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California›Sonoma County

Sonoma State UniversityCA

A town of 2,210.

Is Sonoma State University a good place to live?

The best of Sonoma State University’s subject grades are an A+ for walkability and an A for health; the weakest is a D for hazard risk. Sonoma State University’s density of trails is 2.5 miles per square mile, where California’s towns sit at 1.0 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Sonoma State University has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.

What makes Sonoma State University stand out

Where Sonoma State University beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

A commuter town

100% of working residents leave Sonoma State University for work

Where Sonoma State University’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

11% → San Francisco San Francisco 11% 11% → Santa Rosa Santa Rosa 11% 9% → Rohnert Park Rohnert Park 9% 8% → Petaluma Petaluma 8% 4% → San Rafael San Rafael 4% 2% → Novato Novato 2% Sonoma State University · 0% stay
0jobs based in Sonoma State University
0%of working residents work in town
29 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

How Sonoma State University grades

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

How grading works

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary and 92 more within 40 miles

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

All 192 attractions →
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 · Lombard Street: The original uploader was Y6y6y6 at English Wikipedia., Public domain · Presidio of San Francisco: Robert Campbell, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Ross: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Muir Woods National Monument: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lake Berryessa: Unknown, Public domain

Getting set up

Moving to Sonoma State University: who provides what

Sonoma State University is unincorporated, so Sonoma County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSonoma State University water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesSonoma CountySonoma County provides services here
SchoolsCotati-Rohnert Park Unified School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES
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 hereSonoma County Registrar of VotersSonoma County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2026
ZIP code9492894928 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 Sonoma State University.

Who lives here

The median age in Sonoma State University is lower than in the typical California or U.S. town

Among adults 25 and older in Sonoma State University, 41% hold a bachelor’s degree or more, above both California’s towns (29%) and U.S. towns (29%). Adults 18 to 34 are 99% of residents (24% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 1% of residents (39% statewide).

19.6median age · CA 37.9
Sonoma State UniversityCalifornia townsU.S. towns
Median age19.6 years39 years40.5 years
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+41%29%29%
Sonoma State UniversityCaliforniaUnited States

Ages · share of residents

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma7%
High school8%
Some college17%
Associate’s27%
Bachelor’s30%
Graduate11%

Women and men · all residents

58% women, 42% men

About 73 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±5.9 points). Across California, 50.1% of residents are women. Median age: women 19.4, men 20.0.

Ages and education in Sonoma State University
Sonoma State UniversityCAU.S.
Under 100%11.4%11.6%
10 to 170.6%10.5%10.3%
18 to 2494.4%9.1%9.1%
25 to 344.3%14.8%13.7%
35 to 440.4%13.9%13.2%
45 to 540%12.5%12.2%
55 to 640.4%12.1%12.7%
65 to 740%9.2%10.2%
75 and older0%6.5%7%
No diploma7.2%15.3%10.4%
High school8.1%20.5%26%
Some college17.1%19.3%19.1%
Associate’s27%7.9%8.8%
Bachelor’s29.7%22.7%21.6%
Graduate10.8%14.4%14.1%

U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,200, single groups can be off by several points

HealthA

Sonoma State University stands out in California and nationally: a smaller share of its adults have high blood pressure

Only 4 of the 848 California towns we compare have a lower share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Sonoma State University. In Sonoma State University, 18% of adults have obesity. The town does better than the California average on 14 of 32 CDC measures and worse on 5.

88%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
Sonoma State UniversityCalifornia townsU.S. towns
Obesity (CDC PLACES)18%29%35%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)3.1%12%12%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)7.8%14%14%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)11%31%35%
32 measures vs. California
14 better13 too close to call5 worse
What stands outSonoma State UniversityCA
Fewer adults with heart disease1%5.6%
Fewer adults who have had cancer1.2%6.4%
Fewer adults treating high blood pressure37.1%71.3%
Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital
7.2 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage

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

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D

Sonoma State University has a very high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from earthquakes

62% of Sonoma State University’s expected losses from natural hazards come from earthquakes, followed by inland flooding at 37%. On expected storm and flood damage, Sonoma State University sits above 90% of U.S. communities.

90risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
90Very high riskLowerHigher
EarthquakesInland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Work & commute

For most of its workers, the job is outside Sonoma State University

In Sonoma State University, the mean commuting time is 13 minutes. The top destinations are San Francisco (11%), Santa Rosa (11%) and Rohnert Park (9%). For half of commuters, work is under 29 miles away.

0%work in town

Where working residents work

In Sonoma State University0%
San Francisco11%
Santa Rosa11%
Rohnert Park9%
Petaluma8%
29 mi
median commute distance
0
jobs based in Sonoma State University
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 98% of U.S. towns

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

The climate in Sonoma State University brings mild winters and pleasant summers

For Sonoma State University, the typical July afternoon high is 82°F.

83°summer high

Typical low → high °F

Winter39–59°
Spring44–69°
Summer51–81°
Fall46–75°
Nov 25
typical first frost
Feb 28
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
83°
typical summer high

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

OutdoorsB

0% of Sonoma State University is conserved land

1.0 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.

0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 269 acres
1.0 mi
of trails · 2.5 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Sonoma State University green0.2 mi13
2. Sonoma Faculty green0.2 mi5

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

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Sonoma State University

15pages on Sonoma State University
After high school

Colleges nearby

2 within 15 miles of the center of Sonoma State University

Sonoma State University’s neighbors

One town shares a border with Sonoma State University.

Explore the map →
How the neighbors grade
TownCA rankOverallCostSafetySchoolsHealth
Sonoma State University————B−A
Rohnert Park#378CD−C+B−A−

Sonoma State University has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Sonoma State University reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Sonoma State University with a neighbor →