Skip to content
Surf Wiki
Save to docs
geography/united-states

From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

Marin County, California

County in California, United States

Marin County, California

Summary

County in California, United States

FieldValue
nameMarin County
settlement_typeCounty
image_skyline{{multiple image
total_width288
borderinfobox
perrow1/2/2/2
caption_aligncenter
image1Marin Headlands & Golden Gate.jpg
caption1Marin Headlands and the Golden Gate Bridge
image2Sausalito May 2009.jpg
caption2Sausalito
image3Chimney_Rock_Trail_Point_Reyes_December_2016_panorama_1.jpg
caption3Point Reyes
image4Mission_San_Rafael2_(cropped).jpg
caption4San Rafael
image5Corinthian Island, Tiburon, June 2024 (cropped).JPG
caption5Tiburon
image6Mt. Tamalpais, viewed from the south.jpg
caption6Mt. Tamalpais
image7Wall of Redwoods (18213060602).jpg
caption7Muir Woods
image_map
map_captionInteractive map of Marin County
image_map1Map of California highlighting Marin County.svg
mapsize1200px
map_caption1Location in the state of California
coordinates
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameUnited States
subdivision_type1State
subdivision_name1California
subdivision_type2Area
subdivision_name2San Francisco Bay
established_titleIncorporated
established_dateFebruary 18, 1850
named_forChief Marin, "great chief of the tribe Licatiut"
seat_typeCounty seat
seatSan Rafael
seat1_typeLargest city
seat1San Rafael (population)
government_typeCouncil–Administrator
leader_titlePresident
leader_nameMary Sackett
leader_title1Vice President
leader_name1Eric Lucan
leader_title2President Pro Tem
leader_name2Stephanie Moulton-Peters
leader_title3Board of Supervisors
leader_name3{{Collapsible list
titleSupervisors{{cite web
urlhttp://www.marincounty.org/depts/bs
titleBoard of Supervisors
publisherCounty of Marin
access-dateJanuary 5, 2015 }}
frame_styleborder:none; padding: 0;
list_styletext-align:left;
1Mary Sackett
2Brian Colbert
3Stephanie Moulton-Peters
4Dennis Rodoni
5Eric Lucan
leader_title4County Executive
leader_name4Derek Johnson
unit_prefUS
area_total_sq_mi828
area_land_sq_mi520
area_water_sq_mi308
elevation_max_footnotes
elevation_max_ft2574
population_as_of2020
population_total262231
pop_est_as_of2020
pop_est_footnotes
population_density_sq_mi504
demographics_type2GDP
demographics2_footnotes
demographics2_title1Total
demographics2_info1$35.698 billion (2022)
timezonePacific
utc_offset−8
timezone_DSTPDT
utc_offset_DST−7
postal_code_type
area_code_typeArea codes
area_code415 and 628, 707 (Tomales and Dillon Beach only)
blank_name_sec1FIPS code
blank_info_sec106-041
blank1_name_sec1GNIS feature ID
blank1_info_sec1
blank2_name_sec1Congressional district
blank2_info_sec12nd
website

Novato (area) | access-date = January 5, 2015 }}

Marin County ( ) is a county located in the northwestern part of the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 262,231. Its county seat and largest city is San Rafael. Marin County is across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, and is included in the San Francisco–Oakland–Berkeley, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Marin County's natural sites include the Muir Woods redwood forest, the Marin Headlands, Stinson Beach, the Point Reyes National Seashore, and Mount Tamalpais. Marin is one of the highest-income counties by per capita income and median household income. The county is governed by the Marin County Board of Supervisors.

The Marin County Civic Center was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and draws thousands of visitors a year to guided tours of its arch and atrium design. In 1994, a new county jail facility was embedded into the hillside nearby.

The United States' oldest cross country running event, the Dipsea Race, takes place annually in Marin County, attracting thousands of athletes. Modern mountain biking has many early origins on the slopes of Mount Tamalpais in Marin. San Quentin State Prison is located in the county.

History

Native American settlement

Main article: Coast Miwok#History

Thousands of years ago, Coast Miwok people first populated the area today known as Marin County.

In 1770, Coast Miwok population ranged from 1,500 to 2,000, with about 600 village sites throughout the county.

