Change Font Size

Marin County Real Estate, Land, History and General Information

Below is a map of Marin County. To view specific information about various cities click on the numbered area for the city you are looking for.

About Marin County

Marin County is just 30 minutes by car or ferry from San Francisco, everybody’s favorite ‘City by the Bay’ and a bustling economic center. Marin County is a unique place to live and a preferred residential market in the U.S. because it is the most conveniently located Bay Area suburban community. Situated just to the north of San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge Marin County is a relatively easy commute to San Francisco, just 30 to 40 minutes by car. In addition, Golden Bay Transit buses and three different ferry terminals serve the downtown San Francisco business district, including 3Com Park during baseball season.

The weather in “Marin”, as locals call it, is great, moderated by the San Francisco Bay to the south and east, and Pacific Ocean to the west. Closest to The City, southern Marin temperatures range from the typical 60-70's in the summer to 40-50's in the winter. Central and Northern Marin is plus ten degrees in the summer.

A little known fact about Marin County is that it is less than 20% developed. Most land is permanently designated as open space, State Parkland, park-like watersheds, or National Recreation Area. Marin is overlooked by Mount Tamalpais, the ”Sleeping Indian Maiden,” with redwood forests on her flanks, San Francisco Bay to the east and south and the Pacific Ocean to the west.

Most of southern Marin has exquisite views of the San Francisco skyline. Accentuating this beauty is the fact that billboards are illegal in Marin County so you can actually see these beautiful surroundings without the clutter of the typical commercial visual pollution so commonplace in other areas.

Schools, both public and private, are among the best, consistently ranked nationally, and most public schools in the County have a Distinguished School rating from the State. Marin County children are educated in 19 school districts whose enrollments range from 12 students to 7,000 students. Fifteen of the school districts are elementary districts (K - 8); 2 are unified districts (K - 12); and 2 are high school districts (Grades 9 - 12). The Marin Community College has two campuses Kentfield and Novato. There are several private schools, including Dominican University in San Rafael.

Outdoor recreation in Marin County includes deep-water access for sailors and numerous yacht harbors in addition to extensive hiking and running trails, bike paths, and other facilities.

Although Marin is usually thought of as a suburban residential and recreational area, ranching and dairying are major features of the rural areas of West Marin. Industry in the county includes movie and video production, computer software, communications equipment, printing, and the manufacture of plastic products, ceramics, candles, and cheese.

Marin is bordered on the north and northeast by Sonoma County and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. The 520 square miles of Marin offer a wide variety of topography, climate, and vegetation, from the tidal flats of the coastline to the slopes of Mt. Tamalpais rising 2,600 feet above sea level; from the dense stands of redwood and pine to the inland grasslands and exposed rocky areas, and the coastal fogs that temper the warm inland temperatures in summer.

The major population centers of Marin County are Belvedere, Tiburon, Sausalito, Larkspur, Corte Madera, Mill Valley, Fairfax, San Rafael, San Anselmo, Ross and Novato.

Top	The internet has its limitations. Feel free to contact us directly.