Is Corte Madera, CA a Good Place to Live?
Corte Madera is a small city of 10,155 in California, with a median household income of $210,560 and a 5.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 118 (US average = 100), which is 18% above the national average.
Strengths: Corte Madera 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 Corte Madera is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Corte Madera 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: 118.2Corte Madera's overall cost of living index is 118.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Corte Madera costs roughly 18% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Corte Madera, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,640,900 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $3,361 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.5% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $210,560 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeCorte Madera's violent crime rate is 216.4 per 100,000 residents — 43% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Corte Madera is served primarily by Larkspur-Corte Madera. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.3:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Corte Madera, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Larkspur-Corte Madera | — |
| Elementary Schools | 2 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 19.3:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 99.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Corte Madera sees average highs of 56.6°F in January and 82.5°F in July, with 44.4 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Corte Madera, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 56.6°F |
| Average High — July | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Corte Madera, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,155 | — |
| Median Age | 44.4 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 34.7 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 78.0% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.4% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.2% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 5.4% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 17.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Corte Madera
Corte Madera, CA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: