Rincon Valley, Santa Rosa: Homes and Neighborhood Guide
Rincon Valley is the residential valley on Santa Rosa’s east side, north of Highway 12 and between central Santa Rosa and Oakmont, mostly in ZIP code 95409. Most of it is inside the City of Santa Rosa, but county address records show unincorporated pockets on some of its main roads, so the city’s rules and transfer tax apply to most homes here but not all. Spring Lake Regional Park, Howarth Park and Trione-Annadel State Park lie just to the south.
This guide covers what buyers and sellers need to check in Rincon Valley: city versus county status, the housing, wildfire history and fire hazard maps, taxes and utilities, and getting around. For the rest of the city, start with our Santa Rosa real estate guide.
Rincon Valley homes for sale
Rincon Valley market report
Rincon Valley at a glance
| Item | Rincon Valley |
|---|---|
| Location | East Santa Rosa, north of Highway 12, between central Santa Rosa and Oakmont |
| ZIP codes | Mostly 95409; some Montecito Boulevard addresses are in 95404 |
| Jurisdiction | Mostly City of Santa Rosa, with unincorporated county pockets |
| Main roads | Highway 12, Montecito Boulevard, Calistoga Road, Middle Rincon Road |
| School district named for the area | Rincon Valley Union School District (confirm by address) |
| Transfer tax inside city limits | $3.10 per $1,000: Sonoma County $1.10 plus Santa Rosa $2.00 |
| Parks nearby | Spring Lake Regional Park, Howarth Park, Trione-Annadel State Park |
City or county: check every address
The city line here is irregular and doesn’t follow the neighborhood’s informal edges. Sonoma County’s public address records, which we queried in October 2026, list both incorporated and unincorporated addresses on Montecito Boulevard and on Middle Rincon Road. A house in an unincorporated pocket can have a Santa Rosa mailing address and still fall under Permit Sonoma for zoning and building permits.
The difference shows up in the transfer tax, permits, short-term rental rules and sometimes utilities. Before you write an offer, confirm the parcel’s jurisdiction on the county’s parcel records or the property tax bill, and ask the seller which agency issued permits for any additions.
The neighboring areas each have their own guide: Oakmont to the east along Highway 12, Fountaingrove in the hills to the north and west, and Bennett Valley to the south.
Homes and streets
Rincon Valley is mostly single-family housing on suburban lots, built out in stages, so neighboring tracts can differ in age, size and construction. Attached homes, such as townhouse and condominium complexes, sit within those single-family areas, and lot sizes vary from tract to tract.
- Montecito Boulevard and Calistoga Road carry most local traffic through the valley’s neighborhoods.
- Middle Rincon Road serves the eastern part of the valley, where county address records show both city and county addresses.
- Highway 12 carries traffic west into central Santa Rosa and east toward Oakmont and Kenwood in Sonoma Valley.
Because the housing was built over several decades, inspect each home on its own terms: roof, foundation and drainage, electrical panel, plumbing and any unpermitted additions. If you are looking at an attached home, our Santa Rosa condo and townhome guide explains how to read the association documents and compare a complex with nearby detached homes.
Parks and open space
The parks on Rincon Valley’s southern edge are a big part of the area’s appeal, and they connect to each other.
- Spring Lake Regional Park is a 320-acre county park at 393 Violetti Road, with a south entrance on Newanga Avenue. Sonoma County Regional Parks lists a 72-acre reservoir closed to gas engines, nearly 10 miles of trails including the paved 2.3-mile Spring Lake Loop, a lifeguarded swimming lagoon in summer and 31 campsites. Parking is $8 most of the year and $12 in summer.
- Howarth Park is a City of Santa Rosa park next to Spring Lake; the county says trails connect the two, including the short Kerfoot Trail.
- Trione-Annadel State Park adjoins Spring Lake, and county trails link into it.
Homes that back onto the parks or the hills tend to be closer to wildland vegetation, which matters for the fire maps and insurance discussed below.
Wildfire history, fire zones and insurance
The Glass Fire started in Napa County on September 27, 2020, and burned 67,484 acres in Napa and Sonoma counties. CAL FIRE reports 1,528 structures destroyed and 282 damaged before containment on October 20, 2020. NBC Bay Area reported on September 28, 2020, that many homes were lost in the Skyhawk neighborhood of northeastern Santa Rosa, where wind-driven embers set several houses on Mountain Hawk Drive on fire. It also reported that Oakmont was evacuated.
The October 2017 fires did their worst damage in other parts of Santa Rosa, such as Fountaingrove and Coffey Park. We have not found an official count of Rincon Valley homes damaged in either the 2017 or 2020 fires, so ask about fire-related repairs and insurance claims on any specific house.
Fire hazard maps vary across short distances here. In October 2026 we queried the county’s GIS copy of CAL FIRE’s fire hazard severity zones for a rectangle covering Rincon Valley and its edges. City land in that area (the local responsibility area) was mapped as Moderate, High or non-wildland, and the surrounding state responsibility land on the hills included Moderate, High and Very High zones. That’s an area-wide result, not a parcel answer.
- Look up the exact address on the State Fire Marshal’s map viewer; our fire hazard severity zone guide explains the maps.
- In a High or Very High zone, the seller may owe added disclosures and defensible-space documentation; see our guide to AB 38 defensible-space inspections.
