2025 Compare Cities Overview:
South Lake Tahoe, CA vs Petaluma, CA

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Highlights
Are people in Petaluma older or younger than people in South Lake Tahoe?
- The Median Age in Petaluma is 3.8 years older than in South Lake Tahoe.

Are housing costs cheaper in Petaluma or South Lake Tahoe?
- Petaluma housing costs are 27.7% more expensive than South Lake Tahoe housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Petaluma or South Lake Tahoe?
- The average commute for residents of Petaluma is 13.7 minutes longer than it is for residents of South Lake Tahoe.

Things to do in South Lake Tahoe?
South Lake Tahoe, CA lies on the California/Nevada state line at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The area offers beautiful views of Lake Tahoe as well as skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports in nearby ski resorts such as Squaw Valley USA or Alpine Meadows Ski Resort.

Things to do in Petaluma?
Petaluma, California is a charming city located in Sonoma County, approximately 52 miles north of San Francisco. The city was first settled by Europeans in the 1850s and is known today for its historic downtown area full of antique stores, restaurants and specialty shops. Petaluma has something for everyone with its unique shops, farms, vineyards, ranches, community events and scenic hikes. It has become an increasingly popular destination due to its laid-back atmosphere and close proximity to wine country and the Pacific Ocean. Whether you’re looking for outdoor recreation or a romantic getaway, Petaluma awaits!

 South Lake Tahoe, CAPetaluma, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock60,050329,725,481
 Median Income$57,976  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock42.838.4
 Avg. Home Price$657,600  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock5.0%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time16.48  Unlock26.38
Reviews for South Lake Tahoe    10 Reviews

Over 5 years ago

Pretty boring town. Very run down and seedy too. Lake is nothing special either. I much prefer the Pacific coast or even the Atlantic coast or great  More

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Seriously I don't get what the big deal about this dump is everything is grossly overpriced scenery is boring and not at all interesting very boring nothing to do very  More

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Over 5 years ago

Beautiful place to live. This site has most of the details wrong, has somehow lumped it together with Sacramento. Elevation is 6250 feet at the lake. Weather is cold in  More

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Reviews for Petaluma    16 Reviews

I agree with the low star reviews. Been here for 25 years, raised a family and seen everything turn to the left and worse. Weather is glorious, love the old Victorians  More

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We’ve lived here for 3 years and we love it. It has taken some time to grow on us. We moved from SF where we had lived over 15 years, we were not used to one year leases  More

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I’ve lived here a couple of years (after living in others parts of the Bay Area for 15+ years) and I love it! Great neighborhoods, friendly folks, good schools with  More

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