Is Bodega Bay, CA a Good Place to Live?
Bodega Bay is a small town of 1,186 in California, with a median household income of $157,391 and a 19.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 110 (US average = 100), which is 10% above the national average.
Strengths: Bodega Bay stands out for solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Bodega Bay is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Bodega Bay city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 110.1Bodega Bay's overall cost of living index is 110.1, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Bodega Bay costs roughly 10% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Bodega Bay, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,303,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,029 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $157,391 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageBodega Bay's violent crime rate is 284.0 per 100,000 residents — 25% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Bodega Bay is served primarily by Shoreline Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Bodega Bay, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Shoreline Unified | — |
| Elementary Schools | 3 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 12.5:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 43.4% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 88.7% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Bodega Bay sees average highs of 55.9°F in January and 61.9°F in July, with 28.9 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Bodega Bay, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 55.9°F |
| Average High — July | 61.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 28.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Bodega Bay, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,186 | — |
| Median Age | 53.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 19.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 31.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 74.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 24.3% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 10.9% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 32.4% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Bodega Bay
Bodega Bay, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: