About San Rafael, California

San Rafael is a city and the county seat of Marin County, California. It is located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area and has a population of 57,713 in the 2010 U.S. Census. BioMarin, Autodesk, In Defense of Animals, Westamerica Bank, and GIS Data Resources are among the companies headquartered in San Rafael.

As the oldest and largest town in Marin, the City of San Rafael is slightly less upscale than most of its neighbors but doesn’t lack atmosphere. It’s a common stop for travelers on their way to Point Reyes. Two blocks south of the 19th-century Spanish Catholic mission that gives the town its name, San Rafael’s main drag, 4th St, is lined with cafes and shops.

San Rafael has been selected as one of California’s premier state-designated arts and culture districts. San Rafael joins 13 other districts in a new program highlighting the state’s unique artistic and cultural communities within California, home to the country’s leading creative economy.