Ross Homes for Sale in Marin County, CA
Ross is the smallest incorporated town in Marin County by population and among the most expensive residential markets in the United States. Tucked into the Ross Valley along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard between Kentfield and San Anselmo, the town is built almost entirely of large single-family estates on generous, heavily wooded lots, many backing directly onto Marin Municipal Water District watershed land at the base of Mount Tamalpais. Ross has no meaningful condominium inventory and functions as a single distinct product: privacy, acreage, and mature landscaping within a few minutes of San Anselmo's shops and a manageable commute to San Francisco.
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The Homes of Ross
Ross incorporated in 1908, among the earliest towns in Marin County, and its housing stock reflects more than a century of continuous, deliberate low-density development. Estates range from early-1900s shingle-style and Tudor homes to later architect-designed properties, most sitting on lots that would be subdivided several times over in almost any other Bay Area community. Redwoods, oaks, and mature landscaping are the norm rather than the exception, and many properties border Marin Municipal Water District land directly, giving owners effective private access to thousands of acres of protected watershed.
Because the town is so small and so uniformly high-end, turnover is limited and comparable sales can be sparse in any given stretch of months. Call for current inventory and recent comparable sales rather than relying on a published median — with a town this size, a single sale can move the number significantly.
Phoenix Lake and the Watershed Trails
Phoenix Lake, reached from the trailhead at Natalie Coffin Greene Park on Lagunitas Road, is Ross's signature outdoor asset — a Marin Municipal Water District reservoir ringed by an easy loop trail through redwood canopy, with connecting trails climbing toward Mount Tamalpais and out to Five Corners and the broader MMWD trail network. Parking at the trailhead is limited, which locals treat as a feature rather than a problem. For residents, direct or near-direct access to this trail system is one of the defining reasons to live in Ross rather than a flatter, more built-out part of the county.
Ross Common and the Marin Art and Garden Center
Ross has no commercial strip in the conventional sense — Ross Common, the small cluster of shops and services at the center of town, is compact and residential in character rather than a retail destination. The Marin Art and Garden Center on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, a free public garden with event pavilions and a small art gallery, is the town's civic gathering point. For fuller shopping and dining, residents drive a few minutes to San Anselmo's downtown or the Red Hill Shopping Center on the San Anselmo–San Rafael line.
Schools
Ross School, a K–8 public school on Lagunitas Road serving the Ross Elementary School District, is one of the strongest draws for families choosing the town — small, well-resourced, and a significant factor in Ross real estate demand. High school students in Ross typically attend within the Tamalpais Union High School District; confirm current attendance assignment directly with the district, since boundaries and options vary by address. A number of Ross families also choose independent schools in the surrounding Ross Valley and Corte Madera area.
Getting Around
Ross sits directly on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, the Ross Valley's main corridor, connecting west to San Anselmo and Fairfax and east to Kentfield and Highway 101. From the 101 interchange, the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco are roughly 25 to 35 minutes depending on traffic, and Golden Gate Transit bus service connects the corridor to the city directly. The Larkspur Ferry, a scenic and reliably timed alternative to bridge traffic, is about a 15-minute drive. There is no SMART train service in Ross itself; the nearest station is in San Rafael.
Nearby Communities
San Anselmo sits immediately west along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, offering the walkable downtown and everyday commercial services that Ross itself doesn't have. Kentfield lies east toward the 101 corridor, sharing much of Ross's estate character at a similarly high price point. Fairfax continues west with a more informal, artsy character. For the rest of the county, see all Marin County homes for sale.
Ross Real Estate FAQs
Are there condos for sale in Ross, CA?
Essentially no. Ross is built almost entirely of large single-family estates on generous lots, and the town has no meaningful condominium inventory. Buyers looking for attached or lower-maintenance product in Marin should look toward Novato, San Rafael, or the Corte Madera–Larkspur corridor instead.
Why is Ross, CA so expensive?
Ross is Marin County's smallest incorporated town, developed since 1908 at consistently low density on large, heavily wooded lots, many bordering protected watershed land at the base of Mount Tamalpais. That combination of scarcity, lot size, and proximity to San Francisco makes it one of the most expensive small towns in the country, with very limited turnover in any given year.
What is the Ross School?
Ross School is a K–8 public school on Lagunitas Road serving the Ross Elementary School District, widely regarded as one of the town's strongest draws for families. High school students typically attend within the Tamalpais Union High School District; confirm current boundary assignment directly with the district.
What outdoor access does Ross have?
Phoenix Lake and the surrounding Marin Municipal Water District trail network are reachable from the Natalie Coffin Greene Park trailhead on Lagunitas Road, offering an easy lake loop plus connecting trails toward Mount Tamalpais. Many Ross properties border watershed land directly, giving owners effectively private access to the trail system.
Is there shopping or dining in Ross?
Very little within the town itself. Ross Common holds a small, residential-scale cluster of shops, and the Marin Art and Garden Center is the town's civic gathering space, but most shopping and dining happens a few minutes away in downtown San Anselmo or at the Red Hill Shopping Center.
How is the commute from Ross to San Francisco?
Ross sits on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard a short drive from the Highway 101 interchange in Kentfield, putting the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco roughly 25 to 35 minutes away by car depending on traffic. The Larkspur Ferry, about 15 minutes away, offers a scenic alternative. There is no SMART train station in Ross; the nearest is in San Rafael.
Work With a Local Ross Real Estate Expert
Ross is a small, tightly held market where relationships and off-market knowledge matter more than they do almost anywhere else in Marin. Bruce Wagg, DRE #01760054 with Keller Williams Elevate, brings 20 years of Bay Area experience to buyers and sellers across Marin County.
Call (669) 202-7777 or use the contact form below to start your Ross home search. Learn more about Bruce Wagg.