Martinez's standout: it has 38 miles of trail. Overall it grades B−, ranked 166th of 841 in California. It is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns and the median household earns $127K. Its weakest subject is hazard risk: FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 87% of U.S. communities, with earthquakes at the top. Martinez’s trail density is 2.8 miles per square mile, against 1.0 in California’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. Martinez is more walkable than 94% of U.S. towns. Only 42 of California’s 1,063 towns score higher on history.

StrongestA⁺Outdoors AWalkability AHealthWeakestDHazard risk DCost of living

What makes Martinez stand out

Where Martinez beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

WalkabilityA

More walkable than 94% of U.S. towns

6% of workers walk, bike or ride transit

EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.

Worth knowing · Natural hazardsD

Earthquakes and inland flooding at the top

FEMA National Risk Index.

John Muir National Historic Site · National Register of Historic Places

Martinez’s story

177 years in pictures

John Muir National Historic Site is a National Historic Landmark, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1849, comes before those of 94% of the California towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 560 in 1870, 37,287 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1964 and 6 maps from 1896 on.

9 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1849Martinez is settled

Explore the history →

How Martinez grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Martinez is from typical.

How grading works

WalkabilityEPA walkability 12.7 of 20; 3.9% of households have no carAOpen →Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listDOpen →Cost of livingDOpen →HealthContra Costa Regional Medical Center 1.1 miles awayAOpen →Jobs & incomeA⁻Open →SchoolsBOpen →SafetyC⁺Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors14% conserved landA⁺Open →History9 places on the National Register; 25 notable people born hereA⁻Open →Civic life4.7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market14 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 42.6–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary and 193 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Martinez. Close and well known come first.

All 276 attractions →

Big draw21 mi MuseumAlcatraz Federal Penitentiary

Big draw19 mi MuseumUSS Hornet

Big draw22 mi Stadium & arenaChase Center

Big draw21 mi LandmarkLombard Street

Big draw21 mi Stadium & arenaOracle Park

Big draw24 mi GardenPresidio of San Francisco

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary: druchoy, CC BY-SA 2.0 · USS Hornet: kitmasterbloke, CC BY 2.0 · Chase Center: Gregory Varnum, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lombard Street: The original uploader was Y6y6y6 at English Wikipedia., Public domain · Oracle Park: User Coasttocoast on en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Presidio of San Francisco: Robert Campbell, CC BY-SA 3.0

Getting set up

Moving to Martinez: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Martinez, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterContra Costa Water DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offConcord Recycling Center, 4 miOpenStreetMap

SchoolsMartinez Unified School District Mount Diablo Unified School District2 districts serve Martinez; 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.gov

Who runs elections hereContra Costa County Elections DivisionContra Costa County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2025

ZIP code9455394553 100%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 Martinez.

Martinez has less no health insurance than most of California and has home values still below their peak, but it has a long record of flood insurance claims.

OutdoorsA⁺

13.8% of Martinez is conserved land

John Muir National Historic Site, at 354 acres with 4.7 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.

#95for trails in CA

13.8%

conserved · 1,203 of 8,689 acres

38 mi

of trails · 2.8 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Carquinez Regional Shoreline	5.5 mi	281
2. John Muir National Historic Site	4.7 mi	354
3. Hidden Lakes Park	3.5 mi	72

Full pageMartinez’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map38 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk5.5 miles of trail · Carquinez Regional Shoreline Conserved land13.8% conserved · 1,203 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Martinez?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

SchoolsB

On state tests, Martinez’s schools beat 63% of California districts

Its public schools are run by the Martinez Unified school district. Two of its 11 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

63%of CA districts it outscoresBSchool Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Martinez Junior HighLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8	Grades 6–8	843	–
Alhambra Senior HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	1,028	A⁻

Full pageMartinez’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsMartinez Unified Vs. the neighborsAhead of 2 of its 5 graded neighbors Every school11 schools · Martinez Junior High Questions“Are Martinez’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation

HealthA

For health, Martinez earns an A

Its widest gap with California is no health insurance: 5.9% of those 18–64 have no health insurance, against 10.6% statewide. Against the 4,820 U.S. towns with household incomes like Martinez’s, it is healthier than 63%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.

9.3% of adults smoke cigarettes in Martinez, where California’s towns sit at 11% and U.S. towns at 14%. 12% of Martinez adults report frequent physical distress. Martinez beats the California average on 15 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.

86%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade

	Martinez	California towns	U.S. towns
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)	9.3%	11%	14%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)	12%	14%	14%
Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES)	16%	22%	19%
Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES)	73%	72%	79%

32 measures vs. California

15 better16 too close to call1 worse

What stands out	Martinez	CA
Fewer uninsured adults	5.9%	10.6%
Fewer adults facing food insecurity	10.2%	17.9%
More adults who have had cancer	8.2%	6.4%

Contra Costa Regional Medical Center

1.1 mi away · emergency room

None

primary care, dental or mental-health shortage

78th

percentile among CA towns

Full pageMartinez’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsFewer adults who get no exercise Hospitals & doctors nearby1.1 miles to an ER · Contra Costa Regional Medical Center How adults are doingFewer adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than CA on 15 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D

Earthquakes leads a very high hazard risk in Martinez

87 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 11 properties have flooded more than once.

