Living in Ross, California

Ross is one of the smallest towns in Marin, and one of the wealthiest. Tucked between Kentfield and San Anselmo, it covers less than 2.5 square miles but carries a big reputation. Wide, oak-lined streets, deep-set estates, and an almost completely residential footprint give it the feel of an exclusive enclave.

There’s no commercial strip, just the Ross Common with a post office, the fire station, a café, and a few offices. But the town’s charm isn’t in its amenities, it’s in its sense of calm. People come here for the privacy, the quiet, and the school district.

Life in Ross centers around the Ross Common and the schools. Families walk their kids to Ross School in the mornings, grab coffee at the little café nearby, and stop to chat under redwoods before heading home. Social life tends to happen through school functions, town events, or personal networks. There’s not much public activity, and that’s intentional.

Nearby trails into Phoenix Lake and Baltimore Canyon are part of daily life. You’ll see locals walking dogs or hiking up toward Mount Tam. There’s easy access to sports fields, the Marin Art & Garden Center, and bike paths that connect to downtown San Anselmo.

Annual traditions like the Ross Fourth of July Parade bring out nearly every resident. Longtime residents also host seasonal school fairs and garden tours. These gatherings don’t draw press, but they matter deeply to the community.

To see what locals do for fun, check out the Ross Calendar of Events.

We highly recommend visiting Ross and staying in the community at a VRBO instead of a hotel to get a feel for what it's like to live among the locals. You can also receive discounted fares on travel through our partnership with Expedia.

Most Ross residents don’t work in Ross. This is a commuter town or a base for remote professionals. Many residents work in finance, law, medicine, or tech and either commute to San Francisco, often by ferry, or manage flexible schedules from home.

There are a few local jobs tied to the school, the town offices, and support services like gardening or home maintenance. But there’s no commercial core and very little office space.

It’s common to see contractors and service trucks alongside streets during the day, as many homes here require regular upkeep. Residents tend to outsource time-consuming tasks, which contributes to the tight rhythm of home life and privacy that defines the town.