In 1967, the Marin Museum of the American Indian was established, with exhibits focusing on Coast Miwok artifacts, crafts, and artwork. As of 2021, Indigenous-led events include healing drumming, dogbane cordage demonstrations, trade feasts, and traditional dancing.

History of Marin

During the Mexican-American war, areas of Marin County were seized by Americans as part of the conquest of California (1846–1847). Marin County is one of the original 27 counties of California, created February 18, 1850, following adoption of the California Constitution of 1849 and just months before the state was admitted to the Union.

The [[Mission San Rafael Arcángel

According to General Mariano Vallejo, who headed an 1850 committee to name California's counties, the county was named for "Marin", great chief of the tribe Licatiut. Marin had been named "Huicmuse" until he was baptized as "Marino" at about age 20. Marin / Marino was born into the Huimen people, a Coast Miwok tribe of Native Americans who inhabited the San Rafael area. Vallejo believed that "Chief Marin" had waged several fierce battles against the Spanish. Marino definitely did reside at Mission Dolores (in modern San Francisco) much of the time from his 1801 baptism and marriage until 1817, frequently serving as a baptism witness and godfather; he may have escaped and been recaptured at some point during that time. Starting in 1817, he served as an alcalde (in effect, an overseer) at the San Rafael Mission, where he lived from 1817 off and on until his death. In 1821, Marino served as an expedition guide for the Spanish for a couple of years before escaping and hiding out for some months in the tiny Marin Islands (also named after him); his recapture resulted in a yearlong incarceration at the Presidio before his return to the Mission San Rafael area for about 15 years until his death in 1839. In 2009, a plaque commemorating Chief Marin was placed in Mill Valley.

Another version of the origin of the county name is that the bay between San Pedro Point and San Quentin Point was named Bahía de Nuestra Señora del Rosario la Marinera in 1775, and that Marin is simply an abbreviation of this name.

Francis Drake and the crew of the Golden Hind was thought to have landed on the Marin coast in 1579 claiming the land as Nova Albion. A bronze plaque inscribed with Drake's claim to the new lands, fitting the description in Drake's own account, was discovered in 1933. This so-called Drake's Plate of Brass was revealed as a hoax in 2003.

Looking east along the Tennessee Valley Trail, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
Looking east along the Tennessee Valley Trail, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area

In 1595, Sebastian Cermeno lost his ship, the San Agustin, while exploring the Marin Coast. The Spanish explorer Vizcaíno landed about twenty years after Drake in what is now called Drakes Bay. However the first Spanish settlement in Marin was not established until 1817 when Mission San Rafael Arcángel was founded partly in response to the Russian-built Fort Ross to the north in what is now Sonoma County. Mission San Rafael Arcángel was founded in what is now downtown San Rafael as the 20th Spanish mission in the colonial Mexican province of Alta California by four priests, Father Narciso Duran from Mission San Jose, Father Abella from Mission San Francisco de Asís, Father Gil y Taboada and Father Mariano Payeras, the President of the Missions, on December 14, 1817, four years before Mexico gained independence from Spain.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 828 sqmi, of which 520 sqmi is land and 308 sqmi, comprising 37.2%, is water. It is the fourth-smallest county in California by land area. According to the records at the County Assessor-Recorder's Office, as of June 2006, Marin had 91065 acre of taxable land, consisting of 79,086 parcels with a total tax basis of $39.8 billion. These parcels are divided into the following classifications:

Parcel TypeTax IDQuantityValue
Vacant106,900$508.17 million
Single Family Residential1161,264$30.13 billion
Mobile Home12210$7.62 million
House Boat13379$61.83 million
Multi Family Residential141,316$3.97 billion
Industrial Unimproved40113$12.24 million
Industrial Improved41562$482.83 million
Commercial Unimproved50431$97.89 million
Commercial Improved517,911$4.52 billion
A view of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Marin Headlands
Bicentennial Campground within the [[Golden Gate National Recreation Area]] surrounding the [[San Francisco Bay area

Geographically, the county forms a large, southward-facing peninsula, with the Pacific Ocean to the west, San Pablo Bay, and San Francisco Bay to the east, and – across the Golden Gate – the city of San Francisco to the south. Marin County's northern border is with Sonoma County.

