California Housing Market Trends
Real-time market data powered by Zillow Research. Last updated: 2026-03-03
Is Now a Good Time to Buy in California?
The California housing market is showing balanced conditions.
home values have been essentially flat (-1.9%) over the past year. there are currently 2,150 homes on the market.
Median Home Value
$756,323
Zillow Home Value Index
Year-over-Year
-1.9%
Home value change
5-Year Change
+26.3%
Since 2021
Median Rent
$2,228/mo
Zillow Observed Rent Index
Active Listings
2,150
Homes for sale
Home Value Trends
5-year Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) for California vs. national average. ZHVI reflects the typical home value in the 35th-65th percentile range.
Rent Trends
Average rent in California: $2,228/mo (+2.3% YoY)
Rent vs. Buy Analysis
With a median home value of $756,323 and average rent of $2,228/mo, the price-to-rent ratio in California is 28.3. A ratio above 21 suggests renting may be more cost-effective.
Run Full Rent vs. Buy CalculatorTop Markets in California
Explore housing data for 12 metro areas in California. Click any market for detailed trends and analysis.
San Jose, CA
$1,568,567
Avg rent: $3,406/mo
Santa Cruz, CA
$1,091,457
Avg rent: $3,433/mo
San Francisco, CA
$1,089,769
Avg rent: $3,064/mo
Santa Maria, CA
$970,808
Avg rent: $3,359/mo
Los Angeles, CA
$943,674
Avg rent: $2,885/mo
San Diego, CA
$904,313
Avg rent: $2,871/mo
San Luis Obispo, CA
$879,827
Avg rent: $2,996/mo
Napa, CA
$867,277
Avg rent: $2,815/mo
Oxnard, CA
$862,127
Avg rent: $2,967/mo
Salinas, CA
$826,251
Avg rent: $2,868/mo
Santa Rosa, CA
$770,222
Avg rent: $2,601/mo
Truckee, CA
$595,732
Avg rent: $2,398/mo
Continue Learning About California
Market data provided by Zillow Research. Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) and Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) are trademarks of Zillow, Inc.