 0.1 mi | 3 |
| 3. Sugarloaf Ridge State Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Kenwood
17pages on Kenwood
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Kenwood
Sonoma State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Rohnert Park9.1 mi$8,624 in-state tuitionSanta Rosa Junior CollegeCommunity college · Public · Santa Rosa10.2 mi$1,318 in-state tuitionPacific Union CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Angwin12 mi$37,173 tuition
About 9 of every 100 Kenwood residents are enrolled in college, about the same as California.
Small town
1,028 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
About Kenwood
Unincorporated community in California, United States
Kenwood is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Sonoma County, California, United States, located on Sonoma Highway (State Route 12) between the cities of Santa Rosa and Sonoma. It lies east of Sonoma Creek in the upper part of Sonoma Valley, a region sometimes called the Valley of the Moon. Bennett Mountain lies west of the town, and Sugarloaf Ridge to the northeast. The population was 852 at the 2020 census. Kenwood is considered part of the Wine Country. Viticulturally, it lies in the Sonoma Valley AVA. The Kenwood area is known for vineyards and wineries, restaurants, and a European-style resort. An area landmark is the Kunde Estate Winery on Sonoma Highway, …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 5.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 423 ft
- ZIP code
- 95452
Questions about Kenwood
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Kenwood, CA expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D−.