Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

San Rafael vs Arcadia

365 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (5.7× in San Rafael) and conserved land (+18.1 pts in San Rafael).

×
San Rafael, CAHometown of 62 notable peopleCalifornia · 60,433 people
×
Arcadia, CAHomes around $1.38MCalifornia · 55,170 people
Swap order
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

San RafaelHometown of 62 notable people
Famous people62 notable peopleborn in San Rafael Outdoors#86 most conserved land in CA59 miles of trails across 28 parks and preserves Housing$1.3M typical home70% above the CA typical home All about San Rafael →
ArcadiaHomes around $1.38M
Housing$1.38M typical home81% above the CA typical home HealthHealthier than 90%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Outdoors#273 most walkable in CA10 miles of trails across 18 parks and preserves All about Arcadia →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Trails5.7×
San Rafael has more miles of trail
San Rafael 59.2 miArcadia 10.3 mi
Conserved land+18.1 pts
San Rafael has more conserved land
San Rafael 25.9%Arcadia 7.8%
Growth since 2010+5.6 pts
San Rafael has grown faster since 2010
San Rafael +6.2%Arcadia +0.6%
Street grid+49%
Arcadia has the more walkable street grid
Arcadia 95.0San Rafael 63.9
Work in town+8.6 pts
More of San Rafael’s workers stay in town
San Rafael 19.1%Arcadia 10.5%
Average commute4 min
San Rafael has the shorter commute
Arcadia 29 minSan Rafael 25 min
★ What stands out · Report cards

Arcadia places higher on 14 of 25 CA lists

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
DSan RafaelSafer than 14% of U.S. towns C−ArcadiaSafer than 20% of U.S. towns
Schools
C+San RafaelBetter than 38% of districts in the state BArcadiaBetter than 63% of districts in the state
Health
A−San RafaelHealthier than 76% of U.S. towns AArcadiaHealthier than 90% of U.S. towns
11San Rafael
14Arcadia

Lists won, of 25 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most new homesHousing · 438 towns #334#64 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 844 towns #539#103 Most trailsOutdoors · 677 towns #106#403 Best libraries for kidsLibraries · 117 towns #61#21 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #288#4 Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #336#606 Most-used librariesLibraries · 117 towns #56#19 Most library borrowingLibraries · 117 towns #45#10

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $440 more a month in Arcadia

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.

San Rafael$7,600/mo
Typical home $1.3M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.74%+ · or rent about $2,377/mo · Housing →
Arcadia$8,040/mo
Typical home $1.38M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.69%+ · or rent about $2,191/mo · Housing →

The difference: $440 a month, about $5,300 a year, between Arcadia and San Rafael.

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; “+” means the Census top-codes that town’s bill at $10,000, so its real rate is higher.

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
San RafaelArcadia
Snow a year0″0″
January low—46°F
July high—89°F
Growing season (days)—365d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)94th93rd
Outdoors & history
San RafaelArcadia
Trails59 mi10 mi
Conserved land25.9%7.8%
Settled1817—
National Register places81
Archive photos1518
Famous people born here6240
Community
San RafaelArcadia
Library hours a week61 hrs60 hrs
Colleges in town1—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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

365 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

San RafaelCAArcadiaCA
San Rafael ↔ Arcadia365 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.

San RafaelArcadia
People
Population 60,433Highest 55,170Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.2%Highest CA: +6.1% +0.6%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 43.2±1.4Lowest 14% above CA 43.9±1.1Highest 16% above CA
Arcadia and San Rafael are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19.7%±1.4Lowest CA: 22% 20.9%±1.7Highest CA: 22%
Arcadia and San Rafael are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.4%±1.5Lowest CA: 15.7% 20.6%±1.5Highest CA: 15.7%
Arcadia and San Rafael are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 49.7%Lowest CA: 37.1% 57.4%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.9%±0.9Lowest CA: 7.6% 7.9%±1.2Highest CA: 7.6%
Arcadia and San Rafael are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $119,435±$9kHighest 20% above CA $113,516±$10kLowest 15% above CA
San Rafael and Arcadia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $1,355,600±$62kLowest 85% above CA $1,441,800±$74kHighest 96% above CA
Arcadia and San Rafael are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,377±$73Highest 17% above CA $2,191±$68Lowest 8% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $10,000+ at least 95% above CA $10,000+ at least 95% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 57.8%±5.2Lowest CA: 55.3% 58.5%±5.7Highest CA: 55.3%
Arcadia and San Rafael are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 11.7%Highest CA: 12% 8.6%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 53%Lowest CA: 55.9% 58.1%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1968Highest 8 yrs older than CA 1965Lowest 11 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minLowest 12% below CA 29 minHighest about the CA average
Work from home 26.3%±1.7Highest CA: 17.2% 22.7%±2.8Lowest CA: 17.2%
San Rafael and Arcadia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 19.1%Highest 10.5%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.8 miHighest 12.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.45Highest 1.15Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town San Francisco (22%)Los Angeles (22%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ArcadiaFew work in San Rafael
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 25.9%Highest 7.8%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 59.2 miHighest 10.3 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.6 miHighest 0.9 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 28Highest 18Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 63.9Lowest 95.0Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #216 of 574 in CA#237 of 574 in CA
School district Marin County ROP · Miller Creek ElementaryArcadia Unified
High school in town San Rafael HighArcadia High
Students per teacherat that high school 19.8Lowest 24.7Highest
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.

San Rafael neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to San Rafael’s Town Square.

Arcadia neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Arcadia’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside San Rafael and Arcadia

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering San Rafael

+ Compare
Santa Venetia3,725 people · $1.01M homes
R
+ Compare
Ross2,606 people · $2M homes
+ Compare
Larkspur12,854 people · $2M homes
+ Compare
San Anselmo12,679 people · $1.58M homes

Towns like San Rafael

+ Compare
South San Francisco64,305 people · $1.19M homes
+ Compare
Brea47,469 people · $922K homes
+ Compare
Fountain Valley56,258 people · $1.07M homes
U
+ Compare
Union City67,464 people · $1.1M 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.

Post to San Rafael

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in