San Rafael is a large town / small city with a diverse population, more so than any town in Marin, except Novato. The city has been gentrifying for a decade and now hosts fantastic new restaurants, boutiques and specialty stores. There are a great many neighborhoods in San Rafael, some of which are still quite affordable for families and others offer breathtaking views of the Bay, Bridges and Marin Headlands.
Comparing San Rafael to other suburban towns so close to major metropolitan areas, it is hard not to consider San Rafael a relative value. The town is gentrifying albeit at a slower pace than other Marin County towns.
San Rafael has 14 civic parks including China Camp, the location of an old Chinese fishing village on the San Pablo Bay, which boasts fantastic mountain biking and hiking on the hills surrounding it. The Civic Center Park hosts a plentiful farmer’s market on Thursdays and Sundays, as well as the annual Marin County Fair held during the summer. Also of note is the Jewish Community Center in Santa Venetia, near the Civic Center. The JCC was recently immaculately re-done and offers people of all faiths very affordable memberships to the athletic club, 2 pools, gyms, spinning and aerobic classes, and other related facilities.
San Rafael Public school district is large and diverse