Best Places for Business and Careers 2019

Santa Rosa, CA

gross metro product

$33.9B

population

499.9K

median household income

$84,250

median home price

$647,000

cost of living

37% above nat'l avg

college attainment

35.8%

net migration

-370 (year: 2018)

unemployment

2.9%

major industries

Health care, Tourism

job growth

1.6% (year: 2018)

As of October 2019

Santa Rosa sits at the southwestern gateway to the Sonoma and Napa Valleys of California's famed Wine Country. Many wineries and vineyards are nearby, as well as the Russian River resort area, the Sonoma Coast along the Pacific Ocean, Jack London State Historic Park and the redwood trees of Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve. Downtown Santa Rosa, including the central Old Courthouse Square and historic Railroad Square, features a center for many shops restaurants, nightclubs, and theaters. The city is home to the Pacific

Coast Air Museum, Charles M. Schulz Museum and California Indian Museum and Cultural Center.

On forbes lists

#110

Best Places for Business and Careers 2019

#187

In Cost of Doing Business

#41

In Job Growth

#56

In Education

EmploymentHousingEducationQuality of Life

Job Growth

1.6% (year: 2018)

Projected Annual Job Growth

0.7%

Unemployment

2.9%

Median Household Income

$84,250

Household Income Growth

5.6%

High-Tech Employment

1.8%

Data is for the metro area
Sources: Moody's Analytics; Sperling's BestPlaces; U.S. Census.
Numbers as of October 2019
a - Value of 100 means that a family with the median income has exactly enough income to qualify for a typical mortgage on a median-priced single-family home. An index above 100 signifies that the family has surplus income.