Best Reasons to Relocate to San Rafael, CA

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Is San Rafael in the San Francisco Bay Area? Yes. Does San Rafael claim the title of the sunniest city in Marin County? Yes, it does.

Although the Bay Area can experience its fair share of fog, San Rafael is known as Marin County’s “sunny spot.” Thanks to its geographical positioning, it escapes much of the fog that blankets nearby areas like San Francisco.

However, the generous share of California sunshine is not the only reason many people relocate to San Rafael. Nor is its deep musical, arts, and cultural districts all the glamor prospective residents seek in the city.

If you are one of those who are not yet sold on the merits of San Rafael, this article will explain why moving here is a good idea.

1. Weather That Feels Like a Hug

San Rafael’s weather is just perfect. It balances out the seasons, so you can forget snow shoveling or melting in 100-degree heat. 

Here, you get mild winters, glorious sunny days, and cool nights that practically beg you to cozy up. If you love the freedom of not having to freak out when you realize you stepped out without checking the weather forecast, San Rafael is home for you.

Also, when hiring a moving company for your relocation to the city, you don’t have to worry endlessly about what time of the year is the best to move to San Rafae. You just pack up your belongings and load up the truck.

Winter lows are only around the 40s and 50s, with temp averaging 52°F. The hottest month is in August, when the temperature reaches 71°F. 

Here’s a breakdown of the temperature average for the seasons:

Winter — 52°F

Fall — 59°F

Spring — 55°F

Summer — 61°F

2. Commute with Views

If you have ever endured a soul-crushing commute, San Rafael’s scenic drives will feel like you have upgraded to the VIP section of life. 

Even when there’s traffic, you are surrounded by lush hills and postcard-worthy landscapes. However, this can be one of the pros and cons of moving to San Rafael because you get scenic views at the expense of time. 

That’s right, the average commute time here is three minutes more than the national average. But if there’s any consolation, your traffic tantrum will be doused by the beautiful views you enjoy.

Average Commute Time: 35 minutes

3. Biking Trails That Make Your Peloton Jealous

As a Bay area, one thing you may not be willing to believe about San Rafael is that it has more biking and hiking trails than you have fingers.

Well, when you relocate to San Rafael, ride you shall! The endless biking and hiking trails are nature’s treadmills. You get to exercise and burn some of those calories. 

Mt. Tamalpais could be your new gym, and those views at the top? It’s way better than staring at a wall. Even more, you get to enjoy a fun hobby and get some workout while enjoying the best of nature.

4. Goodbye Big City Stress, Hello Suburban Paradise

If you are tired of rushing to a yoga class only to stress out about finding parking, San Rafael is your chill-out zone. It’s close enough to San Francisco if you need that city buzz but far enough to let you breathe. 

Even life slows down here in a good way. 

San Rafael is not completely a suburban city but an urban-suburban one. You can enjoy your latte here without feeling like you are racing against time.

5. Relatively Affordable Housing Market 

Before you start highlighting the housing costs in San Rafael. Yes, it is true. California’s real estate can be eye-watering. But San Rafael offers homes that won’t have you mortgaging away your life to pay your debts. 

Although housing costs in San Rafael are 129% higher than the national average, when you compare them to the cost in a city similar to San Francisco (187% higher), you discover that they are quite a steal. 

You get that Bay Area charm, so you probably know what you are up against. Among similar areas, San Rafael has the least sticker price shock.

• Average House Rent: $2,878
• Median Home Value: $1.1 million

6. Jobs For Days

If you are still worried and need to put your finances in order before making that move, or you need an answer to the question, ‘How much money do you need to live comfortably in San Rafael, CA?’ The short answer… a lot!

The longer answer? You can earn quite a sum here annually. Suppose you’re still undecided because you don’t know whether the job market will favor you, you should go for it if you work in healthcare or retail.

The top employers here are Kaiser Permanente, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., and San Rafael School District (Elementary and High School). If you offer technical or professional services, you are welcome in San Rafael.

• Population: 61,271
• Median Household Income: $113,839
• Unemployment Rate: 4.1%
• Poverty Rate: 8.9%

Note:

Your median household income in this city is way higher than the national average, and switching career paths is not a difficult affair here.

7. Top-Notch Schools 

As hinted earlier, education is big in San Rafael. The schools in this city are kind of a huge deal, with top-tier education that will make you feel like the parent who just nailed everything. 

If your kids don’t thank you now, just wait until they are acing exams and crushing it in life. Then, you will be glad you decided to relocate to San Rafael.

For instance, the Miller Creek Elementary School District has a school quality that is better than 90.4% of all U.S. school districts. Although the San Rafael City High School District lags, its rating exceeds 55.3% of all California school districts.

Some of the best schools here include:

• Sun Valley Elementary
• Lucas Valley Elementary
• Glenwood Elementary
• Miller Creek Middle
• Laurel Dell Elementary
• Terra Linda High

8. Food That’s Better Than Your Pinterest Recipes

If you are the type to attempt fancy recipes only to burn the experiment, San Rafael’s food scene is your saving grace. 

The restaurants here offer mouth-watering farm-to-table eats; if you brave them, the low-key spots feel like well-kept secrets. What’s sure here is that your taste buds are in for a treat. 

Besides, farmer’s markets are a thing here as well!

So, when you relocate to San Rafael, you just might live up to the city’s nickname and get on a mission to whip up dishes worthy of Instagram in no time.

Conclusion — Ready to Move to San Rafael Yet?

Moment of truth. Is a relocation to San Rafael worth it? 

Living in San Rafael is clearly a lifestyle upgrade. From the perfect weather to the ultimate work-life balance, you will wonder why you didn’t move sooner. 

There are also numerous career opportunities in different industries, jobs that pay well above the national average. If you have kids involved in your plan to relocate to San Rafael, you can count on the excellent schools here to deliver nothing but the best.

No matter how you look, moving to San Rafael is a solid choice that rewards you with great views in the Bay area, a relatively affordable cost of living, a slower pace of life, and great food.