Healdsburg has just eleven thousand or so residents but despite that small package it offers an amazing historic downtown area with a world-class foodie scene, beautiful suburban neighborhoods, and finally some of the most stunning rural vineyards and farms in the country. If you choose to live in a small town but want that town to deliver an amazing lifestyle you could hardly do better than Healdsburg. 

If you live in Healdsburg, at least Downtown, expect to see lots of tourists enjoying the art, food, and wine at the local spots. Is this a bad thing? Since many locals earn their living from the hospitality industry, most would argue it's a good thing. We’ll suspend judgment and simply note that plenty of locals will moan about all the tourists (and SF tech types).

LookyLOO Review of Healdsburg

Healdsburg is often described as a haven for wine lovers and a theme park for grown-ups with world-class restaurants and wineries. It is a tale of two cities as you have second-home owners and Airbnb renters mixing with long-time local families and agricultural workers. If you want a suburban family lifestyle – kids in public schools, little league and Girl Scouts, dogs, and playing in parks on weekends, then Healdsburg has that available. If on the other hand, you’re looking for a second or retirement home with lots of great wine, meals a short walk from home, and tons of downtown events and boutique experiences (and you have the money to pay for it) then Healdsburg offers that as well. 

To see what locals get up to for fun in Yonkers check out the [calendar of events](https://cm.healdsburg.com/events). 

We highly recommend visiting Healdsburg and staying in the community in a [VRBO](https://vrbo.com/affiliate/p4JS4ZC) rather than a hotel to get a feel for living among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our [partnership with Expedia](expedia.com/affiliate/9NZ8LBQ) as well.


A Tale of Two Cities

Lifestyle 

Pretty much no one moves to Healdsburg to find a job. Unless you’re in the wine or farming biz. And if that’s the case then you’re probably going to live well outside the expensive city confines. Healdsburg is primarily a tourist town and so most people work in the hospitality industry or they’re wealthy tech types working remotely, or they’re empty nesters/retirees looking to enjoy the warm weather and entertaining downtown. If you’re looking for work and aren’t planning to work in wine/farming or hospitality then check out Santa Rosa, about 15 miles south. 

Worklife 

The prices of homes in Healdsburg are mind-boggling for those unfamiliar with Bay Area realty. A median price for homes of $1.8mm makes it out of reach for most. If you do have the bucks though and are empty nesting or retiring then Healdsburg is pretty wonderful. It checks off a lot of boxes for most: year-round warm weather, good walkscore to downtown culture and entertainment, and a population looking to enjoy the fruits of their labor. 

Fruits of Your Labor

Why You Should Move Here Now? 

**Myteus**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

If you can afford Healdsburg I'd reckon it's one of the best places to retire in the country. It's a vacation destination for people worldwide, even if you aren't a wino it has world class food options. Sutter Santa Rosa is a close hospital that is big enough for most things. It's like the idealistic wine country town. Plus it's close enough to Santa Rosa, Petaluma, and the Russian River area to enjoy all that that has to offer.

For more reviews of what living in Healdsburg is like from locals, check out [The Reviews](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/healdsburg/reviews).

Reviews of Healdsburg from Locals

Downtown Healdsburg is a wonderful area of the town to live if you can find an apartment to rent or a home to buy. It’s the center of the cultural and social experiences available, all within a short walk. If you’re a young professional in the hospitality biz or otherwise then this is really your only choice. There are several apartment building options, both standalone and above the downtown retail. The most notable area of downtown is on the south side, which is where the largest, most historic homes are and where those who want to live just a few minutes from the city center and can afford the prices. 

Young Professionals/Empty Nesters/Retirees/2nd Homers

Downtown/Healdsburg Plaza

A great neighborhood close to downtown on the northeast side of town that has homes closer to $1.2mm or less. Your walk to the downtown plaza is a mile or so and while the are itself is largely residential you are surrounded by parks and open spaces like the Healdsburg Ridge Preserve to the northwest, which has tons of hiking and panoramic views of the Russian River Valley. You also have Riverfront Park, along the banks of the Russian River, just south of the area. Finally just east of The Lanes is Fitch Mountain Park and Preserve, another amazing hiking trail option that winds through the redwood trees and also has stunning views of the area. 


Families

The Lanes

If you’re looking for a 55+ community in the area then check out **[River’s Bend](https://www.myriversbend.org/home/)**. You get beautiful homes at significantly lower prices than other neighborhoods and you’re just a mile from Healdsburg Plaza. River’s Bend sits at the base of Fitch Mountain and the Russian River so if you’re a hiker, walker or paddler, you could hardly pick a better location. The neighborhood is primarily two bedroom, single story homes and you get wonderful common green spaces for daily walks or community events, and a beautiful pool, tennis court, and clubhouse for parties and dining. 

55+ Empty Nesters/Retirees

River's Bend

Healdsburg

**Myteus**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

If you can afford Healdsburg I'd reckon it's one of the best places to retire in the country. It's a vacation destination for people worldwide, even if you aren't a wino it has world class food options. Sutter Santa Rosa is a close hospital that is big enough for most things. It's like the idealistic wine country town. Plus it's close enough to Santa Rosa, Petaluma, and the Russian River area to enjoy all that that has to offer.

**crackersucker2**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

Hmm. I live 4 blocks from downtown and have Hispanic neighbors on both sides and around the corners. Our homes are considered in the “downtown area”, not the other side of the freeway. Also, the police are very community oriented and have local Hispanic officers on their staff that grew up and still live in Healdsburg and several officers that speak Spanish. So, yes, while the town is wealthy and tourism is huge, it still has a lot of locals who own homes in the town limits.

OP, it’s a great town, the heat spells are short lived and honestly much nicer at night than SR and definitely Petaluma- it gets sooo cold at night even during the summer. The grocery stores are either Safeway or an independent Big Johns. There are limited restaurant options that don’t cost a ton, but Windsor has some great median priced options, as well as a lot of great places within the county.

**What I Wish I Knew BEFORE Moving to Healdsburg California... (PROS AND CONS)**

Invest in LookyLoo for as little as $100

Healdsburg, California

The Prune Packers

Looklyloo Score: 92

Reviews

What's it like to live in Healdsburg?