Living in San Rafael, California

San Rafael is the largest city in Marin County and the county seat. It's known by most in Marin as the place to be if you crave a suburban city with a downtown. It has a high dose of historic charm, mixed with more suburban ease than some of the other, more hilly cities, like Mill Valley. Like many cities and towns in Marin County, it offers easy access to amazing outdoor recreation. It’s more diverse and eclectic than many neighboring towns and has a walkable downtown with a legitimate local pulse.

Its location makes it a hub: you're 30 minutes from San Francisco, 15 minutes from the Marin Headlands, and right at the edge of Northern California wine country. It’s where people go when they want a mix of culture, community, and nature without the price tag (or formality) of Mill Valley or Tiburon.

San Rafael’s lifestyle is shaped by its Mediterranean climate. The weather here is pleasant nearly all year long, with only occasional rain and some summer fog getting in the way of clear blue skies. As with all of Marin, it has plenty of hills for views and hiking, but also has flats so the kiddos can learn and enjoy biking. The city boasts a historic downtown area, rare for Marin. In the center of town is the San Rafael City Plaza, it's THE community gathering place and the center of town events, including the Thursday night farmers markets and summertime concerts.

This includes being home to the Smith Rafael Film Center, plenty of restaurants, boutiques, coffee shops, and weekly farmers' markets. It’s walkable and active, especially near the SMART train station and Fourth Street.

Outdoor access is big here. China Camp State Park is right on the city’s edge for hiking, biking, and beautiful Bay views. Marin Civic Center, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, hosts public events, concerts, and food truck nights.

Culturally, San Rafael feels grounded and creative. It’s home to the Marin History Museum and Art Works Downtown. Not surprisingly, for the overwhelmingly healthy Marin culture, San Rafael is filled with yoga and Pilates studios, organic cafes, and global cuisine alongside long-standing taquerias and old-school diners.

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

We highly recommend visiting Petaluma and staying in the community in a VRBO rather than a hotel to get a feel for living among the locals. You can also receive discounted travel fares via our partnership with Expedia.

San Rafael serves as a regional job center for Marin County. It's about as good a city to choose for working near your home, north of San Francisco.

Major employment sectors include:
-Healthcare (Kaiser Permanente, MarinHealth Medical Center)
-Education and government (Marin County offices, Dominican University)
-Nonprofit and sustainability sectors
-Professional services and remote tech work
-Retail and hospitality in the downtown core

Plenty of locals commute to San Francisco via car, ferry (from nearby Larkspur), or the SMART train (with a transfer to the ferry in Larkspur), but an increasing number work locally or remotely. The city has coworking spaces, including [Courthouse Square]( Worklife in San Rafael

San Rafael serves as a regional job center for Marin County. Major employment sectors include:

• Healthcare (Kaiser Permanente, MarinHealth Medical Center)
• Education and government (Marin County offices, Dominican University)
• Nonprofit and sustainability sectors
• Professional services and remote tech work
• Retail and hospitality in the downtown core

Many residents commute to San Francisco via car, ferry (from nearby Larkspur), or the SMART train, but an increasing number work locally or remotely. The city has plenty of coworking spaces, including Courthouse Square, AvantSpace, and All Hands Club. These spaces are getting filled with a growing number of freelancers and solopreneurs in the creative and tech industries.