Classified as a bedroom community, the majority of Corte Madera’s working residents are commuters. With an average commute time for working residents being 28 minutes, most commuters choose to use their own cars while less than 10 percent use public transportation and few walk to work. Due to the community’s high level of education, the most common occupation for residents is in management or a professional field, with 60 percent of the working population holding such a job. Office and sales jobs are the second most held position by residents, with 20 percent, and service occupations account for the careers of 11 percent of Corte Madera’s population. Of these workers, approximately 70 percent work for private companies, while 9 percent work for the government. The percentage of self-employed workers is at 19 percent, which is more than double the state percentage.
While many of Corte Madera’s workers commute out of town for work, there are many available positions in town. Leading industries inside Corte Madera include professional, management, administrative, scientific and waste management services, which make up 23 percent of the jobs in town, while 20 percent of the jobs are in the educational, social and health services and 10 percent are in retail.
With so many jobs in and around Corte Madera, there are many ways to commute around town and the rest of Marin County, including major highways, bike pathways and public transportation. If you live outside of Corte Madera, one of the best ways to get there is by the town’s main route: Highway 101. This route connects Corte Madera to San Francisco, Alto Sutton Manor, Marin City, Sausalito, San Rafael and beyond. It also makes it easier to commute from neighboring cities, such as Mill Valley. However, using the highway is unnecessary if you live in a neighboring city. Magnolia Avenue also helps connect the town to Mill Valley, Larkspur, Greenbrae, Sycamore Park and Kentfield.
Another popular way to travel to and from San Francisco is the Golden Gate Ferry, which travels between San Francisco Ferry Building and Larkspur between 5:50 a.m. and 8:50 p.m. on weekdays and 9:40 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. on weekends and holidays. For a one-way trip on the ferry, it costs $9.00 for an adult, while seniors and children ride at a discount. For bus routes in Larkspur, visit www.goldengatetransit.org.
If you’re coming from the other side of the bay, in the Richmond area, you can use the Interstate 580, which crosses the bay by the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. The drive from Richmond to Corte Madera across the bridge only takes about 20 minutes, making the commute from Richmond, San Pablo or El Cerrito an easy drive for those who work in Corte Madera.
While many workers in Corte Madera choose to commute out of town for work, there are a variety of jobs in town, and the number continues to grow. Those jobs provide work for many Corte Madera residents, as well as for others who live in outside Marin County towns and cities due to the town’s well-connected and centered location.