This master-planned city is located approximately 50 miles north of San Francisco, and is divided into sections each with its own school and parks, some with pools. Known for its more affordable housing, it is an ideal area for young families. Two 18-hole golf courses, shopping centers, underground utilities and wide tree-lined streets are the extras that make Rohnert Park so special.

The master plan, the first in the United States, divided the city into neighborhood sections of 200- 250 homes centered around a 10-acre school site and a 5-acre park. Each section has a park and shares a school with other sections. This design makes it possible for the children in each section to play, walk to school, and grow up together. The police and fire departments have been combined into one public safety department, and the personnel are called public safety officers.

The commercial district is located along the Highway 101 corridor, and the fast-growing business community now includes major employers such as State Farm Insurance, Hewlett-Packard and Pacific Telephone. A large shopping complex which includes Wal-mart, Target, Price Club and Home Depot is located on the west side of the highway.

The city supports a symphony orchestra and the 500-seat Dorothy Spreckels Performing Arts Center which presents local, national and international performances. The center houses two theaters designed exclusively for dance, music and theatrical performances. The Bette Condiotti Experimental Theater seats 200 people and has a sprung wood floor designed for dance and movement arts.

With 12 parks, four pools, sports complex, seniors center, little league baseball and soccer teams, public tennis, riding stables, and its own semi-professional minor league baseball team, The Crushers, residents enjoy a full range of social and recreational activities open to all members of the community.

The 4-year California Sonoma State University located here also serves as a community cultural center and hosts many events and lectures for adults as well as children. The college has a reputation as one of the better small universities in the state and offers bachelor’s degrees in 33 fields and master’s programs in 13 areas. Academic rankings for the town’s elementary, junior high and high schools range from the 50th to the 80th percentile. The school district also includes the nearby town of Cotati.

In 1990 the district passed an $85 million bond measure to purchase land, build additional schools and renovate existing ones. The high school recently added a math and science building to its campus. The elementary schools are now offering child care both before and after normal school hours. The excellent two-year Santa Rosa Junior College is located in nearby Santa Rosa, just a few miles from Rohnert Park.

Distance to San Francisco 49 miles

Go Back