Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety

B−CotatiSafer than 50% of U.S. towns –RodeoNot graded

Schools

BCotatiBetter than 62% of districts in the state BRodeoBetter than 56% of districts in the state

Health

A−CotatiHealthier than 84% of U.S. towns B−RodeoHealthier than 54% of U.S. towns

13Cotati

6Rodeo

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #762#99 Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #140#605 Most trailsOutdoors · 677 towns #197#540 Most activeHealth · 844 towns #161#573 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #463#772 Highest graduation rateSchools · 720 towns #211#443 HealthiestHealth · 844 towns #219#489 Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #415#160

Left end = #1 in California. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Cotati’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $430 more a month in Cotati

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Cotati$4,250/mo

Typical home $726K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.74% · or rent about $2,056/mo · Housing →

Rodeo$3,820/mo

Typical home $646K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.79% · or rent about $2,190/mo · Housing →

The difference: $430 a month, about $5,200 a year, between Cotati and Rodeo.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

CotatiRodeo

Snow a year0″0″

January low39°F 43°F

July high81°F 74°F

Growing season (days)271d 365d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)94th 87th

Outdoors & history

CotatiRodeo

Trails3 mi 2 mi

Conserved land3.5%6.2%

Settled1963 1890

Archive photos3 6

Famous people born here2 —

Community

CotatiRodeo

Library hours a week—23 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

32 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

CotatiCA RodeoCA

Cotati ↔ Rodeo32 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs California average

CotatiRodeo

People

Population 7,489Lowest 8,976Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +4.4%Lowest CA: +6.1% +11.2%Highest CA: +6.1%

Median age 38.5±2.6Lowest about the CA average 41.8±2.5Highest 10% above CA

Rodeo and Cotati are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 16.2%±3.6Lowest CA: 22% 19.5%±3.5Highest CA: 22%

Rodeo and Cotati are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 16%±3.8Lowest CA: 15.7% 17.1%±2.6Highest CA: 15.7%

Rodeo and Cotati are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 37.6%Highest CA: 37.1% 31.6%Lowest CA: 37.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.7%±2.4Highest CA: 7.6% 5.9%±1.5Lowest CA: 7.6%

Cotati and Rodeo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $110,750±$19kHighest 12% above CA $91,484±$18kLowest 8% below CA

Cotati and Rodeo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $746,800±$49kHighest about the CA average $663,200±$39kLowest 10% below CA

Cotati and Rodeo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,056±$266Lowest about the CA average $2,190±$206Highest 8% above CA

Rodeo and Cotati are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $5,514Highest 8% above CA $5,270Lowest about the CA average

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 42.3%±8.9Lowest CA: 55.3% 49.1%±13.3Highest CA: 55.3%

Rodeo and Cotati are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 8.2%Lowest CA: 12% 8.4%Highest CA: 12%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 59.2%Highest CA: 55.9% 59%Lowest CA: 55.9%

Typical home builtmedian year 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than CA 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than CA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 29 minLowest about the CA average 38 minHighest 33% above CA

Work from home 15.2%±4.6Highest CA: 17.2% 13.2%±3.6Lowest CA: 17.2%

Cotati and Rodeo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 4.5%Highest 2.9%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.3 miLowest 16.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.79Highest 0.28Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Santa Rosa (17%)San Francisco (14%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in RodeoFew work in Cotati

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 3.5%Lowest 6.2%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 3.3 miHighest 2.2 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.7 miHighest 0.5 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 11Highest 5Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 120Highest 41.9Lowest

Schools

School district Cotati-Rohnert Park UnifiedJohn Swett Unified

High school in town None in townNone in town

California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Cotati neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Cotati’s Town Square.

Rodeo neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Rodeo’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Cotati

+ Compare

Rohnert Park44,575 people · $666K homes

Towns like Cotati

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Buellton5,074 people · $837K homes

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Signal Hill11,468 people · $783K homes

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Winters7,583 people · $634K homes

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Healdsburg11,243 people · $950K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Cotati vs Rodeo

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Cotati places higher on 13 of 19 CA lists

A typical home costs $430 more a month in Cotati

What daily life feels like in each

32 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Cotati and Rodeo

Bordering Cotati

Towns like Cotati

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