Is Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, CA a Good Place to Live?
Tamalpais-Homestead Valley is a small city of 12,196 in California, with a median household income of $237,786 and a 4.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 118 (US average = 100), which is 18% above the national average.
Strengths: Tamalpais-Homestead Valley stands out for a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes. Whether Tamalpais-Homestead Valley is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Tamalpais-Homestead Valley 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: 118.2Tamalpais-Homestead Valley's overall cost of living index is 118.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley costs roughly 18% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,651,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,819 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.3% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $237,786 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeTamalpais-Homestead Valley'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
| Metric | Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | N/A | — |
| Elementary Schools | N/A | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | N/A | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 82.4% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 98.6% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Tamalpais-Homestead Valley sees average highs of 56.6°F in January and 82.5°F in July, with 36.2 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 56.6°F |
| Average High — July | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,196 | — |
| Median Age | 44.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 33.9 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 84.0% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.4% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 4.3% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 27.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 17.3% | 16.8% |