Most of the county's population resides on the eastern side, with a string of communities running along U.S. Route 101 and the San Francisco Bay, from Sausalito to Tiburon to Corte Madera to San Rafael and Novato. The interior contains large areas of agricultural and open space; West Marin, through which State Route 1 runs alongside the California coast, contains many small unincorporated communities whose economies depend on agriculture and tourism. West Marin has beaches which are popular destinations for surfers and tourists year-round.

Notable features of the shoreline along the San Francisco Bay include the Sausalito shoreline, Richardson Bay, the Tiburon Peninsula, Ring Mountain, and Triangle Marsh at Corte Madera. Further north lies San Quentin State Prison along the San Rafael shoreline.

Adjacent counties

  • Sonoma County – north
  • San Francisco – south

National protected areas

  • Golden Gate National Recreation Area (part)
  • Marin Islands National Wildlife Refuge
  • Muir Woods National Monument
  • Point Reyes National Seashore
  • San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge (part)
  • Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary (part)

State and local protected areas

The Marin County Department of Parks and Open Space manages numerous county parks and open spaces, including Stafford Lake County Park. The Marin Municipal Water District has 130. mi of trails.

State parks

  • Angel Island State Park
  • China Camp State Park
  • Mount Tamalpais State Park
  • Olompali State Historic Park
  • Samuel P. Taylor State Park
  • Tomales Bay State Park

Marine protected areas

Like underwater parks, these marine protected areas help conserve ocean wildlife and marine ecosystems:

  • Estero Americano State Marine Recreational Management Area
  • Estero de San Antonio State Marine Recreational Management Area
  • Point Reyes State Marine Reserve & Point Reyes State Marine Conservation Area
  • Estero de Limantour State Marine Reserve & Drakes Estero State Marine Conservation Area
  • Duxbury Reef State Marine Conservation Area

Ecology

Alameda County]].

Marin County is considered in the California Floristic Province, a zone of extremely high biodiversity and endemism. There are numerous ecosystems present, including Coastal Strand, oak woodland, mixed evergreen forest, and Coast Redwood Forests chaparral and riparian zones. There are also a considerable number of protected plant and animal species present: Fauna include the California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii) and California freshwater shrimp while flora include Marin Dwarf Flax, Hesperolinon congestum; Tiburon Jewelflower, Streptanthus niger; and Tiburon Indian paintbrush, Castilleja neglecta.

[[Muir Woods National Monument]], which is on the Pacific coast of southwestern Marin County

A number of watersheds exist in Marin County, including Walker Creek, Lagunitas Creek, Miller Creek, and Novato Creek.

Notably, the Lagunitas Creek Watershed is home to the largest remaining wild run of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in Central California. These coho are part of the "Central California Coast Evolutionarily Significant Unit, " or CCC ESU, and are listed as "endangered" at both the state and federal level.

Significant efforts to protect and restore these fish have been underway in the Watershed since the 1980s. Fifty percent of historical salmon habitat is now behind dams. Strong efforts are also being made to protect and restore undammed, headwater reaches of this Watershed in the San Geronimo Valley, where upwards of 40% of the Lagunitas salmon spawn each year and where as much as 1/3 of the juvenile salmon (or fry) spend their entire freshwater lives. The "Salmon Protection and Watershed Network" leads winter tours for the public to learn about and view these spawning salmon, and also leads year-round opportunities for the public to get involved in stream restoration, monitoring spawning and smolt outmigration, juvenile fish rescue and relocation in the summer, and advocacy and policy development. Around 490 different species of birds have been observed in Marin County.

The Veench Vista - Marin County

Despite the lack of rain in the Marin County area due to historic drought levels, in 2014, an estimated 20,000 juvenile Coho salmon made the migration from their spawning grounds in the Lagunitas Creek area to the Pacific Ocean. This increase in migration was significantly up from the previous historic record for the same migration measured in 2006 at 11,000.

In 2010, all of the county's beaches were listed as the cleanest in the state.

When Richard Henry Dana Jr. visited San Francisco Bay in 1835, he wrote about vast tule elk (Cervus canadensis nannodes) herds near the Golden Gate on December 27: "...we came to anchor near the mouth of the bay, under a high and beautifully sloping hill, upon which herds of hundreds and hundreds of red deer [note: "red deer" is the European term for "elk"], and the stag, with his high branching antlers, were bounding about...," although it is not clear whether this was the Marin side or the San Francisco side.

