Petaluma, CA: Local News, Events & Neighbors

Petaluma is a city in Sonoma County, California, United States, located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Its population was 59,776 according to the 2020 census. Petaluma's name comes from the Miwok village named Péta Lúuma that was located on the banks of the Petaluma River. The modern city originates in Rancho Petaluma, granted in 1834 to famed Californio statesman Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, considered to be the founder of Petaluma. Today, Petaluma is known for its well-preserved historic center and as a local hub for the Petaluma Valley region of Sonoma County.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Petaluma ranks

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#102Best schools in CA #210Most remote workers in CA #246Most educated in CA All CA rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code94952, 94953, 94954

Area code707

Living in Petaluma

Housing in Petaluma

$899K≈ same as a year ago Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Petaluma home is worth about $899,000, about the same as a year ago, 18% above the California typical home.

A strong seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market31

Sale-to-list103.1%

Sold in May45

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Petaluma

C⁺

Safety Grade C+

Petaluma reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 57% report less. Within California, it does better than 69% of towns.

Violent crime per 1,000

Petaluma 2.3

California 4.3

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Petaluma 11.9

California 18.2

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Schools in Petaluma

All Petaluma schools →

B⁺

School Grade B+

The public schools Petaluma’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 72% of California’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.

#102Best public schoolsof 574 in CA

DistrictPetaluma Joint Union HighSchools33

Mary Collins Charter School at Cherry Valley A-Elementary · Grades K–8 · 494 students Loma Vista Immersion AcademyElementary · Grades K–6 · 451 students Sonoma Mountain ElementaryElementary · Grades K–6 · 422 students Corona Creek Elementary A-Elementary · Grades K–6 · 403 students Grant ElementaryElementary · Grades K–6 · 386 students Meadow Elementary A-Elementary · Grades K–6 · 384 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within CA. Ratings are from neighbors.