Since 1982, 87 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Martinez.

87risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

EarthquakesInland flooding

paid flood claims since 1982

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageMartinez’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesVery high risk Flood claims87 paid flood claims · Since 1982 Past disasters3 federal disasters · Paid out in Martinez Get readyReady for earthquakes

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

Martinez has mild winters and pleasant summers

Martinez has mild winters and warm summers, with very little rain. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 39° and snow is almost unheard of.

85°summer high

Typical low → high °F

Winter40–58°

Spring47–70°

Summer55–84°

Fall50–75°

+1.6°

vs. the 20th-century average

85°

typical summer high

Full pageMartinez’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 85°, January lows 39°Rain & snow21″ of rain a year · Snow is almost unheard of Heating & coolingBoth heating and cooling Then and now+1.6° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Work & commuteJobs & income grade A⁻

A job hub: Martinez has 1.4 jobs for every working resident and draws in 20,394 commuters

Most working residents leave Martinez for work: only 12% work in town. 22% of workers work from home in Martinez. Jobs based in Martinez grew to 22,241 in 2023, 2,956 more than in 2013.

12%work in town

	Martinez	California towns	U.S. towns
Work from home	22%	14%	11%
Median household income	$127,000	$95,000	$80,000
Below the poverty line	6.3%	10%	9.6%
Working residents who work in town	12%	6.6%	8%

Where working residents work

In Martinez12%

San Francisco11%

Concord9%

Walnut Creek7%

Oakland7%

15 mi

median commute distance

22,241

jobs based in Martinez

Balanced

jobs vs. working residents

Walkability grade: more walkable than 94% of U.S. towns

Full pageMartinez’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here22,241 jobs based here · Balanced Where people work12% work in Martinez Commute times28 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 15 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Who lives here

Fewer young adults than California overall

Adults 18 to 34 are 18% of residents (24% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 43% of residents (39% statewide). 47% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 37% across California.

42.6median age · CA 37.9

	Martinez	California towns	U.S. towns
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+	47%	29%	29%
Under 18	20%	22%	22%
Median age	42.6 years	39 years	40.5 years
Aged 65 or older	19%	16%	18%

MartinezCaliforniaUnited States

CAU.S.

Ages · share of residents

16%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma4%

High school16%

Some college23%

Associate’s10%

Bachelor’s33%

Graduate14%

Women and men · all residents

50% women, 50% men

That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±1.8 points. Across California, 50.1% of residents are women. Median age: women 43.9, men 41.4.

Ages and education in Martinez
	Martinez	CA	U.S.
Under 10	12.5%	11.4%	11.6%
10 to 17	7.3%	10.5%	10.3%
18 to 24	7.2%	9.1%	9.1%
25 to 34	11.1%	14.8%	13.7%
35 to 44	15.9%	13.9%	13.2%
45 to 54	12%	12.5%	12.2%
55 to 64	15%	12.1%	12.7%
65 to 74	11%	9.2%	10.2%
75 and older	7.9%	6.5%	7%
No diploma	4.4%	15.3%	10.4%
High school	15.7%	20.5%	26%
Some college	22.8%	19.3%	19.1%
Associate’s	10.4%	7.9%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	32.7%	22.7%	21.6%
Graduate	14%	14.4%	14.1%

Full pageMartinez by the numbersOpen the page

Ages42.6 median age · 19% are 65 or older Schooling47% have a four-year degree Homes71% own their home · Homeowners Income$127K a year · Median household income

U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

SafetyC⁺

Martinez sees more crime per resident than 59% of U.S. towns

Within California, it does better than 71% of towns.

41%of U.S. towns report more crimeC⁺Safety Grade

	Martinez	California towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	2.5 per 1,000 residents	2.9	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	11 per 1,000 residents	13.4	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Martinez2.5

California4.4

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Martinez11

California18.2

U.S.15.5

41st

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

71st

percentile among CA towns

violent crimes reported in 2025

406

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageMartinez’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type2.5 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsSteady since 2023 Vs. the neighborsAhead of its graded neighbor Questions“Is Martinez, CA safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

HousingCost of living grade D

Martinez’s typical home value is about $750K

The typical value, about $750K, is 11% below its June 2022 peak. At about $750K, home values are down 2% in five years, against a rise of 13% across California.

The typical Martinez home is worth about $750,000, down 1.3% in a year, close to the California typical home. The median rent in Martinez is $2,353 a month.

