Community Profile
Community Profile
Introduction
The Community Profile uses the most recent available data to provide basic demographic information about Marin County, as
well as a comparison of Marin County to similar counties in California. The first part highlights basic population, employment,
housing, ethnicity and age data to provide a snapshot of the county. The second part uses several measures to compare Marin
to seven other counties facing similar challenges.
Marin County Demographic and Statistical Profile
On its southern end, Marin County faces the San Francisco Bay and is linked to San Francisco by the Golden Gate Bridge. The
western end of the county faces the Pacific Ocean, and in the north and northeast, the county is bounded by Sonoma County.
The eastern border fronts San Pablo Bay and connects to the East Bay via the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.
The rural coastal corridor and inland valleys feature vast acreage of land in agricultural production, as well as open space for
tourism and recreation. Some of the notable attractions that draw visitors to Marin County and its cities include the Golden Gate
Bridge, the Marin Headlands, Mount Tamalpais, Muir Woods, and the Point Reyes National Seashore.
Chart A: Population of Marin County
300,000
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
California Department of Finance, May 2009
Chart A demonstrates the relatively slow and nearly flat population growth since 2005. As of January 2010, the California
Department of Finance estimates the total county population to be 260,651.
32 COMMUNITY PROFILE COUNTY OF MARIN PROPOSED BUDGET FY 2010-11
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Chart B: Composition of Marin County Incorporated and Unincorporated Population
BELVEDERE ROSS FAIRFAX SAUSALITO
1% 1% 3% 3%
TIBURON
3%
UNINCORPORATED CORTE MADERA
27% 4%
LARKSPUR
5%
SAN ANSELMO
5%
MILL VALLEY
5%
SAN RAFAEL
NOVATO
23%
20%
California Department of Finance, January 2009
Chart B illustrates that the unincorporated portion of Marin - the area for which the County of Marin provides municipal services
- represents 27% of the county's total population. The rest of Marin County's residents receive services from one of their 11
different municipal governments.
Chart C: Marin County Population by Ethnicity
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
White Hispanic Asian Black Multirace American Indian Pacific Islander
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
California Department of Finance, April 2009
Marin County continues to become a more ethnically diverse community. Chart C shows that a slight decline in the White
population has been offset by growth in the Hispanic population between 2003 and 2007.
COUNTY OF MARIN PROPOSED BUDGET FY 2010-11 COMMUNITY PROFILE 33
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Chart D: Median Home Sale Prices for Marin County
$900,000
$800,000
$700,000
$600,000
$500,000
$400,000
$300,000
$200,000
$100,000
$0
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Marin County Assessor, 2009
Chart D shows that the median sale price for detached and attached single-family homes almost doubled from 2000 to 2007.
However, as the above chart illustrates, housing prices have declined significantly since 2008.
Chart E: Annual Unemployment Rates in Marin County, Bay Area and California
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0%
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
California Bay Area Marin
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009
Marin County unemployment rates historically have been lower than other Bay Area and statewide rates. Chart E illustrates
Marin's relatively low unemployment rate compared to the Bay Area and California since 1991. Nevertheless, Marin County has
seen a significant upturn in unemployment starting in 2007.
34 COMMUNITY PROFILE COUNTY OF MARIN PROPOSED BUDGET FY 2010-11
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Chart F: Top Ten Employers in Marin County in 2009
Rank Company Industry Location Jobs
1 County of Marin Local Government San Rafael 2,223
2 San Quentin State Prison Prison San Quentin 1,813
3 Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Health Care San Rafael 1,331
4 Autodesk, Inc. Software Countywide 1,028
5 Marin General Hospital Health Care Greenbrae 975
6 Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. Insurance Novato 947
7 Novato Unified School District Education Novato 683
8 BioMarin Pharmaceutical Biopharmaceutical Novato 632
9 Comcast Telecommunications San Rafael 619
10 Safeway Inc. Grocery Countywide 452
North Bay Business Journal, California Dept of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Novato Unified School District, BioMarin
The County of Marin was the largest employer in 2009, followed by San Quentin State Prison and Kaiser Permanente Medical
Center. BioMarin Pharmaceutical is based in Novato and is new to the list this year.
Comparison Counties
Marin County selected seven counties (San Mateo, Sonoma, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo and Napa)
for comparison purposes based on some shared characteristics:
•Coastal or Bay Area counties
•Emphasis on environmental preservation and scenic beauty
•Both suburban and rural environments
•Most have urban growth versus rural preservation issues
The following charts provide economic and demographic comparisons between Marin County and these comparison counties.