Demographics

1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 | align-fn = center

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 262,321. The median age was 46.5 years. 20.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.9 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 68.4% White, 2.4% Black or African American, 1.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 6.3% Asian, 0.2% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 9.9% from some other race, and 11.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 18.8% of the population.

94.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 6.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 104,167 households in the county, of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 28.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 111,564 housing units, of which 6.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 62.0% were owner-occupied and 38.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.2%.

2010 census

According to the 2010 United States census, the racial composition of Marin County was as follows:

  • White: 72.8% (non-Hispanic)
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 15.5%
  • Asian: 5.4%
  • Two or more races: 2.9%
  • Black: 2.6% (non-Hispanic)
  • Native American: 0.2%
  • Pacific Islander: 0.2%
  • Other: 0.4%

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 247,289 people, 100,650 households, and 60,691 families residing in the county. The population density was 476 PD/sqmi. There were 104,990 housing units at an average density of 202 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 84.0% White, 2.9% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 4.5% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 4.5% from other races, and 3.5% from two or more races. 11.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In 2000, there were 100,650 households, out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.7% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the county, 20.3% of the population was under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.

Religion

  • Roman Catholic: 31.16%
  • Protestant: 6.38%
  • Mormon: 1.04%
  • Other Christian: 1.36%
  • Judaism: 1.8%
  • Eastern religions: 1.33%
  • Islam: 0.44%
  • No religion: 56.5%

Place of birth

According to the 2006–2008 American Community Survey (ACS), 81.3% of Marin County's residents were born in the United States. Approximately 80.0% of the county's residents were born in one of the fifty states or born abroad to American parents.

Foreign-born individuals made up the remaining 18.7% of the population. Latin America was the most common birthplace of foreign-born residents; those born in Latin America made up the plurality (42.2%) of Marin County's foreign population. Individuals born in Europe were the second largest foreign-born group; they made up 25.3% of Marin County's foreign population. Immigrants from Asia made up 23.7% of the county's foreign population. Those born in other parts of North America and Africa made up 3.9% and 3.8% of the foreign-born populace respectively. Lastly, residents born in Oceania made up a mere 1.2% of Marin County's foreign population.

Source:

Language

According to the 2006–2008 ACS, English was the most commonly spoken language at home by residents over five years of age; those who spoke only English at home made up 77.1% of Marin County's residents. Speakers of non-English languages accounted for the remaining 22.9% of the population. Speakers of Spanish made up 11.7% of the county's residents, while speakers of other Indo-European languages made up 7.1% of the populace. Speakers of Asian languages and indigenous languages of the Pacific islands made up 3.4% of the population. The remaining 0.7% spoke other languages. Source:

Ancestry

According to the 2007–2009 ACS, there were 16 ancestries in Marin County that made up over 0.9% of its population each. The 16 ancestries are listed below:

  • Italian: 16.2%
  • German: 15.4%
  • English: 13.5%
  • Irish: 9.1%
  • Russian: 3.6%
  • Scottish: 3.5%
  • French: 3.4%
  • Swedish: 2.6%
  • Polish: 2.3%
  • Scotch-Irish: 2.3%
  • American: 2.3%
  • Norwegian: 2.1%
  • Dutch: 1.5%
  • Portuguese: 1.3%
  • Danish: 1.3%
  • Swiss: 0.9%

Income

thumb|220px|[[Ross, California|Ross]] is the 4th most expensive [[zip code]] in the United States. The median income for a household in the county was $71,306 and the median income for a family was $88,934. As of 2007, these figures had risen to $83,732 and $104,750.

In May 2010, the county had the lowest unemployment rate in California. However, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Marin's unemployment rate rose to 8.3% in July 2010.

Government and infrastructure

Law enforcement

San Quentin State Prison of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is in the county. San Quentin houses the male death row and the execution chamber of California.

The Marin County Sheriff's Office serves as the county's main law enforcement agency.

The Central Marin Police Authority is responsible for law enforcement in Larkspur, Corte Madera, and San Anselmo.

Fire protection

10 - Type 3 A fire department for the county was discussed as early as 1881 by the California State Legislature; the Tamalpais Forestry Association formed c. 1900. The Marin County Fire Department came into existence in its current incarnation on July 1, 1941, with passage of an ordinance and two resolutions by the Board of Supervisors.

Politics

In the United States House of Representatives, Marin County is in . From 2008 to 2012, Huffman represented Marin County in the California State Assembly.

In the California State Legislature, Marin County is in:

  • the 12th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Damon Connolly
  • .

Voter registration statistics

Population and registered votersTotal populationRegistered votersPercentage of registered voters with respect to total population. Percentages of party members with respect to registered voters follow.DemocraticRepublicanDemocratic–Republican spreadAmerican IndependentGreenLibertarianPeace and FreedomAmericans ElectOtherNo party preference
250,666
154,25061.5%
83,85354.4%
28,11618.2%
+55,737+36.2%
3,3032.1%
2,2061.4%
8370.5%
2540.2%
40.0%
4260.3%
35,25112.9%

Cities by population and voter registration

Cities by population and voter registrationCityPopulationRegistered voters
DemocraticRepublicanD–R spreadOtherNo party preference
Belvedere2,11872.0%38.2%34.1%+4.1%6.6%23.9%
Corte Madera9,19165.6%55.7%16.9%+38.8%6.3%23.3%
Fairfax7,41073.2%64.4%7.1%+57.3%9.1%21.1%
Larkspur11,87069.8%54.7%18.4%+36.3%5.6%23.2%
Mill Valley13,81071.1%61.5%12.3%+49.2%5.3%22.6%
Novato51,20657.9%49.6%23.3%+26.3%7.7%22.3%
Ross2,07980.3%42.9%30.1%+12.8%5.8%23.5%
San Anselmo12,27369.8%62.0%11.6%+50.4%7.4%21.0%
San Rafael57,37451.5%55.1%17.9%+37.2%6.3%22.7%
Sausalito7,04775.3%52.1%15.8%+36.3%6.7%27.6%
Tiburon8,89567.8%46.0%25.0%+21.0%5.4%25.7%

Overview

For most of the 20th century, Marin County was a Republican stronghold in presidential elections. From 1880 until 1984, the only Democrats to win there were Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson. However, the brand of Republicanism prevailing in Marin County was historically a moderate one. Like most of the historically Republican suburbs of the Bay Area, it became friendlier to Democrats as the demographics of the area changed and the national party embraced social and religious conservatism. In 1984, it very narrowly voted for Walter Mondale and has supported the Democratic candidate in every presidential election since then. In the 2024 presidential election, Kamala Harris received 80.59% of the vote in Marin County, which was her highest vote share in any California county, and the only one higher than notably liberal San Francisco County.

Marin has voted for many gubernatorial candidates who went on to become high-profile national figures, including Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Jerry Brown, and Dianne Feinstein.

On November 4, 2008, the citizens of Marin County voted strongly against Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment which eliminated the right of same-sex couples to marry, by a 75.1 percent to 24.9 percent margin. The official tally was 103,341 against and 34,324 in favor. Only San Francisco County voted against the measure by a wider margin (75.2% against).

According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 10, 2019, Marin County has 161,870 registered voters. Of those, 89,526 (55.31%) are registered Democrats, 23,380 (14.44%) are registered Republicans, 7,020 (4.35%) are registered with other political parties, and 41,908 (25.89%) have declined to state a political party. Democrats hold wide voter-registration majorities in all political subdivisions in Marin County. Democrats' largest registration advantage in Marin is in the town of Fairfax, wherein there are only 344 Republicans (6.1%) out of 5,678 total voters compared to 3,758 Democrats (66.2%) and 1,276 voters who have declined to state a political party (22.5%).

The last time Marin elected a Republican to represent them in the United States House of Representatives was William S. Mailliard in 1972. The last competitive race for the U.S. House of Representatives in Marin was in 1982 when Barbara Boxer was first elected. The longest serving representative of Marin in congress was Clarence F. Lea who served in the House from 1917 to 1949.

Due to the dynamic nature of California's population, Marin's congressional district has changed numerous times over the decades. The county has been part of the 2nd congressional district of California since 2012; the only other time it was part of the 2nd district was 1902–12. It has also been part of the 1st (1894–1902 and 1912–66), 3rd (1864–94), 5th (1974–82), and the 6th (1972–74 and 1982–2012). The only time the county has not been in a single congressional district was between 1966 and 1972, when it was divided between the northern half in the 1st district and the southern half in the 6th district.

"Marin County hot-tubber"

In 2002, former U.S. President George H. W. Bush denounced convicted American Taliban associate John Walker Lindh as "some misguided Marin County hot-tubber," as a reference to the county's liberal, "hippie" political culture, mispronouncing "Marin" as he did so. Outraged by the label, some local residents wrote scathing letters to the Marin Independent Journal, complaining of Bush's remarks. In response, Bush wrote a letter to readers in the same newspaper, admitting regret and promising to not use the phrases Marin County and hot tub "in the same sentence again."

Transportation

CA Bicycle Network Route 6 along Muir Woods Road near Mill Valley

Major highways

Public transportation

SMART

Golden Gate Transit provides service primarily along the U.S. 101 corridor, serving cities in Marin County, as well as San Francisco and Sonoma County. Service is also provided to Contra Costa County via the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. Ferries to San Francisco operate from Larkspur, Sausalito and Tiburon. Ferry service from Tiburon is provided by Golden Gate Ferry, Blue and Gold Fleet and by the Angel Island Ferry.

Local bus routes within Marin County are operated by Golden Gate Transit under contract with Marin Transit. Marin Transit also operates the West Marin Stage, serving communities in the western, rural areas of Marin County, the Muir Woods Shuttle, and 6 community shuttle routes.

The Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit system, which began service in August 2017, is a commuter rail service and bicycle-pedestrian pathway serving Sonoma and Marin counties. service operates from Sonoma County Airport to six stations in Marin ending near Larkspur Landing. Later phases of construction will extend service further north to Cloverdale in Sonoma County.

The Marin Airporter offers scheduled bus service to and from Marin County and the San Francisco Airport.

Greyhound Lines buses service San Rafael.

Airports

Marin County Airport or Gnoss Field (ICAO: KDVO) is a general aviation airport operated by the County Department of Public Works. The nearest airports with commercial flights are San Francisco International Airport and Oakland International Airport, as well as Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport, which is located north of Marin County.

Education

Main article: Education in Marin County

San Anselmo]].

Marin County Free Library is the county library system. It is headquartered in San Rafael. In addition, the Belvedere-Tiburon Library is in Tiburon.

College of Marin, established in 1926, includes two campuses. The Kentfield Campus is in Kentfield; the Indian Valley Campus is in Novato. The college offers more than 40 degree programs leading to an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree and over 20 Certificates of Achievement with various specialties. The college serves approximately 9,000 students each term. Approximately 5,700 students enroll in COM's credit program. About 1,300 students enroll in English as a Second Language classes. Approximately 1,900 enroll in community education classes. The college employs about 300 permanent staff and faculty and many part-time employees.

Marin is also home to Dominican University of California, in San Rafael. Founded as a women's college in 1890 by the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, it became the first Catholic institution in California to offer bachelor's degrees to women. The college became fully coeducational in 1971, and in 2000 became an independent liberal-arts university, changing from its original name of Dominican College of San Rafael. There are about 1,400 undergraduate and 500 graduate students.

Culture

  • Marin Museum of the American Indian
  • Marin Museum of Contemporary Art
  • Marin Museum of Bicycling
  • Museum of International Propaganda
  • The Space Station Museum

Economy

As of 2011, the largest private-sector employers in Marin County were:{{cite news

  1. Kaiser Permanente (1,803 full-time employees in Marin County)
  2. MarinHealth (1,100)
  3. Fireman's Fund Insurance Company (950)
  4. Autodesk (878)
  5. BioMarin Pharmaceutical (871)
  6. Safeway Inc. (841)
  7. Comcast (620)
  8. Macy's (380)
  9. Bradley Real Estate (376)
  10. MHN (350)
  11. Dominican University of California (346)
  12. Wells Fargo (332)
  13. Kentfield Rehabilitation and Specialty Hospital (315)
  14. Community Action Marin (268)
  15. Costco (260)
  16. Brayton Purcell (256)
  17. CVS/pharmacy (232)
  18. Novato Community Hospital (227)
  19. Lucasfilm (220)
  20. FICO (200+)
  21. Mollie Stone's Markets (190)
  22. Guide Dogs for the Blind (189)
  23. W. Bradley Electric (185)
  24. Bank of Marin (178)
  25. Cagwin & Dorward (175)
  26. Ghilotti Bros. (145)
  27. West Bay Builders (133)
  28. Villa Marin (130)

The 2013 gross value of all agricultural production in Marin County was about $84 million; of this, more than $63 million was from the sale of livestock and their products (milk, eggs, wool, etc.). Only 175 acres were planted to grapes.

