Sonoma County vs Tulare County
A side-by-side comparison of Sonoma County and Tulare County: population, income, housing, and more.
Sonoma County and Tulare County are counties in California. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Sonoma County has the higher population (485,642 vs 475,774 in Tulare County). Sonoma County has the higher median household income ($102,840 vs $69,489 in Tulare County). Sonoma County has the higher median home value ($779,000 vs $303,000 in Tulare County).
Population, income & housing
| Sonoma County | Tulare County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 485,642 | 475,774 |
| Median age | 42.7 yrs | 31.9 yrs |
| Median household income | $102,840 | $69,489 |
| Median home value | $779,000 | $303,000 |
| Median gross rent | $2,093 | $1,206 |
| Housing units | 206,319 | 152,542 |
| Homeownership rate | 62.2% | 58.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.8% | 15.8% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 8.8% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Sonoma County | Tulare County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 499,772 → 485,642 (-2.8%) | 461,898 → 475,774 (+3.0%) |
| Median household income | $81,018 → $102,840 (+26.9%) | $49,687 → $69,489 (+39.9%) |
| Median home value | $609,600 → $779,000 (+27.8%) | $205,000 → $303,000 (+47.8%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,621 → $2,093 (+29.1%) | $942 → $1,206 (+28.0%) |
Sonoma County
499,772485,642
$81,018$102,840
$609,600$779,000
$1,621$2,093
Tulare County
461,898475,774
$49,687$69,489
$205,000$303,000
$942$1,206
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Sonoma County | Tulare County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.7% | 7.4% |
| 5 to 17 | 14.6% | 22.7% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.8% | 10.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.4% | 14.1% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.2% | 13.1% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.4% | 11.0% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.9% | 10.0% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.8% | 7.1% |
| 75 and over | 8.2% | 4.6% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Sonoma County | Tulare County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 59.1% | 26.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Asian | 4.3% | 3.4% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Two or more races | 4.6% | 2.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 29.4% | 66.1% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Sonoma County | Tulare County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 11.1% | 25.6% |
| High school graduate | 18.6% | 27.0% |
| Some college or associate's | 32.4% | 31.6% |
| Bachelor's degree | 23.5% | 10.1% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 14.3% | 5.7% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Sonoma County | Tulare County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 71.0% | 77.6% |
| Carpooled | 9.2% | 14.3% |
| Public transit | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Walked | 2.4% | 1.3% |
| Bicycle | 0.7% | 0.1% |
| Worked from home | 14.4% | 5.6% |
| Other means | 1.4% | 0.7% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Sonoma County | Tulare County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 67.0% | 75.4% |
| 1-unit, attached | 7.7% | 3.4% |
| 2 to 4 units | 6.7% | 7.4% |
| 5 to 19 units | 6.8% | 3.8% |
| 20 or more units | 7.1% | 3.5% |
| Mobile home & other | 4.7% | 6.5% |
Poverty & households
| Sonoma County | Tulare County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.6% | 17.8% |
| Average household size | 2.50 | 3.31 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 25 | 23 |
| Median year structure built | 1979 | 1983 |
Full profiles
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