Santa Venetia is a census-designated place (CDP) in Marin County, California, United States. It is located north of downtown San Rafael, at an elevation of .
Santa Venetia was home to the local YMCA until it was destroyed by a fire in 1986. Eventually the property was purchased by a developer who erected residential houses that were completed in 1987.
During the 1960s and 1970s the area was known affectionately to residents, especially teenagers, as "Lower Scabo" and "Upper Scabo".
Today Santa Venetia is a quiet neighborhood with a rural feel. Residents treasure its proximity to China Camp State Park, and many homes along the canal have water access.
Demographics
thumb|A heron flies by the Marin Post Office in Santa Venetia
Santa Venetia first appeared as a census designated place in the 1990 U.S. census.
!Pop 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |Pop 2020
!% 2000
!% 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020
|-
|White alone (NH)
|3,256
|2,941
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,647
|75.76%
|68.52%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |61.72%
|-
|Black or African American alone (NH)
|91
|85
|style='background: #ffffe6; |63
|2.12%
|1.98%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.47%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)
|20
|8
|style='background: #ffffe6; |9
|0.47%
|0.19%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.21%
|-
|Asian alone (NH)
|256
|302
|style='background: #ffffe6; |329
|5.96%
|7.04%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7.67%
|-
|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)
|8
|15
|style='background: #ffffe6; |6
|0.19%
|0.35%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.14%
|-
|Other race alone (NH)
|11
|14
|style='background: #ffffe6; |41
|0.26%
|0.33%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.96%
|-
|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)
|138
|112
|style='background: #ffffe6; |191
|3.21%
|2.61%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4.45%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|518
|815
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,003
|12.05%
|18.99%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |23.39%
|-
|Total
|4,298
|4,292
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,289
|100.00%
|100.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%
|}
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Santa Venetia had a population of 4,289 and a population density of .
The census reported that 96.2% of the population lived in households, 1.3% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 2.6% were institutionalized. 98.2% of residents lived in urban areas, while 1.8% lived in rural areas.
There were 1,647 households, out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18. Of all households, 49.2% were married-couple households, 6.3% were cohabiting couple households, 29.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present, and 15.0% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 28.5% of households were one person, and 18.3% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.5. There were 1,035 families (62.8% of all households).
The age distribution was 16.7% under the age of 18, 5.7% aged 18 to 24, 20.4% aged 25 to 44, 30.0% aged 45 to 64, and 27.2% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 50.2years. For every 100 females, there were 90.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 87.0 males.
thumb|Santa Venetia market in Marin County
2010 census
At the 2010 census Santa Venetia had a population of 4,292. The population density was . The racial makeup of Santa Venetia was 3,335 (77.7%) White, 88 (2.1%) African American, 27 (0.6%) Native American, 306 (7.1%) Asian, 16 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 350 (8.2%) from other races, and 170 (4.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 815 people (19.0%).
The census reported that 4,080 people (95.1% of the population) lived in households, 65 (1.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 147 (3.4%) were institutionalized.
There were 1,655 households, 480 (29.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 769 (46.5%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 180 (10.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 81 (4.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 87 (5.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 21 (1.3%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 455 households (27.5%) were one person and 228 (13.8%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.47. There were 1,030 families (62.2% of households); the average family size was 2.97.
The age distribution was 802 people (18.7%) under the age of 18, 220 people (5.1%) aged 18 to 24, 961 people (22.4%) aged 25 to 44, 1,435 people (33.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 874 people (20.4%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 47.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.
There were 1,706 housing units at an average density of 463.6 per square mile, of the occupied units 1,188 (71.8%) were owner-occupied and 467 (28.2%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 2.1%. 2,925 people (68.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,155 people (26.9%) lived in rental housing units.
Education
Residents are in both the San Rafael Elementary School District and the San Rafael High School District, jointly operated as San Rafael City Schools.
Venetia Valley K-8 School is the K-8 school serving the community. Residents may choose either San Rafael High School or Terra Linda High School.
Notable residents
- Science fiction author Philip K. Dick lived in Santa Venetia from 1967 to 1972. During this time, Dick was using methamphetamine and other drugs quite heavily, living semi-communally with a rotating group of mostly teenage drug users. His experiences during this time formed much of the basis for his novel A Scanner Darkly.
- Charles "Chuck" Riley, one of the two perpetrators of the 1975 "BBQ murders", lived in Santa Venetia up until the time of his arrest and eventual imprisonment. Riley and his girlfriend Marlene Olive murdered her adoptive parents, James and Naomi Olive, in Terra Linda and disposed of the bodies by burning them in a firepit in nearby China Camp State Park.
Santa Venetia Neighborhood Association
The SVNA is an active neighborhood association. It describes its mission as "preserv[ing] and promot[ing] the quality of life in the Santa Venetia community". This is achieved by "encouraging healthy social interaction; facilitating the flow of information; and protecting the natural beauty and economic well-being of the community".
The SVNA holds regular community meetings, hosts social events and neighborhood work days and publishes a bi-monthly newsletter.