$750KZillow home value

	Martinez	California towns	U.S. towns
Median rent	$2,353 a month	$1,895 a month	$1,185 a month
Households that own their home	71%	64%	73%

Typical home value

Martinez$750K

California$762K

Market temperature

days on market

100.7%

sale-to-list price

−1.3%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

Full pageMartinez’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsDown 1.3% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 5.9 years of income Rents$2,353 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 2 of its 5 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Martinez

20pages on Martinez

The big questions

SchoolsBBeat 63% of CA districts · 11 schools SafetyC⁺2.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than CA on 15 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingD$750K typical home · down 1.3% in a year Work & commuteA⁻$127K median household income · 22,241 jobs here Natural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 87% of U.S. communities · earthquakes

Out and about

OutdoorsA⁺38 mi of trails · 14% conserved land PlacesAttractions276 nearby · John Muir National Historic Site under 1 mi LibraryBMartinez Library CollegesDiablo Valley College is 3 mi away

The story

HistoryA⁻Settled 1849 · 9 on the National Register Famous people25 born in Martinez Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 384 residents Climate85° summer highs

Day to day

News6 recent stories about Martinez WeatherHandbookZIP code 94553 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

19 within 15 miles of the center of Martinez

Diablo Valley CollegeCommunity college · Public · Pleasant Hill3 mi$1,312 in-state tuition California State University Maritime AcademyUniversity or college · Public · Vallejo8 mi$9,944 in-state tuition Touro University CaliforniaUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Vallejo10.1 mi$20,005 tuition

About 6 of every 100 Martinez residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

Landmarks

9 places in Martinez on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

John Muir National Historic SiteBuilt 1964 · National Historic Landmark

Contra Costa County Hall of Records (Additional Documentation)

Tucker House

Martinez City Library

Famous people from Martinez

25 notable people were born in Martinez.

See all 25 →

Joe DiMaggioAmerican baseball player · 1914–1999

Seanan McGuireAmerican writer · born 1978

Eddie HartAmerican sprinter · born 1949

Maurice BenardAmerican actor · born 1963

Sara Del ReyAmerican professional wrestler · born 1980

Najee HarrisAmerican football player · born 1998

About Martinez

City in California, United States

Official town website ↗

Martinez (Spanish: Martínez) is a city in and the county seat of Contra Costa County, California, United States, in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Located on the southern shore of the Carquinez Strait, the city's population was 37,287 at the 2020 census. The city is named after Californio ranchero Ygnacio Martínez, having been founded on his Rancho El Pinole. Martinez is known for its historic center and its waterfront.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1849
Area: 14 sq mi
Elevation: 23 ft
ZIP code: 94553
Area code: 925

Martinez’s neighbors

6 towns share a border with Martinez.

Explore the map →

Mountain ViewVine HillAlhambra ValleyPachecoPleasant HillReliez ValleyMartinez

Mountain View

Vine Hill

Alhambra Valley

Pacheco

Pleasant Hill

SE · 3% of Martinez workers commute here

Visit

Reliez Valley

Visit

How the neighbors grade

Town	CA rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Martinez	#166	B⁻	D	C⁺	B	A
Mountain View	—	—	C⁻	—	A⁻	A
Vine Hill	#116	B⁺	C⁻	—	A⁻	A⁻
Alhambra Valley	—	—	—	—	—	—
Pacheco	#42	A⁻	B⁺	—	B	B
Pleasant Hill	#300	C⁺	D⁻	D	B	A
Reliez Valley	#92	B⁺	D⁻	—	B⁺	A⁺

Mountain View has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Mountain View, Vine Hill, Pacheco and Reliez Valley report no FBI crime data of their own. Alhambra Valley isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Martinez with a neighbor →

Questions about Martinez

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Martinez, CA a good place to live?

Martinez grades B− overall, better than 55% of U.S. towns and #166 of 841 in California. It grades A for health, C+ for safety and B for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Martinez, CA safe?

Within California, it does better than 71% of towns.

Is Martinez, CA expensive?

Yes. That is 5.5 years of the area's median household income ($136,027 across the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.

What is Martinez, CA known for?

25 notable people were born here, including Joe DiMaggio and Seanan McGuire.

Post to Martinez

Check your email

MartinezCA

Is Martinez a good place to live?

What makes Martinez stand out

177 years in pictures

How Martinez grades

Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary and 193 more within 40 miles

Moving to Martinez: who provides what

The data

13.8% of Martinez is conserved land

On state tests, Martinez’s schools beat 63% of California districts

For health, Martinez earns an A

Earthquakes leads a very high hazard risk in Martinez

Martinez has mild winters and pleasant summers

Typical low → high °F

A job hub: Martinez has 1.4 jobs for every working resident and draws in 20,394 commuters

Where working residents work

Fewer young adults than California overall

Ages · share of residents

Education · adults 25 and older

Women and men · all residents

Martinez sees more crime per resident than 59% of U.S. towns

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Martinez’s typical home value is about $750K

Typical home value

Everything we know about Martinez

Colleges nearby

Landmarks

Famous people from Martinez

About Martinez

Martinez’s neighbors

Questions about Martinez