COUNTY OF MARIN PROPOSED BUDGET FY 2010-11 COMMUNITY PROFILE 35
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Chart G: Average Budgeted County Expenditures per Resident (All Funds)
Santa Cruz $1,480
Sonoma $1,631
Monterey $1,633
Marin $1,667
San Luis Obispo $1,712
San Mateo $
$1,838
Napa $1,889
Santa Barbara $2,018
$0 $500 $1,000 $1,500 $2,000 $2,500
Fiscal Year 2009-10 Comparison Counties' Final Budgets (Schedule 1 - less Special Districts); California Department of Finance, May 2010
Chart H: Total Full-Time Equivalent Employees per 1,000 Residents
San Mateo 7.5
Sonoma 8.2
Santa Cruz 8.3
Marin 8.5
Santa Barbara 9.3
San Luis Obispo 9.4
Napa 9.5
Monterey 10.6
0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0
Fiscal Year 2009-10 Comparison Counties' Budgets and California Department of Finance, May 2010
36 COMMUNITY PROFILE COUNTY OF MARIN PROPOSED BUDGET FY 2010-11
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Chart I: Population
Napa 138,917
Marin 260,651
Santa Cruz 272,201
San Luis Obispo 273,231
Santa Barbara 434,481
Monterey 435,878
Sonoma 493,285
San Mateo 754,285
0 100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 500,000 600,000 700,000 800,000
California Department of Finance, May 2010
Chart J: Land Area in Square Miles
Santa Cruz 445
San Mateo 449
Marin 520
Napa 754
Sonoma 1,576
Santa Barbara 2,737
San Luis Obispo 3,304
Monterey 3,322
0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000
COUNTY OF MARIN PROPOSED BUDGET FY 2010-11 COMMUNITY PROFILE 37
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Chart K: Population Density per Square Mile
San Luis Obispo 83
Monterey 131
Santa Barbara 159
Napa 184
Sonoma 313
Marin 501
Santa Cruz 611
San Mateo 1,680
0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800
California Department of Finance, May 2010 and U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000
Chart L: Percent of Population Residing in Unincorporated Area
San Mateo 9%
Napa 21%
Monterey 25%
Marin 27%
Sonoma 31%
Santa Barbara 33%
San Luis Obispo 44%
Santa Cruz 51%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
California Department of Finance, May 2010
38 COMMUNITY PROFILE COUNTY OF MARIN PROPOSED BUDGET FY 2010-11
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Chart M: Percent of Population by Age Group
Monterey 9% 15% 14% 28% 19% 15%
Santa Barbara 7% 11% 15% 32% 18% 17%
Santa Cruz 6% 12% 13% 32% 22% 14%
San Mateo 7% 12% 12% 30% 22% 18%
Sonoma 7% 14% 15% 24% 23% 17%
p
Napa 7% 15% 14% 24% 20% 20%
San Luis Obispo 6% 12% 13% 27% 22% 21%
Marin 6% 12% 11% 22% 25% 23%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
0-4 5-14 15-24 25-44 45-59 60+ years
California Department of Finance, 2007 data
Chart N: Percent of Population 45 Years and Over
Monterey 19% 15%
Santa Barbara 18% 17%
Santa Cruz 22% 14%
San Mateo 22% 18%
Sonoma 23% 17%
p
Napa 20% 20%
San Luis Obispo 22% 21%
Marin 25% 23%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
45-59 60+ years
California Department of Finance, 2007 data
COUNTY OF MARIN PROPOSED BUDGET FY 2010-11 COMMUNITY PROFILE 39
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Chart O: Per Capita Personal Income
San Luis Obispo $40,635
Monterey $42,857
Sonoma $47,755
Santa Barbara $47,957
Santa Cruz $51,140
Napa $52,169
Bay Area $62,598
San Mateo $73,839
Marin $93,159
$0 $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $50,000 $60,000 $70,000 $80,000 $90,000 $100,000
U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2008
Chart P: Percent Population in Poverty
8.4%
Marin 7.1%
8.0%
San Mateo 6.5%
11.5%
Napa 9.0%
12.8%
Sonoma 10.4%
12.8%
San Luis Obispo 12.1%
15.7%
Santa Barbara 12.7%
16.9%
Santa Cruz 13.3%
18.1%
Monterey 12.7%
0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18% 20%
All Ages in Poverty Under Age 18 in Poverty
U.S. Census Bureau Data Integration Division, 2008
The Census Bureau uses a set of income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who is in poverty. If a
family’s total income is less than the corresponding income threshold, then that family is considered in poverty.
40 COMMUNITY PROFILE COUNTY OF MARIN PROPOSED BUDGET FY 2010-11
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Chart Q: Annual Unemployment Rates in 2009
7.8%
Marin
8.4%
Santa Barbara
San Mateo 8.6%
Napa 8.7%
San Luis Obispo 9.0%
Sonoma 9.7%
Santa Cruz 11.2%
Monterey 11.9%
0.0% 2.0% 4.0% 6.0% 8.0% 10.0% 12.0%
U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009
Chart R: Percent of Workers with Travel Times to Work of 25 Minutes or More
Santa Barbara 3% 8% 4% 4% 5%
San Luis Obispo 7% 11% 5% 4% 4%
Napa 4% 11% 4% 5% 7%
Monterey 4% 13% 4% 6% 4%
Sonoma 4% 13% 5% 6% 10%
San Mateo 6% 15% 7% 7% 7%
Santa Cruz 5% 13% 6% 9% 11%
Marin 5% 12% 9% 13% 10%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
25-29 30-34 35-44 45-59 60+
U.S. Census Bureau, 2006 American Community Survey, 2008
COUNTY OF MARIN PROPOSED BUDGET FY 2010-11 COMMUNITY PROFILE 41
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42 COMMUNITY PROFILE COUNTY OF MARIN PROPOSED BUDGET FY 2010-11