Downtown Santa Rosa is a commercial district comprising shopping and dining in the city's heart with small pockets of houses and apartment complexes. Residents enjoy convenient access to Highway 101, connecting drivers throughout the city and towards the San Francisco Bay Area. A part of Sonoma County, Santa Rosa is well-known for its wineries and laidback, neighborly wine country culture. Before early European settlers made Santa Rosa their home, the area was home to tribes of Cahuilla Native Americans. Today, Santa Rosans actively celebrate their city’s history through museums, festivals and nature preservation. “The best part about living in Santa Rosa is the access to the outdoors,” says Florence Sheffer, a Real Estate Agent with Coldwell Banker Realty and over 16 years of real estate experience. “If you live downtown, you’re about 10 minutes from great, big, open spaces, like Annadel State Park, which is 5,000 acres of lakes and trails.”
Historic homes with individual style
Downtown Santa Rosa is busy with shops, restaurants, construction yards and industrial buildings. “This is where you’ll find vintage homes from the 1930s through current construction,” says Sheffer. Single-story ranch-style homes are common with well-kept, trimmed lawns; many have trees, like oak or redwood. Homes are adorned with quirky string lights and latticework; each house has its own individual style, and homeowners enjoy expressing themselves this way. Condos and apartments are more common than homes in Downtown Santa Rosa, like the Annadel complexes with contemporary architecture. Homes around Downtown Santa Rosa typically start around $800,000 and reach prices up to $2 million for multi-story, five-or four-bedroom homes.
Extracurriculars in Santa Rosa City Schools
Local kids can study at Santa Rosa City Schools. Home of the Vikings, Steele Lane Elementary receives a C from Niche and provides after-school enrichment programs like Lego Robotics and Student Council. Students can attend 7th and 8th grade at Hilliard Comstock Middle, also rated C, before moving on to Santa Rosa High, rated A-minus; here, students can join extracurricular clubs like Bee & Gardening, Baking and Dead Poets Society.
Summer days in Santa Rosa's parks
Prince Gateway Park is a half-acre lot of grassy areas with a splash park for both children and adults to cool down on sunny California days. Nearby, one of Santa Rosa’s oldest parks, Juilliard Park, covers over 9 acres and includes a playground, community garden, and public art by Charles Ginnever; the park also hosts the Live at Juilliard Summer Concert Series. Around the corner, the Luther Burbank Home & Gardens is a must-see destination for his meticulous, naturalist creations in his acre-sized garden and Greek Revival home. Visitors may also want to head to the Prince Memorial Greenway along Santa Rosa Creek to enjoy serene views of California scenery.
Downtown shopping and dining in Santa Rosa
Find all sorts of shopping and dining options in Santa Rosa’s downtown area. “Downtown suffered during the pandemic, but now we’re getting all kinds of new restaurants,” says Sheffer. Try Carlos’ Country Kitchen for homestyle American favorites like burgers and grilled cheeses. For Italian and German cooking, try Franchetti’s Gasthaus + Biergarten to enjoy a schnitzel burger or goulash; head there during happy hour to sample the German beers on tap. Living in Sonoma County means having access to the wine culture that helped put it on the map—if that piques your interest, then check out the nearby D'Argenzio Winery and Tasting Room or take a trip 20 miles upstate to Francis Ford Coppola Winery for wine tastings and movie memorabilia. For shopping, try the historic Railroad Square to find one-of-a-kind antiques and oddities at stores like Green Fish Trading and The Batcave. About a mile away, grab groceries at the local Whole Foods.
Festivals, fairs and museums in Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa is home to a plethora of annual festivals and events, like the Sonoma County Pride Parade, which celebrates diversity, community, and belonging. There’s also the Sonoma County Harvest Fair, which features local agriculture and a wine-judging competition. Visitors also won’t want to miss events like Movies in the Park at Howarth Park in the summer, the Floating Pumpkin Patch at Ridgway Swim Center and the Handmade Holiday Crafts Fair. While downtown, locals can also learn about Santa Rosa’s history at the Museum of Sonoma County or learn about a famous Santa Rosan, Charles M. Schulz, the creator of the “Peanuts” comic strip, at the Charles M. Schulz Museum.
Getting around Santa Rosa
The Downtown Santa Rosa area is walkable, but residents typically drive around the city; Highway 101 is nearby and connects drivers throughout the city and towards Southern California. Santa Rosa also offers buses throughout the city and to surrounding areas of Sonoma County. Sheffer recommends the Smart Train for an easy trip to the San Francisco Ferry. The Sonoma County Airport is about 7 miles from Downtown Santa Rosa; for medical needs, Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital is 2 miles away.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Interested in learning more about homes in this neighborhood?
Reach out to
William Schlutius,
an experienced agent in this area.
Parks in this Area
De Turk Round Barn Dog Park
Prince Gateway Park
Waterpark
Multi-Purpose Field
Juilliard Park
Picnic Area
Playground
Events
Depot Park
Santa Rosa Recreation & Parks
Demeo Park
Transit
Airport
Charles M Schulz - Sonoma County
13 min drive
Bus
North Dutton Ave & West Ninth St
Bus
Cleveland Ave & Eleventh St
Bus
West College Ave & Maxwell Ct
Bus
Frances Ave & Cleveland Ave
Bus
Range Ave & Jennings Ave
Bus
Cleveland Ave & Carrillo St
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Downtown Santa Rosa
US
Homicide
3
4
Sexual Assault
5
4
Assault with Weapon
4
4
Robbery
4
4
Burglary
6
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
7
4
Larceny
6
4
Crime Score
5
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Downtown Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa sell after 28 days on the market compared to the national average of 47 days. The average sale price for homes in Downtown Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa over the last 12 months is $832,000.
Welcome to Annadel, where contemporary design meets Sonoma County charm. Our pet-friendly community offers spacious one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, thoughtfully designed with modern finishes and upscale amenities to enhance your everyday living.Located next to a scenic 2.5-acre park and just minutes from Sonoma County’s world-renowned wineries, dining, and cultural attractions,
Interested in learning more about homes in this neighborhood?
Reach out to
William Schlutius,
an experienced agent in this area.
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Total Population
1,945
Median Age
32
Population Density
9 ppl/acre
Population under 18
28.5%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
8.2%
Below the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$49,285
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$90,637
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
61.6%
Significantly below the national average
89.1%
College Graduates
20.1%
Below the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
9%
% Population in Labor Force
72.1%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
33''
Average Winter Low Temperature
40°F
Average Summer High Temperature
83°F
Annual Snowfall
0''
Area Factors
Bikeable
Bike Score®
50/ 100
Somewhat Walkable
Walk Score®
67/ 100
Some Transit
Transit Score®
38/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