- Get insurance quotes in the first days of escrow, before you remove contingencies; our page on homeowners insurance during escrow covers the timing.
- Check the FEMA flood map for homes near creeks and drainage channels; our flood zone guide shows how.
Taxes, utilities and local rules
- Transfer tax. Sonoma County charges $0.55 per $500, or $1.10 per $1,000, reduced by any loans the buyer assumes. Inside Santa Rosa, City Code section 3-20.020 adds $2.00 per $1,000 of consideration or value, with no reduction for assumed loans. On an $800,000 sale with no assumed loans, that’s $880 to the county and $1,600 to the city. An unincorporated address pays only the county tax. In Diamond’s North Bay markets the seller customarily pays, but it’s negotiable and local custom varies; see our transfer tax guide.
- Water and sewer. Inside city limits, Santa Rosa Water provides drinking water and sewer service; it reports about 173,000 people served in the city. In a county pocket, confirm who provides water and whether the home is on sewer or septic.
- Property tax. A purchase is a change in ownership, so the county assessor reassesses the home to its value at the date of sale.
- Schools. Rincon Valley Union School District is the school district named for the area. School district boundaries don’t follow neighborhood names, so confirm the assigned district for a specific address with the district.
- Short-term rentals and ADUs. The city and the county each have their own rules, so the answer depends on which side of the line the parcel falls.
Getting around
Highway 12 is the main route in and out, west to Highway 101 and downtown Santa Rosa and east into Sonoma Valley. Montecito Boulevard and Calistoga Road carry local traffic across the valley. Our Santa Rosa guide lists the city’s SMART train stations and bus routes, including the Sonoma County Transit route that runs along Highway 12 toward Sonoma.
Buying in Rincon Valley
- Confirm the jurisdiction. City or county decides the transfer tax, permits and rental rules.
- Pull the fire zone and quote insurance early. Do it in the first days of escrow, especially for homes near the parks or hills.
- Inspect for the home’s age. General, roof and pest inspections, plus a sewer lateral scope on older homes.
- Check the permits. Compare the house with city or county permit records for additions and garage conversions.
- Read any association documents. For townhomes and planned developments, review dues, reserves and rules.
Our page on buying a home in Sonoma County describes how Diamond handles the search, offer and escrow.
Selling a home in Rincon Valley
Price from recent sales of similar homes on nearby streets, not the citywide median, since lot size, age and park or hill frontage change value block by block. Gather permits for any additions, the most recent fire hazard zone result and, in a High or Very High zone, the defensible-space documentation buyers will ask for.
If your home is in a county pocket, say so in the listing materials and note that the city transfer tax doesn’t apply. Our Sonoma County selling services page explains how Diamond prepares and markets a home. Diamond may refer you to partners we work with; you’re free to choose any provider.
Questions people ask
Is Rincon Valley in the City of Santa Rosa?
Mostly. County address records show both city and unincorporated addresses on roads such as Montecito Boulevard and Middle Rincon Road, so check each parcel.
What ZIP code is Rincon Valley?
Mostly 95409. County address records also place some Montecito Boulevard addresses in 95404.
Did the Glass Fire burn Rincon Valley?
The Glass Fire reached Santa Rosa’s east side in September 2020, and news reports described homes lost in the nearby Skyhawk neighborhood. We have not found an official count of damage within Rincon Valley itself.
Is Rincon Valley in a fire hazard zone?
Parts of the area are. Our October 2026 check of CAL FIRE’s maps found Moderate, High and non-wildland zones on city land, and Very High zones on the surrounding hills. Look up the exact address.
What is the transfer tax on a Rincon Valley home?
Inside city limits, $3.10 per $1,000: $1.10 to Sonoma County and $2.00 to Santa Rosa. In an unincorporated pocket, only the county’s $1.10 applies.
Which school district serves Rincon Valley?
Rincon Valley Union School District is the district named for the area, but boundaries don’t follow neighborhood names. Confirm the assigned district for a specific address directly with the district.
What parks are near Rincon Valley?
Spring Lake Regional Park, the city’s Howarth Park and Trione-Annadel State Park, which are connected by trails.
Thinking about buying or selling in Rincon Valley? Start with a home valuation, or ask us to check the jurisdiction, fire zone and recent nearby sales for the home you have in mind.
This guide is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Fire zones, city boundaries and insurance terms decide a lot here, so confirm them for the specific parcel and ask a licensed insurance agent about coverage before you remove contingencies.
Sources & notes
- County of Sonoma GIS: Public address points (city or county status by address, queried October 2026)
- County of Sonoma GIS: CAL FIRE local responsibility area fire hazard severity zones (queried October 2026)
- County of Sonoma GIS: CAL FIRE state responsibility area fire hazard severity zones (queried October 2026)
- CAL FIRE: Glass Fire incident
- NBC Bay Area: Glass Fire destroys homes in Santa Rosa’s Skyhawk neighborhood (September 28, 2020)
- Sonoma County Regional Parks: Spring Lake Regional Park
- County of Sonoma Clerk-Recorder: Documentary transfer tax
- Santa Rosa City Code: Chapter 3-20, real property transfer tax (eCode360)
- City of Santa Rosa: Our water system
- California State Board of Equalization: Change in ownership FAQs
- Rincon Valley Union School District
Note: neighborhood boundaries are informal. Fire zone results describe a rectangle we queried, not any single parcel. Market figures are added by the site’s market report.
Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
