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COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Sonoma County

California · 458,614 residents · 1,575 sq mi
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The short version

With 458,614 people, Sonoma County is a county in California. Median home value sits at $265,200. Renters pay $864 a month at the median. 70,392 more people live here than in 1990. Median household income runs $53,076, well clear of the $42,589 US median. Poverty is uncommon here, at 8.1% of residents.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 37.5
US median: 35.2
More educated
29% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
458,614
+18%since 1990
from 388,222 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
37.5
+8%since 1990
from 34.9 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
1,575 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
377K411K445K479K513K19902000201020202024Sonoma County
2024485K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56%(27,597)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96.9%(31,846)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.2%(33,033)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 197.1%(32,359)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 246.1%(27,866)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.7%(58,346)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4416.5%(75,615)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5416.1%(73,837)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 648.8%(40,138)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 746%(27,394)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 844.9%(22,329)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.8%(8,254)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$53,076
+11%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $36,299 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$25,724
+49%since 1990
from $17,239 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
8.1%
+0.4 ptssince 1990
from 7.6% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$265,200
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 1990
from $200,600 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$864
+2%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $645 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
64.1%
+1.2 ptssince 1990
from 62.9% in 1990
35.9% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic90.7%(351,983)
Black1.4%(5,554)
Hispanic / Latino10.2%(39,537)
Asian2.8%(10,881)
2000
White, non-Hispanic74.5%(341,686)
Black1.3%(6,116)
Hispanic / Latino17.3%(79,511)
Asian3%(13,786)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican24.3%(117,693)
Salvadoran1%(4,971)
South American0.8%(3,709)
Spaniard0.6%(2,993)
Puerto Rican0.5%(2,213)
Guatemalan0.4%(1,957)
Colombian0.3%(1,315)
Nicaraguan0.2%(1,047)
Cuban0.2%(842)
Honduran0.2%(763)
Peruvian0.2%(741)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Argentine0.1%(660)
Panamanian0.1%(534)
Chilean0.1%(441)
Ecuadorian0.1%(289)
Dominican0.1%(243)
Uruguayan0%(67)
Bolivian0%(58)
Asian origin
Filipino0.9%(4,442)
Chinese0.9%(4,355)
Vietnamese0.7%(3,154)
Asian Indian0.6%(3,036)
Korean0.2%(1,193)
Japanese0.2%(1,156)
Nepalese0.2%(767)
Cambodian0.2%(758)
Laotian0.1%(538)
Thai0.1%(391)
Taiwanese0.1%(320)
Hmong0.1%(250)
+ 7 more asian origin groups with data
Indonesian0%(211)
Pakistani0%(113)
Burmese0%(109)
Kazakh0%(100)
Pacific Islander origin
Native Hawaiian0.4%(1,885)
Fijian0.2%(802)
Samoan0.1%(605)
Chamorro0.1%(306)
Tongan0%(87)
Guamanian0%(66)
Ancestry
German12.4%(59,978)
Irish12.2%(59,215)
English12.1%(58,636)
Italian8%(38,687)
French2.8%(13,602)
Scottish2.7%(12,923)
American2.5%(12,249)
Polish1.8%(8,763)
Norwegian1.7%(8,439)
Swedish1.7%(8,126)
Portuguese1.3%(6,296)
Russian1.2%(5,865)
+ 48 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch1.1%(5,314)
Scotch-Irish1.1%(5,283)
Danish0.9%(4,376)
British0.8%(4,003)
Welsh0.8%(3,784)
Swiss0.6%(2,936)
Arab0.5%(2,563)
Greek0.4%(2,130)
Czech0.4%(1,804)
Hungarian0.3%(1,560)
Ukrainian0.3%(1,537)
French Canadian0.3%(1,483)
Finnish0.3%(1,451)
Austrian0.3%(1,389)
Canadian0.3%(1,384)
Croatian0.2%(955)
West Indian0.2%(923)
Iranian0.2%(872)
Armenian0.2%(807)
Slovak0.2%(755)
Lithuanian0.1%(705)
Belgian0.1%(635)
Romanian0.1%(585)
Lebanese0.1%(468)
Brazilian0.1%(448)
Jordanian0.1%(421)
Latvian0.1%(413)
Egyptian0.1%(396)
Palestinian0.1%(394)
Ethiopian0.1%(348)
Serbian0.1%(335)
Jamaican0.1%(329)
Haitian0.1%(310)
Kenyan0.1%(287)
Nigerian0.1%(265)
Australian0.1%(257)
Syrian0%(219)
Bulgarian0%(204)
Turkish0%(194)
Slovene0%(149)
Israeli0%(114)
Moroccan0%(60)
Guyanese0%(57)
Iraqi0%(23)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
28.5%
+4.0 ptssince 1990
from 24.5% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
84.9%
+0.5 ptssince 1990
from 84.4% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
9.7%
+1.8 ptssince 1990
from 7.9% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.3 min
−22%since 1990
from 24.8 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married31.4%(56,053)
Married56.1%(100,230)
Widowed2.4%(4,364)
Divorced10%(17,883)
Women 15+
Never married23%(43,308)
Married52.7%(99,228)
Widowed9.9%(18,597)
Divorced14.4%(27,032)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
5.1%
−9.0 ptssince 2013
from 14.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
56.1%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 56.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.8%
−1.3 ptssince 2020
from 18.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
22.3%
+1.8 ptssince 2020
from 20.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
20.5%
+2.0 ptssince 2020
from 18.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.5%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 1.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
70.5%
−1.9 ptssince 2020
from 72.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
39.6%
+3.3 ptssince 2020
from 36.3% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)16.7%(3,157)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)14.4%(2,716)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era43.1%(8,140)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.5%(1,036)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II3%(561)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 18,880 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

Places similar to Sonoma County

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Pop 481,439
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Pop 457,710
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Pop 525,757
St. Charles County
Pop 426,499
Places similar to Sonoma County
Head to head

Compare Sonoma County to nearby counties

SONOMA COUNTY VS
Napa County
Income$111,471+110%
Home value$869,500+228%
Population132,949−73%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SONOMA COUNTY VS
Marin County
Income$149,091+181%
Home value$1,507,300+468%
Population253,694−48%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SONOMA COUNTY VS
Lake County
Income$60,621+14%
Home value$324,300+22%
Population67,772−86%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SONOMA COUNTY VS
San Francisco County
Income$140,970+166%
Home value$1,394,500+426%
Population826,079+70%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Sonoma County, California?

Sonoma County, California has about 458,614 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Sonoma County, California?

The typical household in Sonoma County, California earns about $53,076 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Sonoma County, California expensive?

In Sonoma County, California, the median home is worth about $265,200, and the typical rent is about $864 a month.

How educated are people in Sonoma County, California?

About 28.5% of adults age 25 and over in Sonoma County, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Sonoma County, California?

About 8.1% of people in Sonoma County, California live below the federal poverty line.

Has Sonoma County, California grown since 1990?

Yes, Sonoma County, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 70,392 residents, a change of about 18 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →