Is Martinez, CA a Good Place to Live?
Martinez is a small city of 37,093 in California, with a median household income of $124,669 and a 4.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 118 (US average = 100), which is 18% above the national average.
Strengths: Martinez stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes. Whether Martinez is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Martinez 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: 118.2Martinez's overall cost of living index is 118.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Martinez costs roughly 18% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Martinez, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $772,600 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,188 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 71.0% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $124,669 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageMartinez's violent crime rate is 276.8 per 100,000 residents — 27% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Martinez is served primarily by Martinez Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.3:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Martinez, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Martinez Unified | — |
| Elementary Schools | 4 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 2 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 21.3:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 45.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 96.1% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Martinez sees average highs of 56.1°F in January and 88.4°F in July, with 22.8 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Martinez, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 56.1°F |
| Average High — July | 88.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 22.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Martinez, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,093 | — |
| Median Age | 42.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.9% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 31.0 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 66.0% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 3.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.9% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 10.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 17.6% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Martinez
Martinez, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: