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((short description|County in California, United States))
((For|the California wine region|Sonoma County wine))
((Use mdy dates|date=April 2024))
((Infobox settlement
| name                            = Sonoma County, California
| official_name                   = County of Sonoma
| other_name                      = 
<!-- Images and maps ------>
| settlement_type                 = [[County (United States)|County]]
| image_skyline                   = ((photomontage
   | photo1a = BodegaBayCAEdit3194.jpg
   | photo2a = Sonoma City Hall.jpg
   | photo2b = Cannons & Chapel, Fort Ross State Historical Monument, CA 7-5-2010 5-59-11 PM.JPG
   | spacing = 1
   | size = 300 | position = center ))
| image_caption                   = Images, from top down, left to right: [[Bodega Bay, California|Bodega Bay]], [[Sonoma Plaza]], [[Fort Ross]]
| image_seal                      = Seal of Sonoma County, California.png
| motto                           = "Agriculture, Industry, Recreation"
| image_map                       = ((Maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-width=250|frame-align=center|type=shape|fill=#ffffff|fill-opacity=0|stroke-width=3))
| map_caption                     = Interactive map of Sonoma County
| image_map1                      = Map of California highlighting Sonoma County.svg
| mapsize1                        = 200px
| map_caption1                    = Location in the state of [[California]]
<!-- Location ------------->
| coordinates                     = ((coord|38.51|-122.93|type:adm2nd_region:US-CA_source:UScensus1990|display=inline,title))
| subdivision_type                = Country
| subdivision_name                = ((flagu|United States))
| subdivision_type1               = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_type2               = [[List of regions of California|Region]]
| subdivision_name1               = ((flag|California))
| subdivision_name2               = [[San Francisco Bay Area]]
<!-- History -------------->
| established_title               = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date                = February 18, 1850<ref name=csac>((cite web |url= http://www.counties.org/general-information/chronology |title= Chronology |publisher= California State Association of Counties|access-date=February 6, 2015))</ref>
| named_for                       = the city of [[Sonoma, California|Sonoma]]
<!-- Parts -------------->
| seat_type                       = [[County seat]] ((small|(and largest city)))
| seat                            = [[Santa Rosa, California|Santa Rosa]]
<!-- Government ----------->
| government_type          = [[Council–manager government|Council–Administrator]]
| governing_body           = [[Sonoma County Board of Supervisors]]
| leader_title             = Chair
| leader_name              = [[Chris Coursey]]
| leader_title1            = Vice Chair 
| leader_name1             = David Rabbitt
| leader_title2            = Chair Pro Tem 
| leader_name2             = Lynda Hopkins
| leader_title3            = Board of Supervisors<ref>((cite web | url=https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/board-of-supervisors | title=Board of Supervisors|website=Sonomacounty.ca.gov ))</ref>
| leader_name3             = ((Collapsible list
| title = Supervisors
| frame_style = border:none; padding:0;
| list_style  = text-align:left;
| 1  = Susan Gorin
| 2  = David Rabbitt
| 3  = [[Chris Coursey]]
| 4  = James Gore
| 5  = Lynda Hopkins
))
| leader_title4            = County Administrator
| leader_name4             = Sheryl Bratton
 <!-- Area ----------------->
| unit_pref                       = US
| area_total_sq_mi                = 1768
| area_land_sq_mi                 = 1576
| area_water_sq_mi                = 192
<!-- Elevation ------------>
| elevation_min_ft                = 
<!-- Population ----------->
| elevation_max_footnotes         = <ref>((Cite web|url=http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=1179|title=Cobb Mountain-Southwest Peak|publisher=Peakbagger.com|access-date=February 4, 2015))</ref>
| population_total                = 488863
| population_as_of                = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes            = 
| population_density_sq_mi        = auto
| area_code                       = [[Area code 707|707]]
| area_code_type                  = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
| blank_name_sec1                 = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS]] code
| blank_info_sec1                 = 06-097
| blank1_name_sec1                = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info_sec1                = ((GNIS 4|1657246))
| website                         = ((URL|https://sonomacounty.ca.gov))
| elevation_max_ft                = 4483
| timezone                        = [[Pacific Time Zone]]
| utc_offset                      = −8
| timezone_DST                    = [[Pacific Daylight Time]]
| utc_offset_DST                  = −7
| blank_name_sec2                 = Congressional districts
| blank_info_sec2                 = [[California's 2nd congressional district|2nd]], [[California's 4th congressional district|4th]]
<!-- Codes ---------------->
))

'''Sonoma County''' (((IPAc-en|s|ə|ˈ|n|oʊ|m|ə|audio=En-us-sonoma.ogg))) is located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[California]]. As of the [[2020 United States Census]], its population was 488,863.<ref>((Cite web|title=Sonoma County, California|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US06097|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 30, 2022))</ref> Its [[county seat|seat of government]] and largest city is [[Santa Rosa, California|Santa Rosa]].<ref name="GR6">((cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 ))</ref>

Sonoma County comprises the Santa Rosa-Petaluma [[Metropolitan Statistical Area]], which is part of the [[San Jose, California|San Jose]]-[[San Francisco]]-[[Oakland, California|Oakland]], CA [[San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA Combined Statistical Area|Combined Statistical Area]]. It is the northernmost county in the nine-county [[San Francisco Bay Area]] region.

In California's [[Wine Country (California)|Wine Country]] region, which also includes Napa, Mendocino, and Lake counties, Sonoma County is the largest producer. It has thirteen approved [[American Viticultural Area]]s and more than 350 wineries. The voters have twice approved open space initiatives<ref>((cite web|title=Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District|url=http://www.sonoma-county.org/opensp/district/about.asp|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061231170455/http://www.sonoma-county.org/opensp/district/about.asp|archive-date=December 31, 2006|access-date=July 17, 2014|publisher=Sonoma County))</ref> that have provided funding for public acquisition of natural areas, preserving forested areas, coastal [[habitat]], and other open space. More than 8.4 million tourists visit each year, spending more than $1 billion in 2016.

Sonoma County is a leading producer of hops, grapes, prunes, apples, as well as dairy and poultry products,<ref>((cite web|url=http://www.scwa.ca.gov/about_us/history.php|publisher=Sonoma County Water Agency |title=Sonoma County Flood Control and Water Conservation District: History |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002052027/http://www.scwa.ca.gov/about_us/history.php|archive-date=October 2, 2009 ))</ref> largely due to the extent of available, fertile agricultural land in addition to the abundance of high-quality water for irrigation. Agriculture is largely divided between two nearly [[monoculture|monocultural]] uses: [[grape]]s and pasturage.

==History==
The [[Pomo people|Pomo]], [[Coast Miwok]] and [[Wappo]] peoples were the earliest human settlers of Sonoma County, between 8000 and 5000 BC, effectively living within the natural carrying capacity of the land. Archaeological evidence of these First people includes a number of occurrences of [[rock carving]]s, especially in southern Sonoma County; these carvings often take the form of [[pecked curvilinear nucleated]] design.

[[File:Russian chapel at Fort Ross (2016).jpg|thumb|left|[[Fort Ross, California|Fort Ross]] was established by the Russians in 1812.]]
[[Spanish people|Spaniards]], [[Russians]], and other [[Ethnic groups in Europe|Europeans]] claimed and settled in the county from the late 16th to mid-19th century, seeking timber, fur, and farmland.<ref name="Picture_This">((cite web |title=Early California: pre-1769–1840s: Russian Presence |url=http://picturethis.museumca.org/timeline/early-california-pre-1769-1840s/russian-presence/info |website=Picture This |publisher=Oakland Museum of California))</ref> The Russians were the first newcomers to establish a permanent foothold in Sonoma County, with the [[Russian-American Company]] establishing [[Fort Ross, California|Fort Ross]] on the Sonoma Coast in 1812. This settlement and its outlying Russian settlements came to include a population of several hundred Russian and [[Aleut people|Aleut]] settlers and a stockaded fort with artillery. However, the Russians abandoned it in 1841 and sold the fort to [[John Sutter]], settler and Mexican [[land grant]]ee of [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]].<ref name="Russians_sold">((cite web |title=Russians establish Fort Ross in California |url=https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/russians-establish-fort-ross |website=History.com |date=November 16, 2009 |quote=After making unsuccessful attempts to interest both the British and Mexicans in the fort, the Russians finally found a buyer in John Sutter.))</ref>

[[File:"General Vallejo Reviewing His Troops in Sonoma, 1846".jpg|thumb|left|300px|General [[Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo]] reviewing his troops in [[Sonoma, California|Sonoma]], 1846]]
The [[Mission San Francisco Solano]], founded in 1823 as the last and northernmost of 21 [[Spanish Missions of California|California missions]], is in the present [[Sonoma, California|City of Sonoma]], at the northern end of [[El Camino Real (California)|El Camino Real]]. [[Presidio of Sonoma|El Presidio de Sonoma]], or Sonoma Barracks (part of Spain's ''[[Spanish missions in California#Military districts|Fourth Military District]]''), was established in 1836 by Comandante General [[Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo]]. His duties included keeping an eye on the Russian traders at Fort Ross, secularizing the Mission, maintaining cooperation with the Native Americans of the entire region, and doling out the lands for large estates and ranches. The City of Sonoma was the site of the [[California Republic|Bear Flag Revolt]] in 1846.<ref>((cite web |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/bear-flag-revolt |title=Bear Flag Revolt |website=Encyclopedia.com |date= 2008 |access-date= July 23, 2018))</ref>

Sonoma was one of the original counties when California became a state in 1850,<ref>((cite news |url=http://www.counties.org/county-history |title=California County History |work=CSAC.org |publisher=California State Association of Counties |date=2014 |access-date=September 22, 2015 ))</ref> with its [[county seat]] originally the town (now city) of Sonoma. However, by the early 1850s, Sonoma had declined in importance in both commerce and population, its county buildings were crumbling, and it was relatively remote. As a result, elements in the newer, rapidly growing towns of [[Petaluma, California|Petaluma]], Santa Rosa, and [[Healdsburg, California|Healdsburg]] began vying to move the county seat to their towns. The dispute ultimately was between the bigger, richer commercial town of Petaluma and the more centrally located, growing agricultural center of Santa Rosa. The fate was decided following an election for the state legislature in which James Bennett of Santa Rosa defeated [[Joseph Hooker]] of Sonoma and introduced a bill that resulted in Santa Rosa being confirmed as county seat in 1854.<ref>((cite web|url=http://www.calarchives4u.com/history/sonoma/1880-382.htm |title=Sonoma County History |website=Calarchives4u.com |access-date=July 17, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140319220837/http://www.calarchives4u.com/history/sonoma/1880-382.htm |archive-date=March 19, 2014 ))</ref> Allegedly, several Santa Rosans, not caring to wait, decided to take action and, one night, rode down the Sonoma Valley to Sonoma, took the county seals and records, and brought them to Santa Rosa.<ref>((cite web|url=http://users.ap.net/~chenae/socohist.html |publisher=AccessPort |website=ap.net |title=History of Sonoma County |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107010823/http://users.ap.net/~chenae/socohist.html |archive-date=January 7, 2012 ))</ref> Some of the county's land((which|date=January 2020)) was annexed from [[Mendocino County, California|Mendocino County]] between 1850 and 1860.

Early post-1847 settlement and development focused primarily on the city of Sonoma, then the region's sole town and a common transit and resting point in overland travel between the region and Sacramento and the gold fields to the east. However, after 1850, a settlement that soon became the city of Petaluma began to grow naturally near the farthest navigable point inland up the [[Petaluma River]]. Originally a hunting camp used to obtain game to sell in other markets, by 1854 Petaluma had grown into a bustling center of trade, taking advantage of its position on the river near a region of highly productive agricultural land that was being settled. Soon, other inland towns, notably Santa Rosa and Healdsburg began to develop similarly due to their locations along riparian areas in prime agricultural flatland. However, their development initially lagged behind Petaluma which, until the arrival of railroads in the 1860s, remained the primary commercial, transit, and break-of-bulk point for people and goods in the region. After the arrival of the [[San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad]] in 1870, Santa Rosa began to boom, soon equalling and then surpassing Petaluma as the region's population and commercial center. The railroad bypassed Petaluma for southern connections to [[ferries of San Francisco Bay]].((Citation needed|date=February 2015))

Six nations have claimed Sonoma County from 1542 to the present:((Citation needed|date=February 2015))

{| class="wikitable"
|-
|[[File:Flag of New Spain.svg|border|40px]]
|[[Spanish Empire]], 1542, by sea, voyage of [[Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo]] as far as the [[Russian River (California)|Russian River]]. Later validated by voyage of [[Sebastián Vizcaíno]], 1602.
|-
|[[File:Flag of England.svg|border|40px]]
|[[Kingdom of England]], June 1579, voyage of the ''[[Golden Hind]]'' under Captain [[Francis Drake]] at [[Bodega Bay]] (exact location disputed).
|-
|[[File:Flag of Spain (1785-1873 and 1875-1931).svg|border|40px]]
|[[Spanish Empire]], October 1775, the ''Sonora'' at Bodega Bay, under Lt. [[Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra]], until 1821, when [[Mexico]] gained independence from Spain.
|-
|[[File:Flag of Russia.svg|border|40px]]
|[[Russian Empire]], by Russian-American Company expedition led by [[Fort Ross|Ivan Alexandrovich Kuskov]], the founder of Fort Ross and, from 1812 to 1821, its colonial administrator. Note: There is an overlap of rule with the Mexican Empire (next item), until the Russians sold Fort Ross in 1841 to John Sutter, before leaving the area in 1842.
|-
|[[File:Flag of Mexico (1821-1823).svg|border|40px]]
|[[First Mexican Empire]], August 1821, under [[Agustín de Iturbide|Emperor Agustin Iturbide]] (October 1822, probable time new flag raised in California), until 1823.
|-
|[[File:Flag of Mexico (1823-1864, 1867-1893).svg|border|40px]]
|[[Mexico|Mexican Republic]], 1823 until June 1846.
|-
|[[File:1stBearFlag.svg|border|40px]]
|[[California Republic]], June 14, 1846, until July 9, 1846.
|-
|[[File:Flag of the United States.svg|border|40px]]
|United States of America, [[History of California|July 9, 1846]] to present.
|}

Sonoma County was severely shaken by the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake]]. The displacements along the [[Fault (geology)|fault]] averaged ((convert|15|ft|m)).<ref>((cite web|url=http://www.sonoma-county.org/prmd/docs/gp/98gp-07.htm|title=Sonoma County General Plan – Public Safety Element|date=October 11, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080120064454/http://www.sonoma-county.org/prmd/docs/gp/98gp-07.htm|archive-date=January 20, 2008))</ref>

In October 2017, the county was greatly affected by the [[Tubbs Fire]]<ref name="Jones">((cite web|last1=Jones|first1=Kevin L.|title=Bernie Krause's Equipment, Decades of Musical Memorabilia Lost in Fires|url=https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/2017/10/11/bernie-krauses-equipment-decades-of-musical-memorabilia-lost-in-fires/|website=KQED Arts|access-date=October 12, 2017|language=en-us|date=October 11, 2017))</ref> and the [[October 2017 Northern California wildfires|Nuns Fire]]. In late October and early November 2019, the [[Kincade Fire]] burned ((convert|77,758|acre|ha|0|abbr=on)), almost all in Sonoma County. In August and September 2020, the Walbridge Fire burned ((convert|55209|acre|ha|0|abbr=on)) in the western part of the county; then in September–October the Glass fire affected the city of Santa Rosa and ultimately destroying 1,000+ buildings<ref>((Cite web|last=SFGATE|first=Amanda Bartlett|date=September 28, 2020|title=Everything you need to know about the Glass Fire|url=https://www.sfgate.com/california-wildfires/article/What-you-need-to-know-about-the-Glass-Fire-15604419.php|access-date=October 26, 2020|website=SFGATE|language=en-US))</ref> The county also had a wildfire in the 1870s that is compared to the Hanley fire and Tubbs fire because they burned in the same path.

The Sonoma County Landmarks Commission recognizes nearly 200 formal [[Sonoma County landmarks|historical landmarks]] and the Sonoma County Historical Society counts 380 landmarks recognized by several agencies.

==Etymology==
[[File:Edward S. Curtis Collection People 100.jpg|thumb|180px|''[[Pomo]] girl'' c. 1924, by [[Edward S. Curtis]] from ''The North American Indian'' volume 14]]

According to the book ''California Place Names'', "The name of the Indian tribe is mentioned in baptismal records of 1815 as ''Chucuines'' or ''Sonomas'', by Chamisso in 1816 as ''Sonomi'', and repeatedly in Mission records of the following years."<ref name="Gudde"/>

According to the Coast Miwok and the Pomo tribes that lived in the region, Sonoma translates as "valley of the moon" or "many moons". Their legends detail this as a land where the moon nestled, hence the names [[Sonoma Valley]] and the "Valley of the Moon."<ref name="GratonGaming">((cite news|url=https://indiancountrytoday.com/archive/why-graton-is-trying-to-get-into-gaming|title=Why Graton is trying to get into gaming|last=May|first=James|date=May 19, 2003|work=Indian Country Today|access-date=January 25, 2009))</ref> This translation was first recorded in an 1850 report by General [[Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo]] to the California Legislature.<ref>((cite book|last=Hanna|first=Phil Townsend|title=The Dictionary of California Land Names|publisher=The Automobile Club of Southern California|location=Los Angeles|year=1951|page=311))</ref> [[Jack London]] popularized it in his 1913 novel ''[[The Valley of the Moon (novel)|The Valley of the Moon]]''.

In the native languages there is also a constantly recurring ending ''tso-noma'', from ''tso'', the earth; and ''noma'', village; hence ''tsonoma'', "earth village."<ref>((cite book |author=Alfred Louis Kroeber |title=Handbook of the Indians of California |url=https://archive.org/details/handbookofindian00kroe |url-access=registration |publisher=Dover Publications |location=New York City, N.Y. |year=1976|isbn=9780486233680 ))</ref> Other sources say Sonoma comes from the Patwin tribes west of the [[Sacramento River]], and their [[Wintu language|Wintu]] word for "nose". Per ''California Place Names'', "the name is doubtless derived from a [[Patwin]] word for 'nose', which Padre Arroyo (Vocabularies, p. 22) gives as ''sonom'' ([[Suisun people|Suisun]])." Spaniards may have found an Indian chief with a prominent protuberance and applied the nickname of ''Chief Nose'' to the village and the territory.<ref>[[Alfred L. Kroeber]], AAE 29:354 [1932]</ref> The name may have applied originally to a nose-shaped geographic feature.<ref name="Gudde">((cite book|title=California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names|first=Erwin Gustav|last=Gudde|author2=Bright, William|year=1998|location=Berkeley|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=0-520-21316-5|edition=Second|pages=g. 370|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/californiaplacen00gudd))</ref>

Jesse Sawyer argues that it is from Wappo ''tso-noma'', meaning "redwood place."<ref>((cite web |author=Jesse O. Sawyer |title=The Naming of Sonoma |url=http://cla.berkeley.edu/item.php?bndlid=1600 |publisher=The Bear Flag News |location=University of California, Berkeley |year=1980))</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Hoodmtndown.jpg|thumb|250px|left|[[Hood Mountain]] with [[vineyard]]s in foreground]]

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has an area of ((convert|1768|sqmi)), of which ((convert|1576|sqmi)) is land and ((convert|192|sqmi)) (10.9%) is water.<ref name="GR1">((cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990))</ref>

The county lies in the [[California Coast Ranges|North Coast Ranges]] of northwestern California. Its ranges include the [[Mayacamas Mountains|Mayacamas]] and the [[Sonoma Mountains]], the southern peak of the latter being the prominent landform [[Sears Point]]. The highest peak in the Mayacamas within the county and the highest peak in the county is [[Mt. Saint Helena]]. It has uncommon occurrences of [[pygmy forest]], dominated by [[Cupressus pygmaea|Mendocino cypress]]. The highest peak of the Sonoma Mountains is [[Sonoma Mountain]] itself, which boasts two significant public access properties: [[Jack London State Historic Park]] and [[Fairfield Osborn Preserve]].

The county includes the City of Sonoma and the [[Sonoma Valley]], in which the City of Sonoma is located. However, these are not synonymous. The City of Sonoma is merely one of nine incorporated cities in the county. The Sonoma Valley is just the southeastern portion of the county, which includes many other valleys and geographic zones, including the Petaluma Valley, the [[Santa Rosa, California|Santa Rosa Plains]], the [[Russian River (California)|Russian River]], the [[Alexander Valley AVA|Alexander Valley]], and the [[Dry Creek Valley AVA|Dry Creek Valley]].

Distinct habitat areas within the county include oak [[woodland]], [[Sequoia sempervirens|redwood]] [[Northern California coastal forests (WWF ecoregion)|forest]], [[northern coastal scrub]], [[grassland]], [[marsh]]land, oak [[savanna]] and [[riparian zone|riparian woodland]]. The [[California oak woodland]] in the upper [[Yulupa Creek]] and [[Spring Creek (Sonoma County, California)|Spring Creek]] watersheds in [[Annadel State Park]] is a relatively undisturbed ecosystem with considerable [[biodiversity]]. These forested areas have been characterized as some of the best examples of such woodlands.<ref>((cite web|url=http://www.parks.sonoma.net/Annadel.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19971011174618/http://www.parks.sonoma.net/Annadel.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 11, 1997|title=Annadel State Park|work=Parks and Recreation in Sonoma County))</ref> An unusual characteristic of these forests is the high content of undisturbed prehistoric [[bunchgrass]] [[understory]], testifying to the absence of historic [[grazing]] or other [[agriculture]].

Trees of the oak woodland habitat include [[Arbutus menziesii|Pacific madrone]], [[Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii|Douglas fir]], [[Quercus agrifolia|coast live oak]], [[Quercus garryana|Garry oak]], and [[California laurel]]. Common understory plants are [[Heteromeles|toyon]], [[Toxicodendron diversilobum|poison oak]], and, at the fringes, [[Garrya elliptica|coast silk-tassel]].

===Climate===
[[File:DryCreekValley.jpg|right|thumb|Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley]]

Sonoma County, as is often the case with coastal counties in California, has a great degree of climatic variation and numerous, often very different, microclimates.<ref>((cite web |url=http://cesonoma.ucdavis.edu/hortic/sonoma_county_climate.pdf |title=Sonoma County Climatic Zones |access-date=November 30, 2007 |publisher=University of California Cooperative Extension |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070812154328/http://cesonoma.ucdavis.edu/hortic/sonoma_county_climate.pdf |archive-date=August 12, 2007 |url-status=dead  ))</ref><ref name="ucDavisClimate">((cite web |url=http://cesonoma.ucdavis.edu/hortic/pdf/climate_location_data.pdf |title=Climate data for various locations in Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Lake and Marin counties, California |first=Rip |last=Forrey |access-date=November 30, 2007 |publisher=University of California Cooperative Extension Sonoma County |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630163510/http://cesonoma.ucdavis.edu/hortic/pdf/climate_location_data.pdf |archive-date=June 30, 2007 |url-status=dead  ))</ref> Key determining factors for local climate are proximity to the ocean, elevation, and the presence and elevation of hills or mountains to the east and west. This is in large part due to the fact that, as throughout California, the prevailing weather systems and wind come normally from the Pacific Ocean, blowing in from the west and southwest, so that places closer to the ocean and on the windward side of higher elevations tend to receive more rain from autumn through spring and more summer wind and fog. This itself is partly a result of the presence of high and low pressures in inland California, with persistent high summer temperatures in the [[Central Valley (California)|Central Valley]], in particular, leading to low pressures, drawing in moist air from the Pacific, cooling into damp cool breezes and fog over the cold coastal water. Those places further inland and particularly in the lee of significant elevations tend to receive less rain and less, in some cases no, fog in the summer.

The coast itself is typically cool and moist throughout summer, often foggy, with fog generally blowing in during the late afternoon and evening until it clears in the later morning becoming sunny, before repeating. Coastal summer highs are typically in the mid to high 60s, warming to the low 70s further from the ocean.

Certain inland areas, including the Petaluma area and the Santa Rosa Plain, are also prone to this normal fog pattern in general.<ref name="ucDavisClimate" /> However, they tend to receive the fog later in the evening, the fog tends to be more short-lived, and mid-day temperatures are significantly higher than they are on the coast, typically in the low 80s F. This is particularly true for Petaluma, [[Cotati, California|Cotati]], and [[Rohnert Park, California|Rohnert Park]], and, only slightly less so, Santa Rosa, [[Windsor, California|Windsor]], and [[Sebastopol, California|Sebastopol]]. In large part, this results from lower elevations and the prominent [[Petaluma Gap]] in the hills between the ocean to the west and the Petaluma Valley and Santa Rosa Plain to the east.

Areas north of Santa Rosa and Windsor, with larger elevations to the west and further from the fog path, tend to receive less fog and less summer marine influence. Healdsburg, to the north of Windsor, is less foggy and much warmer, with summer highs typically in the higher 80s to about ((convert|90|°F|°C|abbr=on)). Sonoma and the Sonoma Valley, east of Petaluma, are similar, with highs typically in the very high 70s F to ((convert|80|°F|°C|abbr=on)). This is in part due to the presence of the Sonoma Mountains between Petaluma and Sonoma. [[Cloverdale, California|Cloverdale]], far to the north and outside of the Santa Rosa Plain, is significantly hotter than any other city in the county, with rare evening-morning fog and highs often in the 90s, reaching ((convert|100|°F|°C|abbr=on)) much more frequently than the other cities. Notably, however, the temperature differences among the different areas of the county are greatest for the highs during mid-day, with the diurnal lows much more even throughout the entire county. The lows are closely tied to the evening-morning cooling marine influence, in addition to elevation, bringing similarly cool temperatures to much of region.

These weather patterns contribute to high diurnal temperature fluctuations in much of the county. In summer, daily lows and highs are typically 30–40&nbsp;°F apart inland, with highs for Petaluma, Cotati, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, Windsor, and Sebastopol typically being in the very low 80s F and lows at or near ((convert|50|°F|°C|abbr=on)). Healdsburg and the City of Sonoma, with similar lows, have even greater diurnal fluctuations due to their significantly warmer highs. On the other hand, the coast, with strong marine influence, tends to have low diurnal temperature fluctuation, with summer highs much cooler than the inland towns, typically 65–75&nbsp;°F, yet lows in the high 40s to low 50s F, fairly comparable to most inland towns.

These microclimates are evident during the rainy seasons as well, with great variation in the amount of rainfall throughout the county. Generally, all of Sonoma County receives a fair amount of rain, with much of the county receiving between about ((convert|25|in|mm|abbr=on)), comparable to areas such as Sonoma and Petaluma, and roughly ((convert|30|in|mm|abbr=on)) normal for Santa Rosa. However, certain areas, particularly in the north-west portion of the county around the Russian River, receive significantly more rainfall. The [[Guerneville, California|Guerneville]] area, for example, typically receives about ((convert|50|in|mm|abbr=on)) of rain a year, with annual rain occasionally going as high as ((convert|70|in|mm|abbr=on)). Nearby Cazadero typically receives about ((convert|72|in|mm|abbr=on)) of rain a year, many times has reached over ((convert|100|in|mm|abbr=on)) a year, and sometimes over ((convert|120|in|mm|abbr=on)) of rain in a year. The Cazadero region is the second wettest place in California after [[Gasquet, California|Gasquet]].<ref>((cite web|url=http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=local&id=4058640|title=Rainiest Town In The Bay Area Up For Sale|access-date=December 13, 2007|last=Freedman|first=Wayne|date=April 5, 2006|publisher=[[KGO-TV]] News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521143346/http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news%2Flocal&id=4058640|archive-date=May 21, 2011|url-status=dead))</ref>

Snow is exceedingly rare in Sonoma County, except in the higher elevations on and around the [[Mayacamas Mountains]], particularly [[Mount Saint Helena]], and [[Cobb Mountain]], whose peak is in Lake County.<ref>((cite web |title=Subsection M261Be Konocti Flows |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |url=http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/projects/ecoregions/m261be.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110922101445/http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/projects/ecoregions/m261be.htm |archive-date=September 22, 2011 |access-date=February 22, 2014))
</ref>

===Ocean, bays, rivers and streams===
[[File:Sonoma coastline from Bodega Head-L1001155.jpg|thumb|Typical Sonoma County coastline as seen from Bodega Head]]
Sonoma County is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, and has ((convert|76|mi|km)) of coastline. The major coastal hydrographic features are [[Bodega Bay]], the mouth of the Russian River, and the mouth of the [[Gualala River]], at the border with [[Mendocino County]]. All of the county's beaches were listed as among the cleanest in the state in 2010.<ref name="dirty">((cite news|url=http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-05-27/news/21455974_1_bacteria-levels-raw-sewage-bay-area |title=Bay Area beaches grade well for safe swimming |date=May 27, 2010 |author=Carolyn Jones |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle))</ref>

Six of the county's nine cities, from Healdsburg south through Santa Rosa to Rohnert Park and Cotati, are in the Santa Rosa Plain. The northern Plain drains directly to the Russian River, or to a tributary; the southern Plain drains to the Russian River via the [[Laguna de Santa Rosa]].

====Russian River====
[[File:Russian River mouth on California coast.jpeg|thumb|[[Goat Rock Beach]] as viewed from the Jenner Cliffs looking south, showing the [[estuary|mouth]] of the [[Russian River (California)|Russian River]] at the Pacific Ocean]]
Much of central and northern Sonoma County is in the watershed of the Russian River and its tributaries. The river rises in the coastal mountains of Mendocino County, north of the city of [[Ukiah, California|Ukiah]], and flows into [[Lake Mendocino]], a major flood control reservoir. The river flows south from the lake through Mendocino to Sonoma County, paralleled by Highway 101. It turns west at Healdsburg, receiving water from [[Lake Sonoma]] via [[Dry Creek (Sonoma County, California)|Dry Creek]], and empties into the Pacific Ocean at [[Jenner, California|Jenner]].

====Laguna de Santa Rosa====
The Laguna de Santa Rosa is the largest tributary of the Russian River.<ref>((cite web |url=http://www.lagunafoundation.org/about_ecology.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722010816/http://www.lagunafoundation.org/about_ecology.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 22, 2011 |title=The Ecology of the Laguna de Santa Rosa |website=lagunafoundation.org |publisher=Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation |access-date=July 17, 2014 ))</ref> It is ((convert|14|mi|km)) long, running north from Cotati to the Russian River near Forestville. Its flood plain is more than ((convert|7,500|acre|km2)). It drains a ((convert|254|sqmi|km2|adj=on)) watershed, including most of the Santa Rosa Plain.

The Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation says:<ref>((cite web|url=http://www.lagunadesantarosa.org/ecology.html |website=lagunadesantarosa.org |title=Ecology |publisher=Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070206161535/http://www.lagunadesantarosa.org/ecology.html |archive-date=February 6, 2007 ))</ref>

<blockquote>The Laguna de Santa Rosa is Sonoma County's richest area of wildlife habitat, and the most biologically diverse region of Sonoma County (itself the second-most biologically diverse county in California)... It is a unique ecological system covering more than ((convert|30,000|acre|km2)) and ((sic|comprised|hide=y|of)) a mosaic of creeks, open water, perennial marshes, seasonal wetlands, riparian forests, oak woodlands, and grasslands... As the receiving water of a watershed where most of the county's human population lives, it is a landscape feature of critical importance to Sonoma County's water quality, flood control, and biodiversity.</blockquote>

The Laguna's largest tributary is [[Santa Rosa Creek]], which runs through Santa Rosa. Its major tributaries are [[Brush Creek (Sonoma County, California)|Brush Creek]], Mark West Creek, [[Matanzas Creek]], [[Spring Creek (Sonoma County, California)|Spring Creek]], and [[Piner Creek]]. Santa Rosa Creek was shown to be polluted in Sonoma county first flush results.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.govtech.com/em/disaster/Damage-to-Creeks-Water-Supply-Analyzed-After-Sonoma-County-Fires.html|title=Damage to Creeks, Water Supply Analyzed After Sonoma County Fires|date=2017|website=www.govtech.com|language=en|access-date=March 18, 2019))</ref>

====Other water bodies====
The boundary with [[Marin County, California|Marin County]] runs from the mouth of the [[Estero Americano]] at [[Bodega Bay]], up Americano Creek, then overland to [[San Antonio Creek (Marin County, California)|San Antonio Creek]] and down the Petaluma River to its mouth at the northwest corner of [[San Pablo Bay]], which adjoins [[San Francisco Bay]]. The southern edge of Sonoma County comprises the northern shore of San Pablo Bay between the Marin County border at the Petaluma River and the border with Solano County at [[Sonoma Creek]]. Sonoma County has no incorporated communities directly on the shore of San Pablo Bay.

The Petaluma River, [[Tolay Creek]], and Sonoma Creek enter the bay at the county's southernmost tip. The intertidal zone where they join the bay is the vast [[Napa Sonoma Marsh]].

[[Americano Creek]], the Petaluma River, Tolay Creek, and Sonoma Creek are the principal streams draining the southern portion of the county. The Sonoma Valley is drained by Sonoma Creek, whose major tributaries are [[Yulupa Creek]], [[Graham Creek (Sonoma County, California)|Graham Creek]], [[Calabazas Creek]], Schell Creek, and [[Carriger Creek]]; [[Arroyo Seco Creek]] is a tributary to Schell Creek. Other creeks include Foss, Felta, and Mill.

Lakes and reservoirs in the county include Lake Sonoma, [[Tolay Lake]], [[Lake Ilsanjo]], [[Santa Rosa Creek Reservoir]], [[Lake Ralphine]], and [[Fountaingrove Lake]].

===Marine protected areas===
Like underwater parks, these [[marine protected area]]s help conserve ocean wildlife and marine ecosystems.
*[[Del Mar Landing State Marine Reserve]]
*[[Stewarts Point State Marine Reserve & Stewarts Point State Marine Conservation Area]]
*[[Salt Point State Marine Conservation Area]]
*[[Gerstle Cove State Marine Reserve]]
*[[Russian River State Marine Reserve and Russian River State Marine Conservation Area]]
*[[Bodega Head State Marine Reserve & Bodega Head State Marine Conservation Area]]
*[[Estero Americano State Marine Recreational Management Area]]

===Threatened/endangered species===

A number of endangered plants and animals are found in Sonoma County, including the [[California clapper rail]] (''Rallus longirostris obsoletus''), [[salt marsh harvest mouse]] (''Reithrodontomys raviventris''), [[northern red-legged frog]] (''Rana aurora''), [[Sacramento splittail]] (''Pogonichthys macrolepidotus''), California freshwater shrimp (''[[Syncaris pacifica]]''), showy Indian clover (''[[Trifolium amoenum]]''), and Hickman's potentilla (''[[Potentilla hickmanii]]'').

Species of special local concern include the [[California tiger salamander]] (''Ambystoma californiense'') and some endangered plants, including Burke's goldfields (''[[Lasthenia burkei]]''), Sebastopol meadowfoam (''[[Limnanthes vinculans]]''), and Sonoma sunshine or Baker's stickyseed (''[[Blennosperma bakeri]]'').

Endangered species that are [[endemic (ecology)|endemic]] to Sonoma County include Sebastopol meadowfoam, Sonoma sunshine, and Pitkin Marsh lily ([[Lilium pardalinum subsp. pitkinense|''Lilium pardalinum'' subsp. ''pitkinense'']]).

The [[Sonoma County Water Agency]] has had a Fisheries Enhancement Program since 1996. Its website says:<ref>((cite web|url=http://www.scwa.ca.gov/environment/natural_resources/fisheries_enhancement.php |publisher=Sonoma County Water Agency |title=Fisheries Enhancement Program |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002073118/http://www.scwa.ca.gov/environment/natural_resources/fisheries_enhancement.php |archive-date=October 2, 2009 ))</ref>

<blockquote>"The primary focus of the FEP is to enhance habitat for three [[salmonid]]s: [[Rainbow trout|Steelhead]], [[Chinook salmon]], and [[Coho salmon]]. These three species are listed as threatened under the U.S. [[Endangered Species Act]]. The California Department of Fish and Game considers the Coho salmon endangered."</blockquote>

===Adjacent counties===
*[[Mendocino County, California]] – north
*[[Lake County, California]] – northeast
*[[Napa County, California]] – east
*[[Solano County, California]] – southeast
*[[Marin County, California]] – south
*[[Contra Costa County, California]] – south-southeast<ref>Marin, Solono, Sonoma and Contra Costa Counties' borders come to a common point approx. 6 miles into San Francisco Bay. Thus, Contra Costa County is an adjacent county.  ((cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/codesandstatute02caligoog | quote=3955. | page=[https://archive.org/details/codesandstatute02caligoog/page/n522 515] | title=The codes and statutes of the State of California | year=1876 | publisher=A. L. Bancroft | last=Hittell | first = Theodore Henry | access-date=August 20, 2012))</ref><ref>((cite web | url=http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate?WAISdocID=50731529530+1+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve | access-date=August 20, 2012 | title=California Codes, Government Codes, section 23149))</ref>

===National protected area===
* [[San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge]] (part)

==Transportation==

===Major highways===
[[File:US 101 (1961 cutout).svg|25px|link= |alt=]] [[U.S. Route 101 in California|U.S. Route 101]]

U.S. Route 101 is the westernmost [[United States Numbered Highways|Federal highway]] in the U.S.A. Running north/south through the states of California, [[Oregon]], and Washington, it generally parallels the coastline from the [[Mexico–United States border|Mexico–US border]] to the [[Canada–United States border|Canada–US border]]. Highway 101 links seven of the county's nine incorporated cities: Cloverdale, Healdsburg, Windsor, Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Cotati, and Petaluma. It is a freeway for its entire length within the county.

The four-lane sections of the highway have been heavily congested during peak commute hours for many years and work is being done to widen part of the highway to six lanes. The segment from north of Petaluma (at Old Redwood Highway/Petaluma Boulevard North exit) to Windsor has been fully widened, as has the segment from the Petaluma River bridge to the Marin County border. The two new inner lanes are designated for [[High-occupancy vehicle|vehicles with two or more occupants]] during commute hours. Work is being done around Petaluma to finish the widening within Sonoma County; the widening also involves upgrading the highway to [[Interstate Highway standards|full freeway standards]].

[[File:California 1.svg|20px|link= |alt=]] [[California State Route 1|State Route 1]]

Within Sonoma County, Highway 1 follows the coastline from the Mendocino County border, at the mouth of the Gualala River, to the Marin County border, at the Estero Americano ([[Americano Creek]]), southeast of Bodega Bay.

[[File:California 12.svg|20px|link= |alt=]] [[California State Route 12|State Route 12]]
[[File:CA SR-12 Sonoma.jpg|thumb|right|[[California State Route 12|State Route 12]] in Sonoma (Broadway)]]

Highway 12 runs eastward from its intersection with Highway 116 in Sebastopol to Santa Rosa. There it turns south through the Valley of the Moon to Sonoma, then east into Napa County. The four-lane freeway section within Santa Rosa, between Fulton Road and Farmers Lane, is called the Luther Burbank Memorial Highway. That section, especially where it crosses Highway 101, is severely congested during peak commute hours.

The two-lane Bodega Highway runs west from the intersection of Highways 12 and 116 in Sebastopol, through the coastal hills to its intersection with Highway 1, east of Bodega Bay. East of Santa Rosa, Highway 12 is also called Sonoma Highway; and east of the City of Sonoma, Carneros Highway.

[[File:California 37.svg|20px|link= |alt=]] [[California State Route 37|State Route 37]]

Highway 37 connects Highway 101 at Novato, in Marin County, with Interstate 80 in Vallejo, in Solano County, at the top of San Pablo Bay. Within Sonoma County, it is also called Sears Point Road.

[[File:California 116.svg|25px|link= |alt=]] [[California State Route 116|State Route 116]]

Highway 116 is a winding, two-lane rural route that runs from Jenner, at the mouth of the Russian River on the coast, southeast to Arnold Drive near Sonoma. It is also called Guerneville Highway, between Guerneville and Forestville; Gravenstein Highway North, between Forestville and Sebastopol; and Gravenstein Highway South, between Sebastopol and Stony Point Road, west of Rohnert Park. East of Petaluma it is called Lakeville Highway, then Stage Gulch Road.

[[File:California 121.svg|25px|link= |alt=]] [[California State Route 121|State Route 121]]

Highway 121 is a two-lane rural route running from Highway 37 near Sears Point Raceway to Highway 128 in [[Lake Berryessa]], in Napa County.

[[File:California 128.svg|25px|link= |alt=]] [[California State Route 128|State Route 128]]

The northernmost section of Highway 128 is a two-lane, rural route running southeast from Highway 101 at Geyserville, north of Healdsburg, through the Alexander Valley and into Napa County.

===Public transportation===
*[[Sonoma County Transit]] is the countywide transit operator, providing service to all cities in Sonoma County.
*CityBus operates within the city limits of Santa Rosa.<ref>((Cite web|url=http://ci.santa-rosa.ca.us/departments/transit/citybus/pages/default.aspx|title=CityBus|publisher=City of Santa Rosa|access-date=February 4, 2015))</ref>
*The cities of Cloverdale and Petaluma also provide their own local bus service.
*[[Golden Gate Transit]] connects Santa Rosa and points south with Marin County and San Francisco.
*[[Mendocino Transit Authority]] runs north from Santa Rosa to Ukiah (via US 101) and to the coast (via California Routes 12 and 1).
*[[Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit]] (SMART) is a [[commuter rail]] line eventually planned to go between [[Larkspur, California|Larkspur]] in Marin County and Cloverdale in Sonoma County. ((as of|December 2020)) the line operates between Larkspur and the Sonoma County Airport.

===Airports===
The [[Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport]] is at 2290 Airport Boulevard, west of Highway 101, between Santa Rosa and Windsor. Its main runway is ((convert|5,115|ft|m)) long and ((convert|150|ft|m)) wide, and can accommodate planes up to ((convert|95,000|lb|kg)) maximum gross takeoff weight. It offers fuel, major maintenance, [[hangar]] space, and tie-downs for local and transient [[aircraft]]. [[Alaska Airlines]], [[American Airlines]], and [[United Airlines]] offer regular daily commercial flights.

There are five [[general aviation]] airports within the county: 
*[[Cloverdale Municipal Airport]]
*[[Healdsburg Municipal Airport]]
*[[Petaluma Municipal Airport]]
*[[Sonoma Skypark]]
*[[Sonoma Valley Airport]]

===Railroads===
[[File:Railroads of Sonoma County California.png|thumb|right|Historical railroads of Sonoma County]]
[[File:PostcardMesaGrandeCARailroadStationCirca1910.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Mesa Grande train station, c. 1910]]

In 1864, the Petaluma and Haystack Railroad connected the city of Petaluma to a [[ferries of San Francisco Bay|ferry]] landing at the head of navigation on the Petaluma River.

In 1870, the [[San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad]] (SF&NP) connected the City of Santa Rosa to ferry connections at Donahue landing on the Petaluma River. Rail service was extended north to Healdsburg in 1871 and Cloverdale in 1872. In 1884 the railroad was extended south to an alternate ferry connection in [[Tiburon, California|Tiburon]]. This rail line serves as the primary route of Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit.<ref>((cite web |url=http://www.sonomamarintrain.org/about-smart |title=About SMART |website=sonomamarintrain.org |date=September 26, 2016 |access-date=December 31, 2017 ))</ref>

The [[narrow gauge railway|3-foot-gauge]] [[North Pacific Coast Railroad]] extended northward in 1876 from a ferry connection at Sausalito through Valley Ford, Freestone, and Occidental to Monte Rio on the lower Russian River. Service was extended to Duncans Mills in 1877 and Cazadero in 1885. The [[standard gauge]] Fulton and Guerneville Railroad left the SF&NP at Fulton to reach [[Korbel Champagne Cellars|Korbel]] in 1876 and Guerneville in 1877. Standard-gauge rails were extended down-river to [[Duncans Mills, California|Duncan Mills]] in 1909 after the [[Northwestern Pacific Railroad]] merger, and narrow-gauge service was discontinued in 1930. The standard-gauge route became River Road after tracks were removed in 1935.<ref>((cite book |last1=Codoni |first1=Fred |last2=Trimble |first2=Paul Castelhun |title =Northwestern Pacific Railroad |publisher =Arcadia Publishing |date =2006 |page =65 |isbn =0738531219))</ref>

The unique Sonoma Valley Prismoidal Railway linked the city of Sonoma to bay ferries in 1876 and was replaced in 1879 by the ((convert|3|ft|m|adj=on))-gauge Sonoma Valley Railroad to a ferry landing near the mouth of the Petaluma River. Service was extended from Sonoma to [[Glen Ellen, California|Glen Ellen]] in 1882. The southern end of the line was extended westward in 1888 to a connection with the SF&NP at [[Ignacio, California|Ignacio]]. This line was converted to standard-gauge in 1890 and remains (in 2018) as Sonoma County's connection to the national rail system at [[Schellville, California|Schellville]].

[[Southern Pacific Transportation Company|Southern Pacific]] subsidiary [[Santa Rosa and Carquinez Railroad]] extended eastward in 1888 to link Santa Rosa with the national rail system. The portion between Sonoma and Santa Rosa was dismantled in the 1940s after interchange shifted to the former Sonoma Valley line.<ref>((cite web |url=https://localwiki.org/sonoma-valley/Railroads |title=Sonoma Valley Railroads |website=Sonoma Valley |publisher=LocalWiki |access-date=April 1, 2018 ))</ref>

A SF&NP branch line from Santa Rosa brought rail service to Sebastopol in 1890. The [[Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railroad]] extended [[interurban]] service north from a ferry connection in Petaluma to reach Sebastopol in 1904, Santa Rosa in 1905, and Forestville in 1906. Portions of this line were converted to the [[Joe Rodota Trail]] after tracks were removed in the 1980s.<ref>((cite web|url=http://www.sonoma-county.org/parks/pk_westc.htm|title=West County and Joe Rodota Trails|website=Sonoma-county.org|access-date=April 1, 2018))</ref>

The [[Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit]] [[commuter rail]] line inaugurated passenger service on August 25, 2017,<ref name=KPIXstart>((cite web|url=http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2017/08/17/smart-train-service-between-marin-sonoma-county-to-start-aug-25/|title=Smart Train Service Between Marin, Sonoma County To Start Aug. 25|work=KPIX 5 CBS San Francisco|date=August 17, 2017|publisher=CBS Broadcasting, Inc.|access-date=August 18, 2017))</ref> utilizing the Northwestern Pacific Railroad [[right-of-way]] from [[Sonoma County Airport station]] to [[Larkspur Landing]] in Marin. The system is planned to extend to [[Cloverdale Depot]].

== Crime ==
The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense in the year of 2009.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|-
! colspan="3" | Population and crime rates
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Population<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
| colspan="2" | 478,551
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Violent crime<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11">Office of the Attorney General, Department of Justice, State of California. [http://stats.doj.ca.gov/cjsc_stats/prof09/00/11.pdf Table 11: Crimes – 2009] ((webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202222315/http://stats.doj.ca.gov/cjsc_stats/prof09/00/11.pdf |date=December 2, 2013 )). Retrieved November 14, 2013.</ref>
| 1,917 || 4.01
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;Homicide<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 9 || 0.02
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;Forcible rape<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 163 || 0.34
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;Robbery<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 318 || 0.66
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravated assault<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 1,427 || 2.98
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Property crime<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 4,537 || 9.48
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;Burglary<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 1,993 || 4.16
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;Larceny-theft<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/><ref name="LT-note" group="note">Only larceny-theft cases involving property over $400 in value are reported as property crimes.</ref>
| 6,671 || 13.94
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;Motor vehicle theft<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 786 || 1.64
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Arson<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 85 || 0.18
|}

=== Cities by population and crime rates ===

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed sortable" style="width: 100%;"
|-
! colspan="9" | Cities by population and crime rates
|-
! City
! data-sort-type="number" | Population<ref name="FBI-UCR-T8">United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. [https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2012/crime-in-the-u.s.-2012/tables/8tabledatadecpdf/table-8-state-cuts/table_8_offenses_known_to_law_enforcement_by_california_by_city_2012.xls Crime in the United States, 2012, Table 8 (California)]. Retrieved November 14, 2013.</ref>
! data-sort-type="number" | Violent crimes<ref name="FBI-UCR-T8"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Violent crime rate<br />per 1,000 persons
! data-sort-type="number" | Property crimes<ref name="FBI-UCR-T8"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Property crime rate<br />per 1,000 persons
|-
| [[Cloverdale, California|Cloverdale]] || 8,775 || 6 || 0.68 || 157 || 17.89
|-
| [[Cotati, California|Cotati]] || 7,398 || 54 || 7.30 || 85 || 11.49
|-
| [[Healdsburg, California|Healdsburg]] || 11,458 || 18 || 1.57 || 271 || 23.65
|-
| [[Petaluma, California|Petaluma]] || 58,995 || 167 || 2.83 || 822 || 13.93
|-
| [[Rohnert Park, California|Rohnert Park]] || 41,716 || 192 || 4.60 || 770 || 18.46
|-
| [[Santa Rosa, California|Santa Rosa]] || 170,862 || 636 || 3.72 || 3,818 || 22.35
|-
| [[Sebastopol, California|Sebastopol]] || 7,512 || 8 || 1.06 || 170 || 22.63
|-
| [[Sonoma, California|Sonoma]] || 10,841 || 27 || 2.49 || 193 || 17.80
|-
| [[Windsor, California|Windsor]] || 27,293 || 67 || 2.45 || 318 || 11.65
|}

==Demographics==
((US Census population
| 1850 = 560
| 1860 = 11867
| 1870 = 19819
| 1880 = 25926
| 1890 = 32721
| 1900 = 38480
| 1910 = 48394
| 1920 = 52090
| 1930 = 62222
| 1940 = 69052
| 1950 = 103405
| 1960 = 147375
| 1970 = 204885
| 1980 = 299681
| 1990 = 388222
| 2000 = 458614
| 2010 = 483878
| 2020 = 488863
|estyear=2023
|estimate=481812
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2023">((cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 26, 2024))</ref>
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">((cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing from 1790-2000|publisher=[[US Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 24, 2022))</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>((cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=May 31, 2014))</ref> 1900–1990<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ca190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 31, 2014))</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 31, 2014))</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2/> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/>

<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/sonomacountycalifornia/PST045222 |title=QuickFactsSonoma County, California |website=census.gov |access-date=April 21, 2023))</ref> 2022<ref name="QF">((cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/06097.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=May 31, 2014))</ref>
))

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Sonoma County, California - Demographic Profile'''<br /> (''NH = Non-Hispanic'')
!Race / Ethnicity
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>((Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Sonoma County, California|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US06097&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]))</ref>
!Pop 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2>((Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Sonoma County, California|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US06097&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]))</ref>
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|320,027
|285,792
|66.14%
|58.46%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|6,769
|7,125
|1.40%
|1.46%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|3,584
|3,053
|0.74%
|0.62%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|17,777
|22,239
|3.67%
|4.55%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|1,434
|1,708
|0.30%
|0.35%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Some Other Race]] alone (NH)
|913
|2,909
|0.19%
|0.60%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed Race/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|12,944
|24,599
|2.68%
|5.03%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|120,430
|141,438
|24.89%
|28.93%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''483,878'''
|'''488,863'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|}
''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

=== 2011 ===

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|-
! colspan=6 | Population, race, and income
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Total population<ref name="US-CB-B02001">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B02001. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]  . Retrieved October 26, 2013.</ref>
| colspan=2 | 478,551
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;White<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
| 390,474
| 81.6%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;Black or African American<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
| 7,161
| 1.5%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;American Indian or Alaska Native<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
| 5,962
| 1.2%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;Asian<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
| 19,249
| 4.0%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
| 1,513
| 0.3%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;Some other race<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
| 37,977
| 7.9%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;Two or more races<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
| 16,215
| 3.4%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;Hispanic or Latino (of any race)<ref name="US-CB-B03003">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B03003. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]  . Retrieved October 26, 2013.</ref>
| 116,222
| 24.3%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Per capita income<ref name="US-CB-B19301">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19301. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]  . Retrieved October 21, 2013.</ref>
| colspan=2 | $33,119
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Median household income<ref name="US-CB-B19013">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19013. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]  . Retrieved October 21, 2013.</ref>
| colspan=2 | $64,343
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Median family income<ref name="US-CB-B19113">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19113. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]  . Retrieved October 21, 2013.</ref>
| colspan=2 | $78,227
|}
[[File:Ethnic Origins in Sonoma County, CA.png|thumb|330x330px|Ethnic origins in Sonoma County]]

==== Places by population, race, and income ====

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed sortable" style="width: 100%;"
|-
! colspan=9 | Places by population and race
|-
! Place
! Type<ref name="US-CB">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]  . Retrieved October 21, 2013.</ref>
! data-sort-type="number" | Population<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | White<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Other<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/><br /><ref name="other" group=note>Other = Some other race + Two or more races</ref>
! data-sort-type="number" | Asian<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Black or African<br />American<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Native American<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/><br /><ref name="na" group=note>Native American = Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander + American Indian or Alaska Native</ref>
! data-sort-type="number" | Hispanic or Latino<br />(of any race)<ref name="US-CB-B03003"/>
|-
| [[Bloomfield, California|Bloomfield]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 186 || 93.0% || 0.0% || 7.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 3.2%
|-
| [[Bodega, California|Bodega]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 132 || 100.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0%
|-
| [[Bodega Bay, California|Bodega Bay]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 772 || 87.2% || 3.5% || 9.3% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 4.9%
|-
| [[Boyes Hot Springs, California|Boyes Hot Springs]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 7,284 || 74.8% || 20.8% || 3.4% || 0.0% || 1.1% || 52.7%
|-
| [[Carmet, California|Carmet]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 22 || 100.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0%
|-
| [[Cazadero, California|Cazadero]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 305 || 92.8% || 7.2% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 8.9%
|-
| [[Cloverdale, California|Cloverdale]] || [[List of cities and towns in California|City]] || 8,390 || 81.1% || 13.6% || 4.6% || 0.2% || 0.5% || 30.2%
|-
| [[Cotati, California|Cotati]] || [[List of cities and towns in California|City]] || 7,154 || 87.9% || 6.2% || 4.4% || 1.2% || 0.2% || 10.5%
|-
| [[Eldridge, California|Eldridge]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 1,899 || 74.6% || 22.9% || 1.8% || 0.5% || 0.2% || 19.0%
|-
| [[El Verano, California|El Verano]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 3,555 || 80.6% || 13.3% || 5.5% || 0.0% || 0.5% || 28.2%
|-
| [[Fetters Hot Springs-Agua Caliente, California|Fetters Hot Springs-Agua Caliente]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 4,034 || 88.7% || 7.1% || 2.9% || 0.7% || 0.6% || 41.2%
|-
| [[Forestville, California|Forestville]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 3,268 || 86.6% || 10.0% || 3.1% || 0.0% || 0.2% || 10.7%
|-
| [[Fulton, California|Fulton]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 691 || 54.6% || 36.0% || 9.4% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 36.0%
|-
| [[Geyserville, California|Geyserville]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 1,024 || 58.1% || 37.6% || 2.4% || 0.0% || 1.9% || 56.7%
|-
| [[Glen Ellen, California|Glen Ellen]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 549 || 91.4% || 7.3% || 0.0% || 1.3% || 0.0% || 10.4%
|-
| [[Graton, California|Graton]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 1,621 || 83.0% || 14.4% || 0.0% || 0.3% || 2.3% || 22.8%
|-
| [[Guerneville, California|Guerneville]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 4,187 || 90.6% || 5.4% || 0.3% || 2.1% || 1.6% || 11.6%
|-
| [[Healdsburg, California|Healdsburg]] || [[List of cities and towns in California|City]] || 11,161 || 79.1% || 17.7% || 0.3% || 0.8% || 2.2% || 33.0%
|-
| [[Jenner, California|Jenner]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 113 || 100.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0%
|-
| [[Kenwood, California|Kenwood]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 509 || 80.6% || 17.3% || 2.2% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 18.3%
|-
| [[Larkfield-Wikiup, California|Larkfield-Wikiup]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 8,569 || 88.3% || 7.7% || 3.3% || 0.2% || 0.5% || 17.6%
|-
| [[Monte Rio, California|Monte Rio]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 1,044 || 91.9% || 5.9% || 0.8% || 0.0% || 1.4% || 2.4%
|-
| [[Occidental, California|Occidental]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 1,264 || 88.8% || 5.9% || 4.0% || 1.3% || 0.0% || 4.8%
|-
| [[Penngrove, California|Penngrove]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 2,428 || 90.6% || 8.6% || 0.8% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 12.8%
|-
| [[Petaluma, California|Petaluma]] || [[List of cities and towns in California|City]] || 57,265 || 83.5% || 9.2% || 5.1% || 1.0% || 1.1% || 21.3%
|-
| [[Rohnert Park, California|Rohnert Park]] || [[List of cities and towns in California|City]] || 40,741 || 78.6% || 11.5% || 6.6% || 2.0% || 1.4% || 23.3%
|-
| [[Roseland, California|Roseland]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 6,628 || 67.6% || 27.1% || 2.9% || 1.8% || 0.5% || 58.5%
|-
| [[Salmon Creek, California|Salmon Creek]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 95 || 93.7% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 6.3% || 0.0%
|-
| [[Santa Rosa, California|Santa Rosa]] || [[List of cities and towns in California|City]] || 164,976 || 78.2% || 12.5% || 5.1% || 2.3% || 1.9% || 28.2%
|-
| [[Sea Ranch, California|Sea Ranch]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 812 || 97.9% || 0.7% || 1.4% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 7.4%
|-
| [[Sebastopol, California|Sebastopol]] || [[List of cities and towns in California|City]] || 7,359 || 88.8% || 6.8% || 1.2% || 0.7% || 2.5% || 10.8%
|-
| [[Sereno del Mar, California|Sereno del Mar]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 119 || 100.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0%
|-
| [[Sonoma, California|Sonoma]] || [[List of cities and towns in California|City]] || 10,430 || 87.5% || 8.0% || 2.1% || 0.4% || 1.9% || 16.6%
|-
| [[Temelec, California|Temelec]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 1,510 || 97.3% || 1.7% || 1.1% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 10.2%
|-
| [[Timber Cove, California|Timber Cove]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 165 || 100.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 13.9%
|-
| [[Valley Ford, California|Valley Ford]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 85 || 100.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 43.5%
|-
| [[Windsor, California|Windsor]] || [[List of cities and towns in California|Town]] || 26,229 || 80.1% || 12.7% || 3.0% || 0.6% || 3.7% || 32.2%
|}

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed sortable" style="width: 100%;"
|-
! colspan=6 | Places by population and income
|-
! Place
! Type<ref name="US-CB"/>
! Population<ref name="US-CB-B01003">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B01003. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]  . Retrieved October 21, 2013.</ref>
! data-sort-type="currency" | Per capita income<ref name="US-CB-B19301"/>
! data-sort-type="currency" | Median household income<ref name="US-CB-B19013"/>
! data-sort-type="currency" | Median family income<ref name="US-CB-B19113"/>
|-
| [[Bloomfield, California|Bloomfield]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 186 || $31,592 || $85,515 || $85,735
|-
| [[Bodega, California|Bodega]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 132 || $26,221 || $21,750 || $40,972
|-
| [[Bodega Bay, California|Bodega Bay]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 772 || $52,512 || $73,250 || $122,500
|-
| [[Boyes Hot Springs, California|Boyes Hot Springs]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 7,284 || $24,218 || $47,123 || $48,382
|-
| [[Carmet, California|Carmet]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 22 ||<ref name="ND">Data unavailable</ref>  ||<ref name="ND"/>  ||<ref name="ND"/>
|-
| [[Cazadero, California|Cazadero]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 305 || $32,407 || $46,875 || $53,500
|-
| [[Cloverdale, California|Cloverdale]] || [[List of cities and towns in California|City]] || 8,390 || $25,745 || $56,649 || $71,233
|-
| [[Cotati, California|Cotati]] || [[List of cities and towns in California|City]] || 7,154 || $38,863 || $62,969 || $77,350
|-
| [[Eldridge, California|Eldridge]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 1,899 || $28,397 || $94,688 || $105,724
|-
| [[El Verano, California|El Verano]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 3,555 || $27,189 || $49,731 || $53,409
|-
| [[Fetters Hot Springs-Agua Caliente, California|Fetters Hot Springs-Agua Caliente]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 4,034 || $29,849 || $59,315 || $63,879
|-
| [[Forestville, California|Forestville]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 3,268 || $32,773 || $53,095 || $65,135
|-
| [[Fulton, California|Fulton]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 691 || $25,734 || $42,692 || $125,417
|-
| [[Geyserville, California|Geyserville]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 1,024 || $23,915 || $49,375 || $51,250
|-
| [[Glen Ellen, California|Glen Ellen]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 549 || $33,389 || $45,558 || $56,250
|-
| [[Graton, California|Graton]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 1,621 || $36,676 || $77,574 || $91,946
|-
| [[Guerneville, California|Guerneville]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 4,187 || $30,594 || $39,459 || $61,250
|-
| [[Healdsburg, California|Healdsburg]] || [[List of cities and towns in California|City]] || 11,161 || $34,031 || $63,666 || $72,235
|-
| [[Jenner, California|Jenner]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 113 || $45,432 || $81,161 || $42,422
|-
| [[Kenwood, California|Kenwood]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 509 || $76,096 || $56,250 || $144,318
|-
| [[Larkfield-Wikiup, California|Larkfield-Wikiup]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 8,569 || $33,798 || $71,046 || $92,243
|-
| [[Monte Rio, California|Monte Rio]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 1,044 || $21,861 || $31,667 || $41,544
|-
| [[Occidental, California|Occidental]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 1,264 || $46,895 || $67,205 || $104,375
|-
| [[Penngrove, California|Penngrove]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 2,428 || $39,270 || $84,315 || $98,407
|-
| [[Petaluma, California|Petaluma]] || [[List of cities and towns in California|City]] || 57,265 || $35,111 || $76,185 || $92,192
|-
| [[Rohnert Park, California|Rohnert Park]] || [[List of cities and towns in California|City]] || 40,741 || $28,203 || $56,950 || $71,726
|-
| [[Roseland, California|Roseland]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 6,628 || $20,518 || $54,255 || $60,104
|-
| [[Salmon Creek, California|Salmon Creek]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 95 || $70,087 || $80,694 || $80,694
|-
| [[Santa Rosa, California|Santa Rosa]] || [[List of cities and towns in California|City]] || 164,976 || $30,085 || $60,850 || $69,944
|-
| [[Sea Ranch, California|Sea Ranch]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 812 || $48,998 || $57,227 || $79,063
|-
| [[Sebastopol, California|Sebastopol]] || [[List of cities and towns in California|City]] || 7,359 || $35,459 || $60,000 || $85,391
|-
| [[Sereno del Mar, California|Sereno del Mar]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 119 || $120,019 || $162,986 || $162,986
|-
| [[Sonoma, California|Sonoma]] || [[List of cities and towns in California|City]] || 10,430 || $42,261 || $63,262 || $104,942
|-
| [[Temelec, California|Temelec]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 1,510 || $37,406 || $39,274 || $44,960
|-
| [[Timber Cove, California|Timber Cove]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 165 || $39,092 || $42,143 || $58,250
|-
| [[Valley Ford, California|Valley Ford]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 85 ||<ref name="ND"/>  ||<ref name="ND"/>  ||<ref name="ND"/>
|-
| [[Windsor, California|Windsor]] || [[List of cities and towns in California|Town]] || 26,229 || $31,009 || $77,157 || $86,425
|}

===2010 Census===
The [[2010 United States census]] reported that Sonoma County had a population of 483,878. The racial makeup of Sonoma County was 371,412 (76.8%) [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 7,610 (1.6%) [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 6,489 (1.3%) [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 18,341 (3.8%) [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1,558 (0.3%) [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 56,966 (11.8%) from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 21,502 (4.4%) from two or more races. There were 120,430 residents of [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] ancestry, of any race (24.9%).<ref>((USCensus2010CA))</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|-
!colspan=10|Population reported at [[2010 United States Census]]
|-
|((center|'''The County''')) ||((center|'''Total<br />Population'''))||((center|'''[[White (U.S. Census)|White]]''')) ||((center|'''[[African American (U.S. Census)|African<br />American]]''')) || ((center|'''[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native<br />American]]''')) || ((center|'''[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]''')) || ((center|'''[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific<br />Islander]]''')) || ((center|'''[[Race (United States Census)|other<br />races]]''')) || ((center|'''two or<br />more races''')) ||((center|'''[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]]<br />or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]<br />(of any race)'''))
|-
|''' Sonoma County'''
|align="right"|483,878||align="right"|371,412||align="right"|7,610||align="right"|6,489||align="right"|18,341||align="right"|1,558||align="right"|56,966||align="right"|21,502||align="right"|120,430
|-
|((center|'''[[Incorporated city|Incorporated<br />cities and towns]]''')) ||((center|'''Total<br />Population'''))||((center|'''[[White (U.S. Census)|White]]''')) ||((center|'''[[African American (U.S. Census)|African<br />American]]''')) || ((center|'''[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native<br />American]]''')) || ((center|'''[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]''')) || ((center|'''[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific<br />Islander]]''')) || ((center|'''[[Race (United States Census)|other<br />races]]''')) || ((center|'''two or<br />more races''')) ||((center|'''[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]]<br />or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]<br />(of any race)'''))
|-
|'''[[Cloverdale, California|Cloverdale]]'''
|align="right"|8,618||align="right"|6,458||align="right"|48||align="right"|156||align="right"|98||align="right"|7||align="right"|1,530||align="right"|321||align="right"|2,824
|-
|'''[[Cotati, California|Cotati]]'''
|align="right"|7,265||align="right"|5,929||align="right"|122||align="right"|75||align="right"|283||align="right"|30||align="right"|427||align="right"|399||align="right"|1,255
|-
|'''[[Healdsburg, California|Healdsburg]]'''
|align="right"|11,254||align="right"|8,334||align="right"|56||align="right"|205||align="right"|125||align="right"|18||align="right"|2,133||align="right"|383||align="right"|3,820
|-
|'''[[Petaluma, California|Petaluma]]'''
|align="right"|57,941||align="right"|46,566||align="right"|801||align="right"|353||align="right"|2,607||align="right"|129||align="right"|5,103||align="right"|2,382||align="right"|12,453
|-
|'''[[Rohnert Park, California|Rohnert Park]]'''
|align="right"|40,971||align="right"|31,178||align="right"|759||align="right"|407||align="right"|2,144||align="right"|179||align="right"|3,967||align="right"|2,337||align="right"|9,068
|-
|'''[[Santa Rosa, California|Santa Rosa]]'''
|align="right"|167,815||align="right"|119,158||align="right"|4,079||align="right"|2,808||align="right"|8,746||align="right"|810||align="right"|23,723||align="right"|8,491||align="right"|47,970
|-
|'''[[Sebastopol, California|Sebastopol]]'''
|align="right"|7,379||align="right"|6,509||align="right"|72||align="right"|60||align="right"|120||align="right"|19||align="right"|298||align="right"|301||align="right"|885
|-
|'''[[Sonoma, California|Sonoma]]'''
|align="right"|10,648||align="right"|9,242||align="right"|52||align="right"|56||align="right"|300||align="right"|23||align="right"|711||align="right"|264||align="right"|1,634
|-
|'''[[Windsor, California|Windsor]]'''
|align="right"|26,801||align="right"|19,798||align="right"|227||align="right"|594||align="right"|810||align="right"|51||align="right"|4,052||align="right"|1,269||align="right"|8,511
|-
|((center|'''[[Census-designated place|Census-designated<br />places]]''')) ||((center|'''Total<br />Population'''))||((center|'''[[White (U.S. Census)|White]]''')) ||((center|'''[[African American (U.S. Census)|African<br />American]]''')) || ((center|'''[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native<br />American]]''')) || ((center|'''[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]''')) || ((center|'''[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific<br />Islander]]''')) || ((center|'''[[Race (United States Census)|other<br />races]]''')) || ((center|'''two or<br />more races''')) ||((center|'''[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]]<br />or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]<br />(of any race)'''))
|-
|'''[[Bloomfield, California|Bloomfield]]'''
|align="right"|345||align="right"|282||align="right"|0||align="right"|0||align="right"|4||align="right"|0||align="right"|52||align="right"|7||align="right"|62
|-
|'''[[Bodega, California|Bodega]]'''
|align="right"|220||align="right"|209||align="right"|0||align="right"|2||align="right"|2||align="right"|0||align="right"|0||align="right"|7||align="right"|9
|-
|'''[[Bodega Bay, California|Bodega Bay]]'''
|align="right"|1,077||align="right"|951||align="right"|2||align="right"|4||align="right"|33||align="right"|4||align="right"|49||align="right"|34||align="right"|126
|-
|'''[[Boyes Hot Springs, California|Boyes Hot Springs]]'''
|align="right"|6,656||align="right"|4,505||align="right"|48||align="right"|91||align="right"|84||align="right"|9||align="right"|1,674||align="right"|245||align="right"|3,270
|-
|'''[[Carmet, California|Carmet]]'''
|align="right"|47||align="right"|43||align="right"|0||align="right"|0||align="right"|1||align="right"|0||align="right"|0||align="right"|3||align="right"|0
|-
|'''[[Cazadero, California|Cazadero]]'''
|align="right"|354||align="right"|318||align="right"|1||align="right"|7||align="right"|5||align="right"|0||align="right"|5||align="right"|18||align="right"|23
|-
|'''[[El Verano, California|El Verano]]'''
|align="right"|4,123||align="right"|3,054||align="right"|22||align="right"|22||align="right"|101||align="right"|12||align="right"|717||align="right"|195||align="right"|1,559
|-
|'''[[Eldridge, California|Eldridge]]'''
|align="right"|1,233||align="right"|988||align="right"|10||align="right"|3||align="right"|36||align="right"|6||align="right"|144||align="right"|46||align="right"|325
|-
|'''[[Fetters Hot Springs-Agua Caliente, California|Fetters Hot Springs-Agua Caliente]]'''
|align="right"|4,144||align="right"|2,926||align="right"|25||align="right"|39||align="right"|68||align="right"|8||align="right"|895||align="right"|183||align="right"|1,925
|-
|'''[[Forestville, California|Forestville]]'''
|align="right"|3,293||align="right"|2,914||align="right"|32||align="right"|36||align="right"|53||align="right"|6||align="right"|153||align="right"|99||align="right"|406
|-
|'''[[Fulton, California|Fulton]]'''
|align="right"|541||align="right"|349||align="right"|3||align="right"|12||align="right"|11||align="right"|1||align="right"|149||align="right"|16||align="right"|186
|-
|'''[[Geyserville, California|Geyserville]]'''
|align="right"|862||align="right"|609||align="right"|5||align="right"|7||align="right"|14||align="right"|0||align="right"|192||align="right"|35||align="right"|328
|-
|'''[[Glen Ellen, California|Glen Ellen]]'''
|align="right"|784||align="right"|693||align="right"|3||align="right"|9||align="right"|16||align="right"|3||align="right"|18||align="right"|42||align="right"|67
|-
|'''[[Graton, California|Graton]]'''
|align="right"|1,707||align="right"|1,402||align="right"|10||align="right"|29||align="right"|25||align="right"|3||align="right"|144||align="right"|94||align="right"|322
|-
|'''[[Guerneville, California|Guerneville]]'''
|align="right"|4,534||align="right"|3,926||align="right"|31||align="right"|68||align="right"|47||align="right"|12||align="right"|226||align="right"|224||align="right"|553
|-
|'''[[Jenner, California|Jenner]]'''
|align="right"|136||align="right"|125||align="right"|2||align="right"|0||align="right"|2||align="right"|0||align="right"|0||align="right"|7||align="right"|8
|-
|'''[[Kenwood, California|Kenwood]]'''
|align="right"|1,028||align="right"|930||align="right"|1||align="right"|1||align="right"|23||align="right"|2||align="right"|45||align="right"|26||align="right"|79
|-
|'''[[Larkfield-Wikiup, California|Larkfield-Wikiup]]'''
|align="right"|8,884||align="right"|7,042||align="right"|81||align="right"|168||align="right"|292||align="right"|19||align="right"|878||align="right"|404||align="right"|1,979
|-
|'''[[Monte Rio, California|Monte Rio]]'''
|align="right"|1,152||align="right"|1,047||align="right"|10||align="right"|6||align="right"|11||align="right"|1||align="right"|16||align="right"|61||align="right"|79
|-
|'''[[Occidental, California|Occidental]]'''
|align="right"|1,115||align="right"|992||align="right"|7||align="right"|7||align="right"|31||align="right"|0||align="right"|23||align="right"|55||align="right"|81
|-
|'''[[Penngrove, California|Penngrove]]'''
|align="right"|2,522||align="right"|2,212||align="right"|19||align="right"|24||align="right"|54||align="right"|2||align="right"|112||align="right"|99||align="right"|292
|-
|'''[[Roseland, California|Roseland]]'''
|align="right"|6,325||align="right"|3,235||align="right"|130||align="right"|224||align="right"|276||align="right"|15||align="right"|2,078||align="right"|367||align="right"|3,773
|-
|'''[[Salmon Creek, California|Salmon Creek]]'''
|align="right"|86||align="right"|86||align="right"|0||align="right"|0||align="right"|0||align="right"|0||align="right"|0||align="right"|0||align="right"|1
|-
|'''[[Sea Ranch, California|Sea Ranch]]'''
|align="right"|1,305||align="right"|1,220||align="right"|15||align="right"|3||align="right"|10||align="right"|0||align="right"|37||align="right"|20||align="right"|117
|-
|'''[[Sereno del Mar, California|Sereno del Mar]]'''
|align="right"|126||align="right"|118||align="right"|1||align="right"|0||align="right"|1||align="right"|1||align="right"|2||align="right"|3||align="right"|8
|-
|'''[[Temelec, California|Temelec]]'''
|align="right"|1,441||align="right"|1,376||align="right"|4||align="right"|4||align="right"|31||align="right"|5||align="right"|5||align="right"|16||align="right"|68
|-
|'''[[Timber Cove, California|Timber Cove]]'''
|align="right"|164||align="right"|152||align="right"|1||align="right"|1||align="right"|6||align="right"|0||align="right"|0||align="right"|4||align="right"|9
|-
|'''[[Valley Ford, California|Valley Ford]]'''
|align="right"|147||align="right"|105||align="right"|1||align="right"|0||align="right"|0||align="right"|0||align="right"|33||align="right"|8||align="right"|52
|-
|((center|'''Other<br />[[unincorporated area]]s''')) ||((center|'''Total<br />Population'''))||((center|'''[[White (U.S. Census)|White]]''')) ||((center|'''[[African American (U.S. Census)|African<br />American]]''')) || ((center|'''[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native<br />American]]''')) || ((center|'''[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]''')) || ((center|'''[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific<br />Islander]]''')) || ((center|'''[[Race (United States Census)|other<br />races]]''')) || ((center|'''two or<br />more races''')) ||((center|'''[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]]<br />or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]<br />(of any race)'''))
|-
|All others not CDPs (combined)
|align="right"|90,835||align="right"|76,431||align="right"|930||align="right"|1,008||align="right"|1,871||align="right"|183||align="right"|7,375||align="right"|3,037||align="right"|16,303
|}

===2000===
At the [[2000 United States census]],<ref name="GR8">((cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=May 14, 2011 |title=U.S. Census website ))</ref> there were 458,614 people, 172,403 households, and 112,406 families in Sonoma County. The population density was ((convert|291|/mi2|/km2)). There were 183,153 housing units at an average density of ((convert|116|/mi2|/km2)).

Of the 172,403 households, 50.3% were married couples living together, 34.8% were non-families, and 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present. 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 25.7% were individuals, and 10.0% were 65 years of age or older living alone. The average household size was 2.60, and the average family size was 3.12.

The median age was 38 years. 24.5% were under 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94 males.

The median household income was $53,076, and the median family income was $61,921. Males had a median income of $42,035, females $32,022. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $25,724. About 4.7% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 8.4% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

===Metropolitan Statistical Area===
The [[United States Office of Management and Budget]] has designated Sonoma County as the [[Santa Rosa, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area|Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area]].<ref name=OMB_13-01>((cite web|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/omb/bulletins/2013/b13-01.pdf|title=OMB Bulletin No. 13-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas|publisher=[[United States Office of Management and Budget]]|date=February 28, 2013|access-date=March 20, 2013))</ref> The [[United States Census Bureau]] ranked the Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area as the [[List of Metropolitan Statistical Areas|105th most populous]] [[Metropolitan Statistical Area|metropolitan statistical area]] of the United States as of July 1, 2012.<ref name=PopEstCBSA>((cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/metro/totals/2012/tables/CBSA-EST2012-01.csv|title=Table 1. Annual Estimates of the Population of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012|format=[[comma-separated values|CSV]]|work=2012 Population Estimates|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division|date=March 2013|access-date=March 20, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130401093220/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/metro/totals/2012/tables/CBSA-EST2012-01.csv|archive-date=April 1, 2013))</ref>

The Office of Management and Budget has further designated the Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area as a component of the more extensive [[San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA Combined Statistical Area]],<ref name=OMB_13-01/> the [[List of Combined Statistical Areas|5th most populous]] [[combined statistical area]] and [[United States primary statistical area|primary statistical area]] of the United States as of July 1, 2012.<ref name=PopEstCBSA/><ref name=PopEstCSA>((cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/metro/totals/2012/tables/CBSA-EST2012-02.csv|title=Table 2. Annual Estimates of the Population of Combined Statistical Areas: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012|format=[[comma-separated values|CSV]]|work=2012 Population Estimates|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division|date=March 2013|access-date=March 20, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517083619/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/metro/totals/2012/tables/CBSA-EST2012-02.csv|archive-date=May 17, 2013))</ref>

==Government==
Sonoma County's governing board and legislative body is the five-member [[Sonoma County Board of Supervisors]].<ref>((cite web|url=http://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Departments-Agencies/Board-of-Supervisors/ |title=Board of Supervisors |publisher=Sonoma County |access-date=July 17, 2014))</ref> Supervisors are elected by district<ref>((cite web|url=http://www.sonoma-county.org/board/district.htm |title=Supervisorial Districts |website=sonoma-county.org |access-date=July 17, 2014))</ref> at the Consolidated Primary Election, and serve for four years. The Supervisors also sit as directors of several local jurisdictions, such as [[Sonoma Water]],<ref>((cite web |url=http://www.scwa.ca.gov/ |title=Sonoma County Water Agency |website=scwa.org |access-date=July 17, 2014 |archive-date=July 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715200103/http://www.scwa.ca.gov/ |url-status=dead ))</ref> and the Agricultural Preservation & Open Space District.<ref>((cite web|url=http://www.sonomaopenspace.org/ |title=Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District |website=sonomaopenspace.org |access-date=July 17, 2014))</ref>

The current supervisors (as of January 2021) are:
* District 1: Susan Gorin,
* District 2: David Rabbitt,
* District 3: Chris Coursey,
* District 4: James Gore, and
* District 5: Lynda Hopkins.<ref>((Cite web
 | url = http://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Board-of-Supervisors/
 | title = Board of Supervisors
 | publisher = County of Sonoma
 | access-date = September 11, 2021))</ref>

The Supervisors appoint the members of 59 boards, commissions, and committees.<ref>((cite web |url=http://www.sonoma-county.org/board/maddy/list.asp |title=Boards, Commissions, Committees & Task Forces |website=sonoma-county.org |date=June 29, 2011 |access-date=July 17, 2014 |archive-date=April 21, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090421011201/http://www.sonoma-county.org/board/maddy/list.asp |url-status=dead ))</ref>

The County Administrator<ref>((cite web|url=http://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Departments-and-Agencies/County-Administrators-Office/ |title=County Administrators Office |work=Departments and Agencies |publisher=Sonoma County |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209044552/http://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Departments-and-Agencies/County-Administrators-Office/ |archive-date=February 9, 2014 ))</ref> is the county's chief executive officer, reporting to the Board of Supervisors. The administrator manages the county's departments, such as the regional parks department.

On December 15, 2009, the Board announced<ref>((cite journal |url=http://www.sonoma-county.org/news/pdf/20091215_new_cao.pdf |title=Press Release: Supervisors Announce New County Administrator |publisher=Sonoma County |date=December 15, 2009 |access-date=July 17, 2014 |archive-date=May 13, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120513181711/http://www.sonoma-county.org/news/pdf/20091215_new_cao.pdf |url-status=dead ))</ref> the appointment of Veronica Ferguson to be the first woman County Administrator. She assumed office on February 1, 2010.

On May 1, 2014, the county launched a [[public utility]] named [[Community Choice Aggregation#Sonoma Clean Power|Sonoma Clean Power]].<ref>((cite news|last1=GNECKOW|first1=ERIC|title=Sonoma Clean Power flips switch for first customers|url=http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/csp/mediapool/sites/NBBJ/IndustryNews/story.csp?cid=4185043&sid=778&fid=181|access-date=November 24, 2016|work=The North Bay Business Journal|date=May 1, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107221502/http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/csp/mediapool/sites/NBBJ/IndustryNews/story.csp?cid=4185043&sid=778&fid=181|archive-date=November 7, 2016|url-status=dead))</ref> This utility was created under the guidelines of [[Community Choice Aggregation]].

===State and federal representation===
Sonoma County is split between California's [[California's 2nd congressional district|2nd]] and [[California's 4th congressional district|4th]] congressional districts, represented by ((Representative|cacd|2)) and ((Representative|cacd|4)), respectively.<ref>((Cite GovTrack|CA|5|access-date=March 1, 2013))</ref>

In the [[California State Assembly]], Sonoma County is split between the [[California's 2nd State Assembly district|2nd]], [[California's 4th State Assembly district|4th]], and [[California's 10th State Assembly district|10th]] districts, which are held by ((Representative|caad|2|fmt=spfl)), ((Representative|caad|4|fmt=spfl)), and ((Representative|caad|10|fmt=spfl)), respectively.<ref>((cite web
| url       = http://assembly.ca.gov/assemblymembers |title=Members Assembly |access-date=March 2, 2013
| publisher = State of California))</ref> In the [[California State Senate]], the county is split between ((Representative|casd|2|fmt=sdistrict)), and ((Representative|casd|3|fmt=sdistrict)).

===Law enforcement===
The Sonoma County Sheriff's Department is the law enforcement agency for the unincorporated area of the county. It also contracts to provide the police forces of the City of Sonoma and the Town of Windsor. The department has more than 1,000 employees, including more than 275 Deputy Sheriffs, in four bureaus. More than 300 Correctional Officers and staff work in two jail facilities; Main Area Detention Facility and the North County Detention Facility, with a total daily population of nearly 1,200 inmates.<ref>((cite web |url=http://www.sonomasheriff.org/about_overview.php |title=Sheriff's Department Overview |publisher=Sonoma County Sheriff's Office |date=April 19, 2002 |access-date=July 17, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140727060640/http://www.sonomasheriff.org/about_overview.php |archive-date=July 27, 2014 ))</ref> Police shootings in 2007 led to calls for an independent civilian police review board;<ref>Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 3/30/07: ''Fatal police shootings rekindle review debate/Recent cases raise decade-old concerns over agencies' abilities to investigate each other''</ref> which was established in 2015.<ref>((Cite web|title=THE HISTORY OF THE INDEPENDENT OFFICE OF LAW ENFORCEMENTREVIEW AND OUTREACH (IOLERO)|url=https://unionhall.aflcio.org/system/files/iolero_history.pdf|access-date=November 10, 2020))</ref>

==Economy==
((More citations needed section|date=November 2023))
[[File:Vineyardsonomamtn.jpg|thumb|Vineyard on northwest flank of [[Sonoma Mountain]]]]

Agriculture has long played a critical role in Sonoma County's economy, and it makes up a major component of California's [[Wine Country]]. Just over 2% of the population works in agriculture, nearly twice the state average. Similar to other regions of the state, the county's mild climate and fertile soil allow for the cultivation of a wide variety of crops, ornamentals, and for the raising of livestock. Beyond the production of grapes, the county's agricultural heartland is primarily located in the west and southwest, and near the cities of [[Petaluma, California|Petaluma]] and [[Sebastopol, California|Sebastopol]]. The renowned horticulturalist [[Luther Burbank]], who created hundreds of new varieties of plants and crops, lived and worked in Sonoma County for much of his life.

[[Sonoma County wine|Winemaking in the county]] is by far its most valuable industry and a major part of the economic and cultural life. First established in 1850 by a [[Franciscans|Franciscan]] priest named Fr. Jose Altimira of the [[Mission San Francisco Solano]], the production of wine has perhaps become Sonoma County's most well known feature. In 2004, growers harvested ((convert|165,783|short ton|t))s) of wine grapes worth US$310 million. In 2006 the Sonoma County grape harvest amounted to over 185,000 tons, exceeding [[Napa County]]'s harvest by more than 30 percent.<ref>((cite web|publisher=Sonoma County Vintner |url=http://www.sonomawine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=335544383&Itemid=Year |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20170524230436/http://sonomawine.com/?option=com_content&task=view&id=335544383&Itemid=Year |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 24, 2017 |title=2006 Sonoma County grape harvest statistics: Sonoma County Vintners association))</ref> About 80 percent of non-pasture agricultural land in the county is for growing wine grapes—((convert|58280.4|acre|km2|abbr=on)) in 2014 of [[vineyard]]s, with over 1100 growers. In 2019 Sonoma County's wine industry had produced over $654,000,000 worth of wine grapes. The most common varieties planted are [[Chardonnay]], [[Sauvignon blanc]], [[Cabernet Sauvignon]], and [[Pinot noir]], though the area is also known for its [[Merlot]] and [[Zinfandel]].<ref>((cite web|title=Sonoma County Crop Report 2014|url=http://www.sonoma-county.org/agcomm/pdf/crop_reports/2014_crop_report.pdf|website=www.sonoma-county.org/agcomm|access-date=August 11, 2015|archive-date=September 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904084955/http://www.sonoma-county.org/agcomm/pdf/crop_reports/2014_crop_report.pdf|url-status=dead))</ref> Sonoma County is home to more than 425 wineries with sixteen distinct and two shared [[American Viticultural Area]]s, including the [[Sonoma Valley AVA]], [[Russian River Valley AVA]], [[Alexander Valley AVA]], [[Bennett Valley AVA]] and [[Dry Creek (Sonoma County, California)|Dry Creek Valley AVA]], the last of which is known for the production of high-quality [[Zinfandel]]s.

[[Dairy farming]] is another major agricultural sector, particularly prominent in the western reaches of the county and in the [[Petaluma Gap]]. Worth nearly $140,000,000 in 2019, Sonoma County is home to nearly 65 registered dairies, including the locally prominent [[Clover Sonoma]] and the [[Straus Family Creamery]]. In addition to milk, the county is home to producers of cheese and yogurt. It was reported that in 2018, just over half of all of the county's dairies were certified as organic.

[[Poultry farming]] and other livestock can be found throughout the county, but is particularly prominent near the city of [[Petaluma, California|Petaluma]]. The raising of chickens (for eggs and as broilers), cattle, sheep, and to a lesser extent hogs comprised a $250,000,000 industry in 2019.<ref>((Cite web |last=Murphy |first=Austin |date=November 9, 2023 |title=Bay Area Ranchers mobile slaughterhouse folds after less than 2 years, dealing blow to local livestock industry |url=https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/bay-area-ranchers-mobile-slaughterhouse-folds-after-less-than-2-years-deal/ |access-date=November 10, 2023 |website=The Press Democrat))</ref>

[[Fishing industry|Fishing]] and [[Crab fisheries|Crabbing]] was worth just over $9,300,000 in 2019 and is primarily concentrated on [[Bodega Bay]]. Although numerous species are fished and farmed, the most prominent include [[Dungeness crab]] and [[Chinook salmon]].

Behind grapes, apples are the second most common crop grown in Sonoma County, particularly near the city of [[Sebastopol, California|Sebastopol]], and is an industry worth nearly $2,000,000. Although several varieties are grown, the region is most well known for its renowned [[Gravenstein]] apples The county is also home to farms producing olives, hay, rye, oats, and various vegetables (particularly tomatoes, carrots, green beans, and celery). There are also numerous nurseries producing flowers and other decorative [[Ornamental plant|ornamentals]].

The [[Wood industry|Timber Industry]] is not as prominent as it once was and is concentrated along the western and northwestern coastlines. The most common trees that are logged are [[Sequoia sempervirens|Redwoods]], as well as various Pines and Oaks.

Similar to other Bay Area communities, Sonoma County is also home to several prominent players in the Tech Industry, such as [[Keysight]] (formerly a part of [[Agilent Technologies]]) in Santa Rosa. Sonoma County is home to several notable brewing and beverage companies including: [[Bear Republic Brewing Company]], [[Guayakí (company)|Guayakí]], [[Lagunitas Brewing Company]], and the [[Russian River Brewing Company]]. The clothing manufacturer [[Marmot (company)|Marmot]] is based in [[Rohnert Park, California|Rohnert Park]].

==Politics==
For most of the 20th century, Sonoma County was a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] stronghold in presidential elections. From 1880 until 1988, the only Democrats to carry Sonoma were [[Winfield Scott Hancock]] in 1880, [[Grover Cleveland]] in 1888 and 1892, [[Woodrow Wilson]] in 1912, [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] in 1932 and 1936, and [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] in 1964.<ref name="Geography">Menendez, Albert J.; ''The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, 1868–2004'', pp. 152–155 ((ISBN|0786422173))</ref> Like the rest of the Bay Area, it has since become a Democratic stronghold.

The last Republican to win a majority in the county was [[Ronald Reagan]] in [[United States presidential election in California, 1984|1984]], and the last Republican to represent a significant part of the county in Congress was Representative [[Donald H. Clausen]], who left office in January 1983.

((PresHead|place=Sonoma County, California|source1=<ref>((Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=September 5, 2018))</ref>|source2=<ref>((Cite web|url=http://vote.sonoma-county.org/content.aspx?sid=1009&id=2456|title=Current Election Results|publisher=Sonoma County Registrar of Voters|access-date=December 1, 2016))</ref>|source3=<ref group=note>This total comprised 5,806 votes for [[Progressive Party (United States, 1912)|Progressive]] [[Theodore Roosevelt]] (who was official Republican nominee in California), 1,494 votes for [[Socialist Party of America|Socialist]] [[Eugene V. Debs]] and 367 votes for [[Prohibition Party]] nominee [[Eugene W. Chafin]].</ref>))
<!-- PresRow should be ((PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State)) -->
((PresRow|2020|Democratic|61,825|199,938|6,554|California))
((PresRow|2016|Democratic|51,408|160,435|21,460|California))
((PresRow|2012|Democratic|54,784|153,942|8,139|California))
((PresRow|2008|Democratic|55,127|168,888|5,336|California))
((PresRow|2004|Democratic|68,204|148,261|4,225|California))
((PresRow|2000|Democratic|63,529|117,295|16,182|California))
((PresRow|1996|Democratic|53,555|100,738|27,004|California))
((PresRow|1992|Democratic|47,619|104,334|45,738|California))
((PresRow|1988|Democratic|67,725|91,262|2,596|California))
((PresRow|1984|Republican|76,447|71,295|1,915|California))
((PresRow|1980|Republican|60,722|45,596|19,667|California))
((PresRow|1976|Republican|50,555|50,353|5,044|California))
((PresRow|1972|Republican|57,697|43,746|3,991|California))
((PresRow|1968|Republican|38,088|33,587|6,384|California))
((PresRow|1964|Democratic|27,677|44,354|105|California))
((PresRow|1960|Republican|34,641|29,147|244|California))
((PresRow|1956|Republican|33,659|20,616|86|California))
((PresRow|1952|Republican|35,605|17,675|594|California))
((PresRow|1948|Republican|22,077|16,026|1,881|California))
((PresRow|1944|Republican|16,309|15,949|111|California))
((PresRow|1940|Republican|16,819|15,230|330|California))
((PresRow|1936|Democratic|11,185|17,273|248|California))
((PresRow|1932|Democratic|9,161|15,686|822|California))
((PresRow|1928|Republican|12,891|8,506|194|California))
((PresRow|1924|Republican|9,535|1,767|5,726|California))
((PresRow|1920|Republican|10,377|4,070|1,065|California))
((PresRow|1916|Republican|9,733|8,377|1,214|California))
((PresRow|1912|Democratic|32|6,500|7,667|California))
((PresRow|1908|Republican|5,427|3,168|844|California))
((PresRow|1904|Republican|5,269|2,816|463|California))
((PresRow|1900|Republican|4,381|3,517|209|California))
((PresRow|1896|Republican|4,053|3,595|168|California))
((PresRow|1892|Democratic|3,016|3,451|483|California))
((PresRow|1888|Democratic|3,293|3,394|324|California))
((PresRow|1884|Republican|3,044|2,944|172|California))
((PresFoot|1880|Democratic|2,290|2,628|122|California))

((Hidden begin
|titlestyle = background:#ccccff;
|title      = Gubernatorial elections results
))
{| class="wikitable" class="toccolours" style="float:left; margin-right:1em; font-size:95%;"
|+ '''Sonoma County vote<br /> by party in gubernatorial elections'''<ref>((Cite web|url=http://vote.sonoma-county.org/content.aspx?sid=1009&id=3244|title=Final Results for Consolidated General Election – November 4, 2014|publisher=Sonoma County Registrar of Voters|access-date=December 1, 2016))</ref>
|-
! Year
![[Republican Party (United States)|GOP]]
![[Democratic Party (United States)|DEM]]
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''[[California gubernatorial election, 2022|2022]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|29.1% ''57,413''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''70.9%''' ''140,041''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''[[California gubernatorial election, 2018|2018]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|27.7% ''58,338''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''72.3%''' ''152,040''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''[[California gubernatorial election, 2014|2014]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|25.2% ''36,249''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''74.8%''' ''107,328''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''[[California gubernatorial election, 2010|2010]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|30.1% ''55,472''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''64.7%''' ''119,079''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|'''[[California gubernatorial election, 2006|2006]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|'''47.0%''' ''81,608''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|44.6% ''77,392''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''[[2003 California gubernatorial recall election|2003]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|35.0% ''54,651''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''40.7%''' ''63,588''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''[[California gubernatorial election, 2002|2002]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|29.9% ''43,408''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''50.4%''' ''73,079''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''[[California gubernatorial election, 1998|1998]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|29.0% ''46,616''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''64.3%''' ''103,235''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''[[California gubernatorial election, 1994|1994]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|45.7% ''73,234''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''49.7%''' ''79,720''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''[[California gubernatorial election, 1990|1990]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|38.6% ''54,706''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''55.8%''' ''79,093''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|'''[[California gubernatorial election, 1986|1986]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|'''59.4%''' ''75,003''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|37.9% ''47,859''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''[[California gubernatorial election, 1982|1982]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|45.1% ''55,968''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''51.2%''' ''63,542''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''[[California gubernatorial election, 1978|1978]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|35.9% ''37,584''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''54.3%''' ''56,920''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''[[California gubernatorial election, 1974|1974]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|48.0% ''40,339''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|'''48.5%''' ''40,756''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|'''[[California gubernatorial election, 1970|1970]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|'''58.6%''' ''44,823''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|39.2% ''29,953''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|'''[[California gubernatorial election, 1966|1966]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|'''60.7%''' ''41,516''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|39.3% ''26,898''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|'''[[California gubernatorial election, 1962|1962]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Republican))|'''49.7%''' ''29,647''
|  style="text-align:center;" ((Party shading/Democratic))|49.2% ''29,373''
|}
((Hidden end))

On November 4, 2008, Sonoma County voted 66.4% against Proposition 8 which amended the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages.<ref>((Cite web|title=Official Results - Consolidated General Election - 11/04/2008|url=http://www.sonoma-county.org/RegVoter/Elections/pdf/2008/20081104summary.pdf|website=Sonoma-county.org))</ref>

According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 2019, there are 277,665 registered voters in Sonoma County.<ref>((cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ror/ror-odd-year-2019/politicalsub.pdf|title=Registration by Political Subdivision by County : 2019|website=Elections.cdn.sos.ca|access-date=June 29, 2023))</ref> Of those, 143,054 (51.5%) are registered Democratic, 49,386 (17.8%) are registered Republican, and 70,244 (25.3%) declined to state a political party. Every city, town, and the unincorporated areas of Sonoma County have more registered Democrats than Republicans.

=== Voter registration statistics ===
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|-
! colspan="3" | Population and registered voters
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Total population<ref name=quick>((Cite web|url=https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=PEP_2018_PEPANNRES&prodType=table|title=American FactFinder|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 19, 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200214061229/https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=PEP_2018_PEPANNRES&prodType=table|archive-date=February 14, 2020|url-status=dead))</ref>
| colspan="2" | 502,146
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;Registered voters<ref name="CA-SS">California Secretary of State. [http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ror/ror-pages/ror-odd-year-2013/political-sub.pdf February 10, 2013 – Report of Registration] ((webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130727173649/http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ror/ror-pages/ror-odd-year-2013/political-sub.pdf |date=July 27, 2013 )). Retrieved October 31, 2013.</ref><ref name="PCT-RV" group=note>Percentage of registered voters with respect to total population. Percentages of party members with respect to registered voters follow.</ref>
| 261,706
| 54.7%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Democratic<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 134,896
| 51.5%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Republican<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 56,428
| 21.6%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Democratic–Republican spread<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| <span style="color:#00f;">'''+78,468'''</span>
| <span style="color:#00f;">'''+29.9%'''</span>
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;American Independent<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 6,619
| 2.5%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Green<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 4,640
| 1.8%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Libertarian<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 1,833
| 0.7%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Peace and Freedom<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 792
| 0.3%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Americans Elect<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 3
| 0.0%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 829
| 0.3%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No party preference<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 55,666
| 21.3%
|}
((Clear))

==== Cities by population and voter registration ====

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed sortable" style="width: 100%;"
|-
! colspan="8" | Cities by population and voter registration
|-
! City
! data-sort-type="number" | Population<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Registered voters<ref name="CA-SS"/><br /><ref name="PCT-RV" group=note/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Democratic<ref name="CA-SS"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Republican<ref name="CA-SS"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | D–R spread<ref name="CA-SS"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Other<ref name="CA-SS"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | No party preference<ref name="CA-SS"/>
|-
| [[Cloverdale, California|Cloverdale]] || 8,390 || 51.8% || 49.1% || 24.7% || <span style="color: #2b00d6;">'''+24.4%'''</span> || 7.9% || 21.1%
|-
| [[Cotati, California|Cotati]] || 7,154 || 57.4% || 52.8% || 17.8% || <span style="color:#00f;">'''+35.0%'''</span> || 10.3% || 22.4%
|-
| [[Healdsburg, California|Healdsburg]] || 11,161 || 56.5% || 52.6% || 21.7% || <span style="color:#00f;">'''+30.9%'''</span> || 7.5% || 20.6%
|-
| [[Petaluma, California|Petaluma]] || 57,265 || 57.5% || 52.3% || 20.5% || <span style="color:#00f;">'''+31.8%'''</span> || 7.8% || 22.0%
|-
| [[Rohnert Park, California|Rohnert Park]] || 40,741 || 50.1% || 49.6% || 21.3% || <span style="color:#00f;">'''+28.3%'''</span> || 8.8% || 23.2%
|-
| [[Santa Rosa, California|Santa Rosa]] || 164,976 || 50.9% || 52.1% || 21.4% || <span style="color:#00f;">'''+30.7%'''</span> || 7.7% || 21.4%
|-
| [[Sebastopol, California|Sebastopol]] || 7,359 || 69.6% || 61.4% || 11.4% || <span style="color:#00f;">'''+50.0%'''</span> || 9.8% || 19.5%
|-
| [[Sonoma, California|Sonoma]] || 10,430 || 65.0% || 51.2% || 22.8% || <span style="color:#00f;">'''+28.4%'''</span> || 8.1% || 20.8%
|-
| [[Windsor, California|Windsor]] || 26,229 || 54.4% || 46.6% || 27.5% || <span style="color: #2b00d6;">'''+19.1%'''</span> || 7.5% || 21.1%
|}

==Education==
===Higher education===
*[[Empire College]], Santa Rosa
*[[Golden Gate University]] (Rohnert Park satellite of [[Walnut Creek, California|Walnut Creek]] Campus)
*[[Santa Rosa Junior College]]
*[[Sonoma State University]], Rohnert Park
*[[University of San Francisco]] (Santa Rosa Campus)

===K-12 schools===
((See also|List of school districts in California#Sonoma County))
The educational system of Sonoma County is similar to that of other counties in California, with a large number of [[independent school districts]].

School districts include:<ref>((cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06097_sonoma/DC20SD_C06097.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Sonoma County, CA|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=July 25, 2022)) - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06097_sonoma/DC20SD_C06097_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

Unified:
((div col|colwidth=30em))
* [[Calistoga Joint Unified School District]]
* [[Cloverdale Unified School District]]
* [[Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District]]
* [[Geyserville Unified School District]]
* [[Healdsburg Unified School District]] - Includes areas zoned for PK-12 and areas zoned only for 7-12
* [[Shoreline Unified School District]]
* [[Sonoma Valley Unified School District]]
* [[Windsor Unified School District]]
((div col end))

Secondary:
((div col|colwidth=30em))
* [[Petaluma Joint Union High School District]]
* [[Point Arena Joint Union High School District]]
* [[Santa Rosa City School District]]
* [[West Sonoma County Union High School District]]
((div col end))

Elementary:
((div col|colwidth=30em))
* [[Alexander Valley Union School District]]
* [[Bellevue Union School District]]
* [[Bennett Valley Union Elementary School District]]
* [[Cinnabar Elementary School District]]
* [[Dunham Elementary School District]]
* [[Forestville Union Elementary School District]]
* [[Fort Ross Elementary School District]]
* [[Gravenstein Union Elementary School District]]
* [[Guerneville Elementary School District]]
* [[Harmony Union School District]]
* [[Horicon Elementary School District]]
* [[Kashia Elementary School District]]
* [[Kenwood Elementary School District]]
* [[Laguna Joint Elementary School District]]
* [[Liberty Elementary School District (California)|Liberty Elementary School District]]
* [[Mark West Union Elementary School District]]
* [[Monte Rio Union Elementary School District]]
* [[Montgomery Elementary School District]]
* [[Oak Grove Union Elementary School District]]
* [[Old Adobe Union Elementary School District]]
* [[Petaluma City Elementary School District]]
* [[Piner-Olivet Union Elementary School District]]
* [[Rincon Valley Union Elementary School District]]
* [[Roseland Public Schools]]
* [[Santa Rosa Elementary School District]]
* [[Sebastopol Union Elementary School District]]
* [[Twin Hills Union Elementary School District]]
* [[Two Rock Union Elementary School District]]
* [[Waugh Elementary School District]]
* [[West Side Union Elementary School District]]
* [[Wilmar Union Elementary School District]]
* [[Wright Elementary School District]]
((div col end))

===Library system===
The [[Sonoma County Library]] system offers a central library in downtown Santa Rosa plus 10 branch libraries and two rural stations. More than half of Sonoma County's residents have library cards and borrow more than 2.5 million items per year. The library's website and catalog]receive over 200,000 visits annually. Staff answer nearly half a million reference questions annually for individuals, businesses and government agencies. During a typical school year over 750 classes, more than half the county total, either visit a library or are visited by a children's librarian. The library operates an adult literacy program, and computer terminals are made available for free Internet access.<ref>"[http://www.library.ca.gov/lds/librarystats.html California Library Statistics] ((Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212015144/http://www.library.ca.gov/lds/librarystats.html |date=February 12, 2015 ))" ''California Library Statistics – 2011–2012'' Retrieved February 10, 2015</ref>

==Museums==
[[File:CitySantaRosa1.jpg|right|thumb|''City of Santa Rosa'', an [[A-26 Invader]] attack bomber built in 1944]]

* The [[Pacific Coast Air Museum]] is on the southeast corner of the [[Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport]], next to the airplane hangar used in the 1963 Hollywood movie ''[[It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World]]''.
* [[Charles M. Schulz Museum]], Santa Rosa
* [[Sonoma County Museum]], Santa Rosa
* [[Luther Burbank Home and Gardens]], Santa Rosa
* Healdsburg Museum & Historical Society, Healdsburg
* Hand Fan Museum of Healdsburg, Healdsburg
* Petaluma Historical Library and Museum, Petaluma
* Petaluma Wildlife & Natural Science Museum, Petaluma
* Military Antiques & Museum, Petaluma
* Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, Sonoma
* Depot Park Museum, Sonoma
* West County Museum, Sebastopol
* Cloverdale History Museum (aka The Gould-Shaw House Museum), Cloverdale
* California Indian Museum and Cultural Center, Santa Rosa
* Cotati Museum, Cotati

==Places of interest==
[[File:CA 1 north of Jenner.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[California coastal prairie|Coastal prairie]] in the [[Sonoma Coast State Park]] north of [[Jenner, California|Jenner]]]]
[[File:Tolaylakefromthesouth.jpg|thumb|330px|[[Tolay Lake Regional Park]]]]

* [[Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve]]
* [[Bodega Bay]]
* [[Doran Regional Park]]
* [[Fort Ross]], former Russian fur trade outpost
* [[Grove of Old Trees]]<ref>((cite web |url=https://www.landpaths.org/grove-of-old-trees/ |title=Grove of Old Trees |date=July 2, 2019 |publisher=[[LandPaths]] |accessdate=March 23, 2022 ))</ref>
* [[Mount Hood (California)|Hood Mountain]] [[Sonoma County Regional Parks Department|Regional Park]]
* [[Jack London State Historic Park]], author Jack London's ''Beauty Ranch'', in [[Glen Ellen, California|Glen Ellen]]
* [[Lake Sonoma]]
* [[Luther Burbank Center for the Arts]]
* [[Luther Burbank Home and Gardens]]
* [[Luther Burbank]] [[Luther Burbank's Gold Ridge Experiment Farm|Gold Ridge Experiment Farm]]
* [[Mission San Francisco Solano]], across from Sonoma Plaza
* [[Ocean Song]]<ref>((cite web |url=https://www.landpaths.org/ocean-song/ |title=Ocean Song/Myers |date=July 2, 2019 |publisher=[[LandPaths]] |accessdate=October 7, 2023 ))</ref>
* [[Quarryhill Botanic Garden]]
* [[Rancho Petaluma Adobe]]
* [[Safari West]]
* [[The Sitting Room Library]]
* [[Sonoma Coast State Beach]],<ref>((cite web|url=http://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/ |title=Sonoma County Regional Parks |website=parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov |access-date=July 17, 2014))</ref> including Arched Rock Beach, Gleason Beach and [[Goat Rock Beach]].
* [[Sonoma Raceway]] 
* [[Sonoma TrainTown Railroad]]
* [[Spring Lake Regional Park]]
* [[Stillwater Cove]]
* [[Sugarloaf Ridge State Park]]
* [[Tolay Lake|Tolay Lake Regional Park]]

==Populated places==
===Incorporated===
Sonoma County has nine incorporated municipalities.

[[File:Downtown Santa Rosa - Empire Building.JPG|thumb|right|220px| Downtown Santa Rosa, county seat of Sonoma County since 1854]]

[[File:Petaluma CA Street.jpg|thumb|right|220px| Downtown Petaluma]]

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Incorporated communities !! Population<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2011/tables/SUB-EST2011-03-06.xls|title=Places in California listed alphabetically|publisher=U.S. Census|access-date=October 31, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121213215211/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2011/tables/SUB-EST2011-03-06.xls|archive-date=December 13, 2012|url-status=dead))</ref> !! Incorporation Date<ref>((Cite web
 | url = http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc
 | title = California Cities by Incorporation Date
 | format = Word
 | publisher = California Association of [[Local Agency Formation Commission]]s
 | access-date = August 25, 2014
| url-status = dead
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130221091414/http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc
 | archive-date = February 21, 2013
| df = mdy-all
 ))</ref>
|-
| [[Cloverdale, California|City of Cloverdale]] || 8,618 || February 28, 1872
|-
| [[Cotati, California|City of Cotati]] || 7,265 || July 16, 1963
|-
| [[Healdsburg, California|City of Healdsburg]] || 11,254 || February 20, 1867
|-
| [[Petaluma, California|City of Petaluma]] || 57,941 || April 12, 1858
|-
| [[Rohnert Park, California|City of Rohnert Park]] || 40,971 || August 28, 1962
|-
| [[Santa Rosa, California|City of Santa Rosa]] || 167,815 || March 26, 1868
|-
| [[Sebastopol, California|City of Sebastopol]] || 7,379 || June 13, 1902
|-
| [[Sonoma, California|City of Sonoma]] || 10,648 || September 3, 1883
|-
| [[Windsor, California|Town of Windsor]] || 26,801 || July 1, 1992
|}

===Unincorporated===
The county also includes the following populated places which are not incorporated:

====Census-designated places====
((Div col|colwidth=15em))
*[[Bloomfield, California|Bloomfield]]
*[[Bodega, California|Bodega]]
*[[Bodega Bay, California|Bodega Bay]]
*[[Boyes Hot Springs, California|Boyes Hot Springs]]
*[[Carmet, California|Carmet]]
*[[Cazadero, California|Cazadero]]
*[[El Verano, California|El Verano]]
*[[Eldridge, California|Eldridge]]
*[[Fetters Hot Springs-Agua Caliente, California|Fetters Hot Springs-Agua Caliente]]
*[[Forestville, California|Forestville]]
*[[Fulton, California|Fulton]]
*[[Geyserville, California|Geyserville]]
*[[Glen Ellen, California|Glen Ellen]]
*[[Graton, California|Graton]]
*[[Guerneville, California|Guerneville]]
*[[Jenner, California|Jenner]]
*[[Kenwood, California|Kenwood]]
*[[Larkfield-Wikiup, California|Larkfield-Wikiup]]
*[[Monte Rio, California|Monte Rio]]
*[[Occidental, California|Occidental]]
*[[Penngrove, California|Penngrove]]
*[[Roseland, California|Roseland]]
*[[Salmon Creek, California|Salmon Creek]]
*[[Sea Ranch, California|Sea Ranch]]
*[[Sereno del Mar, California|Sereno del Mar]]
*[[Sonoma State University, California (CDP)|Sonoma State University]]
*[[Temelec, California|Temelec]]
*[[Timber Cove, California|Timber Cove]]
*[[Valley Ford, California|Valley Ford]]
((Div col end))

====Other unincorporated places====
((Div col|colwidth=15em))
*[[Annapolis, California|Annapolis]]
*[[Asti, California|Asti]]
*[[Camp Meeker, California|Camp Meeker]]
*[[Carneros]]
*[[Duncans Mills, California|Duncans Mills]]
*[[Freestone, California|Freestone]]
*[[The Geysers]]
*[[Guernewood Park, California|Guernewood Park]]
*[[Hacienda, Sonoma County, California|Hacienda]]
*[[Kellogg, California|Kellogg]]
*[[Korbel, Sonoma County, California|Korbel]]
*[[Lakeville, California|Lakeville]]
*[[Lytton, California|Lytton]]
*[[Mark West, California|Mark West]]
*[[Mark West Springs]]
*[[Mercuryville, California|Mercuryville]]
*[[Mesa Grande, California|Mesa Grande]]
*[[Rio Nido, California|Rio Nido]]
*[[Schellville, California|Schellville]]
*[[Stewarts Point, California|Stewarts Point]]
*[[Two Rock, California|Two Rock]]
*[[Venado, California|Venado]]
*[[Villa Grande, California|Villa Grande]]
*[[Vineburg, California|Vineburg]]
((div col end))

===Former townships===
[[File:Map of Sonoma County 1884.jpg|thumb|The 14 civil townships, 1884]]
At the time of its formation, the county comprised four [[civil township]]s. It was restructured several times, and by 1880 was made up of 14 townships:<ref>((cite book|first=J. P.|last=Munro-Fraser|title=History of Sonoma County: Including Its Geology, Topography, Mountains, Valleys and Streams ...|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LBY1AQAAMAAJ|year=1880|publisher=Alley, Bowen & Co.|oclc= 06846293))</ref>

((Div col|colwidth=15em))
* Analy
* Bodega
* Cloverdale
* Knight's Valley
* Mendocino
* Ocean
* Petaluma
* Redwood
* Russian River
* Salt Point
* Santa Rosa
* Sonoma
* Vallejo
* Washington
((Div col end))

===Population ranking===

The population ranking of the following table is based on the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]] of Sonoma County.<ref>((Cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.2010.html |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |title=2010 U.S. Census website |access-date=December 7, 2017 ))</ref>

'''†''' ''county seat''

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Rank
!City/Town/etc.
!Municipal type
!Population (2010 Census)

|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 1
|'''†''' '''[[Santa Rosa, California|Santa Rosa]]''' 
| City
| 167,815
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 2
|'''[[Petaluma, California|Petaluma]]''' 
| City
| 57,941
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 3
|'''[[Rohnert Park, California|Rohnert Park]]''' 
| City
| 40,971
|- style="background-color:#F0F8FF;"
| 4
|'''[[Windsor, California|Windsor]]''' 
| Town
| 26,801
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 5
|'''[[Healdsburg, California|Healdsburg]]''' 
| City
| 11,254
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 6
|'''[[Sonoma, California|Sonoma]]''' 
| City
| 10,648
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 7
|'''[[Larkfield-Wikiup, California|Larkfield-Wikiup]]''' 
| CDP
| 8,884
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 8
|'''[[Cloverdale, California|Cloverdale]]''' 
| City
| 8,618
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 9
|'''[[Sebastopol, California|Sebastopol]]''' 
| City
| 7,379
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 10
|'''[[Cotati, California|Cotati]]''' 
| City
| 7,265
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 11
|'''[[Boyes Hot Springs, California|Boyes Hot Springs]]''' 
| CDP
| 6,656
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 12
|'''[[Roseland, California|Roseland]]''' 
| CDP
| 6,325
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 13
|'''[[Guerneville, California|Guerneville]]''' 
| CDP
| 4,534
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 14
|'''[[Fetters Hot Springs-Agua Caliente, California|Fetters Hot Springs-Agua Caliente]]''' 
| CDP
| 4,144
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 15
|'''[[El Verano, California|El Verano]]''' 
| CDP
| 4,123
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 16
|'''[[Forestville, California|Forestville]]''' 
| CDP
| 3,293
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 17
|'''[[Penngrove, California|Penngrove]]''' 
| CDP
| 2,522
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 18
|'''[[Graton, California|Graton]]''' 
| CDP
| 1,707
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 19
|'''[[Temelec, California|Temelec]]''' 
| CDP
| 1,441
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 20
|'''[[Sea Ranch, California|Sea Ranch]]''' 
| CDP
| 1,305
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 21
|'''[[Eldridge, California|Eldridge]]''' 
| CDP
| 1,233
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 22
|'''[[Monte Rio, California|Monte Rio]]''' 
| CDP
| 1,152
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 23
|'''[[Occidental, California|Occidental]]''' 
| CDP
| 1,115
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 24
|'''[[Bodega Bay, California|Bodega Bay]]''' 
| CDP
| 1,077
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 25
|'''[[Kenwood, California|Kenwood]]''' 
| CDP
| 1,028
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 26
|'''[[Geyserville, California|Geyserville]]''' 
| CDP
| 862
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 27
|'''[[Glen Ellen, California|Glen Ellen]]''' 
| CDP
| 784
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 28
|'''[[Fulton, California|Fulton]]''' 
| CDP
| 541
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 29
|'''[[Cazadero, California|Cazadero]]''' 
| CDP
| 354
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 30
|'''[[Bloomfield, California|Bloomfield]]''' 
| CDP
| 345
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 31
|'''[[Bodega, California|Bodega]]''' 
| CDP
| 220
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 32
|'''[[Timber Cove, California|Timber Cove]]''' 
| CDP
| 164
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 33
|'''[[Valley Ford, California|Valley Ford]]''' 
| CDP
| 147
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 34
|'''[[Jenner, California|Jenner]]''' 
| CDP
| 136
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 35
|'''[[Sereno del Mar, California|Sereno del Mar]]''' 
| CDP
| 126
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 36
|'''[[Salmon Creek, California|Salmon Creek]]''' 
| CDP
| 86
|- style="background-color:#FFFF99;"
| 37
|'''[[Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of the Stewarts Point Rancheria|Stewarts Point Rancheria]]'''<ref>((cite web |url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=3985 |title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search |website=www.census.gov |access-date=January 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170213134512/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=3985 |archive-date=February 13, 2017 |url-status=dead))</ref> 
| [[AIAN (U.S. Census)|AIAN]]
| 78
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 38
|'''[[Carmet, California|Carmet]]''' 
| CDP
| 47
|}

==In popular culture==
((Main|Film locations in Sonoma County, California))

===Film===
[[File:Mad1.jpg|thumb|300px|''[[It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World]]'' airplane hangar, next to the [[Pacific Coast Air Museum]], [[Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport]]]]

Due to the varied scenery in Sonoma County and proximity to the city of San Francisco, a large number of movies have been filmed using venues within the county. Some of the earliest U.S. filmmaking occurred in Sonoma County, including ''Salomy Jane'' (1914) and one of [[Broncho Billy Anderson]]'s 1915 Westerns.

Other films include the 1947 film ''[[The Farmer's Daughter (1947 film)|The Farmer's Daughter]]'' (starring [[Joseph Cotten]] and [[Loretta Young]]) as well as two [[Alfred Hitchcock]] films, ''[[Shadow of a Doubt]]'' of 1943, filmed and set in Santa Rosa, and ''[[The Birds (film)|The Birds]]'' of 1963, filmed largely in Bodega Bay and Bodega. ''[[American Graffiti]]'' was filmed largely in Petaluma.

Other films produced partially in Sonoma County include:
((Clear))
{|
|-
|  style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|
'''Sonoma County'''
* 1965 ''[[The Third Day (1965 film)|The Third Day]]''
* 1985 ''[[The Goonies]]'' – Goat Rock State Beach
* 1986 ''[[Peggy Sue Got Married]]'' – Petaluma, including a 1950s makeover of Washington St., the diner "Millie's Chili Bar" (rechristened as "The Donut Hole"), and exterior and interior shots of [[Santa Rosa High School (Santa Rosa, California)|Santa Rosa High School]].
* 1993 ''Nowhere to Run'' – Coleman Valley Road, Occidental, for farmhouse and pond scenes.
* 2001 ''[[The Man Who Wasn't There (2001 film)|The Man Who Wasn't There]]''
* 2001 ''[[Bandits (2001 film)|Bandits]]'' – Flamingo Hotel, Clover milk truck featuring local icon "Clo the cow" and rural county roads.

'''Cloverdale'''
* 1955 ''[[Many Rivers to Cross]]'' – Big Sulphur Creek
* 1993 ''[[So I Married an Axe Murderer]]'' – Cloverdale Airport

'''Glen Ellen'''
* 1982 ''[[Shoot the Moon]]'' – Glen Ellen and Jack London's [[Wolf House (Glen Ellen, California)|Wolf House]].
|valign="top"|
'''Petaluma'''
* 1972 ''[[American Graffiti]]''
* 1977 ''[[Heroes (1977 film)|Heroes]]'' – Bus stop at corner of Kentucky and C streets. Walnut Street.

'''Russian River'''
* 1925 ''Braveheart'' – Along the river.
* 1942 ''[[Holiday Inn (film)|Holiday Inn]]'' – Village Inn Lodge in Monte Rio as the "Holiday Inn" with tons of artificial snow.

'''Santa Rosa'''
* 1963 ''[[It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World]]'' – Sequence involving the plane flying full bore, at about 150 knots, through an airplane hangar in less than a second, was shot at the [[Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport]].

'''Sebastopol'''
* 1949 ''[[Thieves' Highway]]'' – Gold Ridge Road.

'''Sonoma'''
* 1988 ''[[Tucker: The Man and His Dream]]''.
* 1996 ''[[Scream (1996 film)|Scream]]'' – Sonoma Community Center on East Napa Street.
|}

===Other===

''[[Bliss (image)|Bliss]]'', the default [[computer wallpaper]] of Microsoft's [[Windows XP]] operating system, is a photograph of a green hill and blue sky with clouds in Sonoma County. Taken in 1996 by [[Charles O'Rear]], it is the most viewed photo in the world.<ref name="Yoni Heisler">((Cite news|url=https://bgr.com/2015/07/23/most-viewed-photograph-windows-xp/|title=The Most Viewed Photo in the History of the World|last=Heisler|first=Yoni|date=July 23, 2015|work=BGR|access-date=July 15, 2018|language=en-US))</ref> [[macOS Sonoma]] was named after Sonoma County.<ref>((Cite web |date=June 5, 2023 |title=Apple's new operating system is called Sonoma, complete with Wine Country-inspired features |url=https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/apple-reveals-latest-operating-software-version-inspired-by-sonoma/ |access-date=June 7, 2023 |website=Santa Rosa Press Democrat |language=en-US))</ref>


==See also==
((Portal|San Francisco Bay Area))

* [[List of Sonoma County Regional Parks facilities]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Sonoma County, California]]
* [[Sonoma County Historic Landmarks and Districts]]
* [[Sonoma County Water Agency]]
* [[Sonoma Mountain Zen Center]]

== Notes ==
((reflist|group=note))

==References==
((Reflist|30em))

==Further reading==
* ((cite book|title=An Illustrated History of Sonoma County, California|url=https://archive.org/details/illustratedhisto02lewi|year=1889|publisher=Lewis Publishing Company|oclc=04107195))
* ((cite book|title=California Gazetteer|publisher= Wilmington: American Historical Publications|year=1985|isbn= 0937862754|oclc=12372425))
* ((cite book|last=Finley|first=Ernest L.|title=History of Sonoma County, California: Its People and Its Resources|location=Santa Rosa|publisher=Press Democrat Pub. Co.|year=1937|oclc=21868591))
* ((cite book|editor-last=Gille|editor-first=Frank H.|title=The Encyclopedia of California|location=St. Clair Shores|publisher=Somerset Publishers, Inc.|year=1998|isbn= 9780403098705|oclc=894506127))
* ((cite book|last=Gregory|first=Thomas Jefferson|url=https://archive.org/stream/historyofsonomac00greg#page/n5/mode/2up|title=History of Sonoma County, California, with Biographical Sketches of the Leading Men and Women of the County, Who Have Been Identified with Its Growth and Development from the Early Days to the Present Time|location= Los Angeles|publisher=Historic Record Company|year=1911|oclc=04387962))
* ((cite book|last1=Hansen|first1=Harvey J.|last2=Miller|first2=Jeanne Thurlow|title=Wild Oats in Eden; Sonoma County in the 19th Century|location=Santa Rosa|year=1962|oclc=01847987))
* ((cite book|url=https://archive.org/stream/historicalatlasm00unse_0#page/n60/mode/thumb|title=Historical Atlas Maps of Sonoma County, California|location=Oakland|publisher=Thos. H. Thompson & Co.|year=1877|oclc=06166297))
*((cite book|first=J. P.|last=Munro-Fraser|title=History of Sonoma County: Including Its Geology, Topography, Mountains, Valleys and Streams ...|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LBY1AQAAMAAJ|year=1880|publisher=Alley, Bowen & Co.|oclc= 06846293))
* ((cite book|last=Taber|first=George M.|title=Judgment of Paris: California vs. France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting that Revolutionized Wine|location=NY|publisher=Scribner|year=2005|isbn=9780743247511|oclc=58843337|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/judgmentofparisc00tabe))
*((cite book|first=Robert A.|last= Thompson|title=Historical and Descriptive Sketch of Sonoma County, California|url=https://archive.org/details/historicaldescri00thom|page=[https://archive.org/details/historicaldescri00thom/page/n0 1]|year=1877|publisher=L.H. Everts & Co.|oclc=06840554))
*((cite book|first=Robert A.|last= Thompson|title=Central Sonoma: A Brief Description of the Township and Town of Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California, Its Climate and Resources|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1qY-AQAAMAAJ|year=1884|publisher=W.M. Hinton & Company|oclc=11855702))
*((cite book|first=Robert A. |last=Thompson|title=Conquest of California: Capture of Sonoma by Bear Flag Men June 14, 1846. Raising of the American Flag in Monterey by Commodore John D. Sloat, July 7, 1846|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LXpQAQAAIAAJ|year=1896|publisher=Sonoma Democrat|oclc=02540771))
* ((cite book|last=Thompson|first=Robert A.|year=1896|url=https://archive.org/details/russiansettleme00thomgoog|title=The Russian Settlement in California|publisher=Sonoma Democrat Publishing Company|oclc=15538413))
* ((cite book|last=Tuomey|first=Honoria|title=History of Sonoma County, California|location=Chicago|publisher=S.J. Clarke Pub. Co.|year=1926|oclc=12074234)), [https://books.google.com/books?id=EmPPIHFEFKUC Volume one], [https://books.google.com/books?id=UP9QUM7sVLYC Volume two]
* Sonoma County Genealogical Society. Portraits of Early Sonoma County Settlers. Santa Rosa, California: Caiifornia Genealogical Society, 2016, ISBN 978--1-365-13126-4

==External links==
((Commons category|Sonoma County, California))
* ((Official website|http://sonomacounty.ca.gov/|Sonoma County official website))
* [http://www.sonoma.com Sonoma.com]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20141020231324/http://edb.sonoma-county.org/ Sonoma Economic Development Board]
* ((curlie|Regional/North_America/United_States/California/Counties/Sonoma))
* [http://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/ Parks and Recreation in Sonoma County]
* [http://www.sonomacountyhistory.org/ Sonoma County Historical Society]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140210075658/http://library.sonoma.edu/regional/default.php North Bay Regional Collection] at [http://library.sonoma.edu/ Sonoma State University Library]

((Geographic Location
| Centre    = Sonoma County, California
| North     = [[Mendocino County, California|Mendocino County]]
| Northeast = [[Lake County, California|Lake County]]
| East      = [[Napa County, California|Napa County]]
| Southeast = [[Solano County, California|Solano County]]
| South     = [[Marin County, California|Marin County]]
| Southwest =
| West      = Pacific Ocean
| Northwest =
))

((Cities of Sonoma County, California))
((North Bay))
((SF Bay Area))
((California))

((Authority control))

[[Category:Sonoma County, California| ]]
[[Category:1850 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1850]]
[[Category:California wine]]
[[Category:Counties in the San Francisco Bay Area]]
[[Category:California counties]]

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Module:Wikitext Parsing (view source) (protected)
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Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonoma_County,_California"