26,309
Population
Sunny Days: 261
71100 Affordability
90100 Schools
47100 Diversity
91100 Safety
Nothing Like a Good Well To Bring People Together
Windsor, California
Pony Express
Windsor Town Green, Credit: Photo by Wildly Simple
Credit: Courtesy of Discover Windsor
Foothill Regional Park, Credit: Courtesy of Sonoma County Now
Riverfront Regional Park, Credit: Courtesy of Sonoma County Now
The Best Thing About Windsor?
Charm
Windsor offers the stunning beauty of the wine country but with fewer tourists and a more relaxed vibe than the wine country cities of Napa or Sonoma. The town is most notable for its utterly charming Old Downtown which is filled with excellent restaurants, cafes and local boutiques that surround the Windsor Town Green public park - where year-round music, farmers’ markets and festivals are held. It also has plenty of local breweries and vineyards where locals and visitors hang together. You also get a wonderful farm-to-table foodie scene owning to the region’s rich agricultural output.
The Worst Thing About Windsor?
Costs
We could put costs down for virtually any northern California city but it’s worth noting for Windsor since you’re getting pretty far north of the tech scene for the prices for homes to be ~$850k. Windsor is less of a second home city for the wealthy, like Healdsburg or Guerneville, so the locals tend to be genuine locals and that housing price can be a tough pill to swallow. Cost of living in general is also pricey in the area but given you’re likely considering among different Marin or Sonoma county cities this will likely be no shock.
Lifestyle of Windsor
The Town Green, in the center of Old Downtown, is a big driver of the community lifestyle in Windsor. It serves as the year round center of city activities with farmers’ markets, festivals, city celebrations and most notably the Annual Summer Night on the Green Concerts. While families go about their business, going to parks and good schools, and enjoying the amazing Sonoma County outdoors, it is really the Green where the lifestyle of Windsor is most exemplified.
Worklife of Windsor
Plenty of people live in Windsor and commute to Santa Rosa or other Sonoma county jobs but if you want to live and work here then you’ll probably working in the wine production or general agricultural/farming industries. You could also find a gig in the growing hospitality and tourism industry. Much to the chagrin of some locals Windsor has been growing its tourism biz and so job opportunities in service are on the rise.
Why You Should Move Here Now?
Before The Rise
While other Sonoma cities have exploded in popularity and tourism Windsor remains a bit off the radar. There is some desire among more growth-minded locals to spike the size of the local and tourist community and so if you want to get in on an amazing city before it is untouchable then make your move now.
Living in Windsor
Neighborhoods in Windsor
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Downtown/Town Green Village
Young Professionals/Empty Nesters/Retirees
While Windsor is a small town, the energy of Downtown/Town Green Village draws young professionals that choose to live north of Santa Rosa as well as empty nesters and retirees who want to live in a beautiful, albeit small downtown with lots happening to keep them entertained. There are single family homes in the area but also plenty of condos and apartments for those looking to rent or downsize. As was noted there is a never-ending series of events happening in the Town Green and plenty of good restaurants, bars and boutique shopping to keep you occupied.
Lakewood Hills
Families
If you’re craving a family-focused gated community kind of experience then check out Lakewood Hills. You get beautiful single-family homes, tree-lined streets with big yards, walking paths, tennis courts, a swim center and fishing and water sports on two private lakes. It’s also located on the western side of the city so you have easy access to towns like Guerneville and even better, the Pacific Ocean.
East Windsor
Families/DINKs/SINKs
East Windsor is a mix of families, professionals and retirees. Single-family homes at slightly better prices than other Windsor neighborhoods, townhomes and condo/apartment options means families, and SINKs/DINKs can all find a place to live here. You get a break from the energy of Old Downtown here if you want a bit quieter of a pace but there's plenty of parks like Lakewood Meadows, Pleasant Oak, and Robbins means there is tons of room for the kiddos to run, bike and play. East Windsor also has its own commercial options for dining and shopping and excellent public schools so families love the neighborhood.