Population Growth
Fueled by job growth and quality of life, Sonoma County has continued a modest growth rate, reaching 481,765 residents by 2007. Since 2000, the population has increased by 20,301 residents, or 4.4 percent. A majority of these residents, 68 percent, live within the city limits of our nine cities. The City of Santa Rosa has led this growth in total population gain, adding 10,390 residents, or 7.0 percent, to attain its current population of 157,985.

Between 1990 and 2000, population increased by 70,400 persons, with an average annual growth rate of 1.9%. From 2000 through 2007 population in Sonoma County grew at an average annual rate of 0.6%. ¹

Population Influences
Births/deaths and migration influence population change. From 1990 to 2000, the average population change was 7,039 per year of which migration accounted for 70.4%. Almost half of the newcomers to Sonoma County were between the ages of 30-44, an age group with the highest average income.