As of the fourth quarter 2021, Marin County had a median home value of $1,090,583, an increase of 11% from the prior year.

Media

Marin County receives media from the rest of the Bay Area.

The county also has several media outlets that serve the local community:

  • Marin Magazine, a monthly lifestyle magazine with headquarters in Sausalito.
  • Marin Independent Journal, a daily newspaper with headquarters in San Rafael.
  • Pacific Sun, a free weekly distributed throughout the county.
  • Novato Advance, a weekly newspaper that serves Marin's second-largest city.
  • The Point Reyes Light, a weekly newspaper.
  • KWMR radio, West Marin Radio, in Point Reyes.
  • Channel 26, public-access television cable TV in Marin.
  • Marin Local Music, Music listings for Marin's Restaurants & Venues who host live music.
  • San Francisco Examiner, Rick Marianetti, Marin County Culture & Events.

Communities

Cities and towns

  • Belvedere
  • Corte Madera
  • Fairfax
  • Larkspur
  • Mill Valley
  • Novato
  • Ross
  • San Anselmo
  • San Rafael
  • Sausalito
  • Tiburon

Census-designated places

  • Alto
  • Black Point-Green Point
  • Bolinas
  • Dillon Beach
  • Inverness
  • Kentfield
  • Lagunitas-Forest Knolls
  • Lucas Valley-Marinwood
  • Marin City
  • Muir Beach
  • Nicasio
  • Point Reyes Station
  • San Geronimo
  • Santa Venetia
  • Sleepy Hollow
  • Stinson Beach
  • Strawberry
  • Tamalpais-Homestead Valley
  • Tomales
  • Woodacre

Unincorporated communities

  • Bel Marin Keys
  • Burdell
  • California Park
  • Dogtown
  • Fallon
  • Greenbrae
  • Hamlet
  • Ignacio
  • Inverness Park
  • Las Gallinas
  • Los Ranchitos
  • Marconi
  • Marshall
  • Olema
  • Paradise Cay
  • San Quentin
  • Shafter
  • Tocaloma

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Marin County.

county seat

RankCity/Town/etc.Municipal typePopulation (2020 Census)
1 San RafaelCity61,271
2NovatoCity53,225
3Mill ValleyCity14,231
4LarkspurCity13,064
5San AnselmoTown12,830
6Tamalpais-Homestead ValleyCDP11,492
7Corte MaderaTown10,222
8TiburonTown9,146
9FairfaxTown7,605
10SausalitoCity7,269
11KentfieldCDP6,808
12Lucas Valley-MarinwoodCDP6,259
13StrawberryCDP5,447
14Santa VenetiaCDP4,292
15Marin CityCDP2,993
16Sleepy HollowCDP2,401
17RossTown2,338
18BelvedereCity2,126
19Lagunitas-Forest KnollsCDP1,924
20BolinasCDP1,483
21Black Point-Green PointCDP1,431
22WoodacreCDP1,410
23InvernessCDP1,379
24Point Reyes StationCDP895
25AltoCDP732
26Stinson BeachCDP541
27San GeronimoCDP510
28Muir BeachCDP304
29Dillon BeachCDP246
30TomalesCDP187
31NicasioCDP81

Notes

References

References

  1. "Mount Tamalpais".
  2. "Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Marin County, CA". [[Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis]].
  3. "Marin County, California".
  4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
  5. AECOM. "Marin County Jail".
  6. Liberatore, Paul. (August 15, 2013). "Mountain Bike Hall of Fame moving to Fairfax, birthplace of the sport". Marin Independent Journal.
  7. Kroeber, 1925:883.
  8. Cook, 1976:182.
  9. "Museum of the American Indian".
  10. "Events {{!}} Museum of the American Indian".
  11. [http://www.assembly.ca.gov/clerk/BILLSLEGISLATURE/documents/CA_Leg_Handbook_2006/Appendices_CaLegi06.pdf ''California's Legislature'', "APPENDIX M, Origin and Meaning of the Names of the Counties of California With County Seats and Dates Counties Were Created," p. 302. Spring 2006] {{webarchive. link. (December 1, 2007 , Retrieved March 26, 2007)
  12. Goerke, Betty. 2007. ''Chief Marin, Leader, Rebel, and Legend: A History of Marin County's Namesake and his People''. Berkeley: Heyday Books. {{ISBN. 978-1-59714-053-9
  13. Gudde, Erwin G. (1949). ''California Place Names: A Geographical Dictionary'', p. 204. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press; Paperback edition (2004). {{ISBN. 0-520-24217-3.
  14. Chen, Allan, ''Drake's Plate: the end of the mystery?,'' Science Beat, Berkeley Lab, April 4, 2003
  15. (February 12, 2011). "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". [[United States Census Bureau]].
  16. (February 26, 2021). "Central California Coast Coho Salmon | NOAA Fisheries".
  17. "Marin County Parks and Open Space: Our Work - San Geronimo Project".
  18. "Salmon | Turtle Island Restoration Network". Spawnusa.org.
  19. "Home | Marin Audubon Society". Marinaudubon.org.
  20. "Drought Information | Marin Municipal Water District - Official Website".
  21. (June 24, 2014). "Drought helps coho salmon set migration record". sfgateorg.
  22. [https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Bay-Area-beaches-grade-well-for-safe-swimming-3187113.php Bay Area beaches grade well for safe swimming], May 27, 2010, by Carolyn Jones, San Francisco Chronicle
  23. Richard Henry Dana Jr.. (1840). "Two Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative". Harper and Brothers.
  24. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024". United States Census Bureau.
  25. "Census of Population and Housing from 1790–2000". [[US Census Bureau]].
  26. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
  27. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
  28. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
  29. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Marin County, California".
  30. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Marin County, California".
  31. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
  32. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
  33. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
  34. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
  35. (March 22, 2017). "Religion in Marin County, California".
  36. "American FactFinder".
  37. Morris, Chris. (November 15, 2021). "These are America's 10 most expensive zip codes". Fortune.
  38. "United States Census Bureau. 2005–2007 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates. Data Profile Highlights".
  39. Bernstein-Wax, Jessica. (June 18, 2010). "Marin regains title of lowest jobless rate in state". Marin Independent Journal.
  40. "Unemployment - Google Public Data Explorer".
  41. "[http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Facilities_Locator/SQ.html San Quentin State Prison]." [[California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation]]. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
  42. [https://pacificsun.com/ice-in-marin-sheriff-defends-cooperation-with-immigration-authorities/ ICE in Marin: sheriff defends cooperation with immigration authorities]. Nikki Silverstein. Pacific Sun. March 12, 2024.
  43. "History: 1891 through 1910".
  44. "History: 1940 and Beyond". Marin County.
  45. {{Cite GovTrack. CA. 2
  46. "District 12 Details {{!}} California State Assembly".
  47. 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.
  48. 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. link. (July 27, 2013 . Retrieved October 31, 2013.)
  49. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
  50. "Elections Department - County of Marin".
  51. "San Francisco Department of Elections. Election Summary: November 4, 2008.".
  52. "Report of Registration as of February 10, 2019 : Registration by County".
  53. Campbell, Duncan. (July 16, 2002). "From hot tub to hot water". The Guardian.
  54. "[http://www.marinlibrary.org/about/contact/ Contact Us]." ''[[Marin County Free Library]]''. Retrieved on May 4, 2009.
  55. "History of the University — Dominican University of California".
  56. "US News Best Colleges".
  57. Marin County Department of Agriculture. "Livestock & Agricultural Report".
  58. Rebecca Gibb. (July 3, 2013). "Madness in Marin County".
  59. (January 4, 2019). "County Median Home Price".
  60. "Marin Magazine {{!}} Best of Marin County – People, Restaurants, Events, Hotels, Recreation".
  61. "Marin Local Music". Marin Local Music.
  62. "2020 U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about Marin County, California — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report