California · 1,542 scored ZIPs · September 2026
California: the market leans toward buyers.
Conditions easing in buyers' favor. That is the population-weighted reading across 1,542 scored ZIPs in California. Typical home value $912K, +1.1% over 12 months on average; listings take 51 days to sell against 60 in the median U.S. ZIP.
California1,542 scored ZIPs
Leaning buyer−21
Typical value$912K+1.1% over 12 months, average · Zillow, Aug 2026
Days on market51 daysU.S. median ZIP 60 days · Realtor.com
Listings with a price cut22%U.S. median ZIP 20% · Realtor.com
Typical rent$2,848/mo+3.7% over 12 months, average · Zillow, Aug 2026
Active listings74,302Across 1,527 ZIPs · Realtor.com
Sale-to-list100.7%44% sold above list, average · Redfin, May 2026
HavenScore39of 100
Average of 1,542 scored ZIPs, weighted by population · the median U.S. ZIP scores 50
Affordability31
Growth41
Risk38
Momentum41
Livability63
Five parts, weighted. How the score works →
On the map
1,542 scored ZIPs in California, colored by market balance.
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BuyersEvenSellers
One dot is one ZIP code; click a dot to open its page. Blue leans toward buyers, orange toward sellers.
Market report
What the latest figures say about California.
Typical home values in California rose by an average of 1.1% over the year to August 2026, weighted by population across the 1,541 of its 1,542 scored ZIPs that report it (based on Zillow ZIP-level data).
Figures for a city or a state are averages across its scored ZIP codes, weighted by population, so each ZIP counts in proportion to its residents. Where only some ZIPs report a figure, the sentence names how many.
The average typical home value in California was $912K in August 2026, weighted by population across its 1,542 scored ZIPs (based on Zillow ZIP-level data).
The average HavenScore balance in California, weighted by population across its 1,542 scored ZIPs, read −21 in September 2026, in our Leaning buyer band.
The HavenScore balance reads signals such as inventory, time on market and the share of listings with a price cut on one scale, from buyers at one end to sellers at the other. A reading below zero favors buyers, and one above zero favors sellers.
How fast homes are selling
In September 2026, the ZIP-level median time on market in California averaged 51 days, weighted by population across the 1,527 of its 1,542 scored ZIPs that report it, against 60 days for the median U.S. ZIP (based on Realtor.com ZIP-level data).
Days on market here is each ZIP code's median number of days a Realtor.com listing spends on the market, from the day it is listed until it closes or is withdrawn, averaged across the place's ZIP codes.
In California, the share of listings with a price cut averaged 22% in September 2026, weighted by population across the 1,525 of its 1,542 scored ZIPs that report it; for the median U.S. ZIP it was 20% (based on Realtor.com ZIP-level data).
Summed across the 1,527 ZIPs in California that report them, active listings came to 74,302 in September 2026, according to Realtor.com.
How to read these figures
Each figure names its own month: Zillow's home values and Realtor.com's listings data publish on their own schedules, so the two can sit a month apart. A figure describes that month, not the day this page was updated.
Market cycle
Where each city sits: price momentum against buyer-seller pressure.
47 of 91 California cities read Cooling — prices still up over the year, but the market now leans toward buyers.
- Buyer's market
- Leaning buyer
- Balanced
- Leaning seller
- Seller's market
- Named city (ink ring)
Cooling47 cities
Prices still up over the year, but the market now leans toward buyers.
San Diego, Fresno, Long Beach and 44 more
Accelerating12 cities
Prices rising with the market leaning toward sellers.
San Francisco, Berkeley, Garden Grove and 9 more
Softening32 cities
Prices down over the year with the market leaning toward buyers.
Los Angeles, San Jose, Sacramento and 29 more
Firming0 cities
Prices still down over the year, but the market now leans toward sellers.
No city reads Firming now.
Every city in the chart
| City | Read | Prices, trailing year | Balance | ZIPs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim | Cooling | +2.7% | −7 | 7 |
| Bakersfield | Softening | −0.2% | −42 | 10 |
| Berkeley | Accelerating | +5.4% | +33 | 7 |
| Beverly Hills | Cooling | +8.4% | −12 | 3 |
| Burbank | Cooling | 0.0% | −5 | 5 |
| Carlsbad | Cooling | +2.1% | −13 | 4 |
| Chico | Cooling | +0.6% | −46 | 3 |
| Chula Vista | Cooling | +1.0% | −10 | 5 |
| Clovis | Cooling | +1.5% | −24 | 3 |
| Compton | Cooling | +2.7% | −8 | 3 |
| Concord | Softening | −0.4% | −23 | 4 |
| Corona | Cooling | 0.0% | −32 | 4 |
| Covina | Cooling | +1.1% | −19 | 3 |
| Desert Hot Springs | Softening | −1.0% | −44 | 3 |
| Downey | Cooling | +2.4% | −4 | 3 |
| El Cajon | Softening | −0.1% | −23 | 3 |
| Elk Grove | Softening | −1.9% | −38 | 4 |
| Escondido | Cooling | +0.5% | −24 | 4 |
| Eureka | Softening | −2.0% | −49 | 3 |
| Fontana | Cooling | +0.3% | −31 | 3 |
| Fremont | Softening | −1.2% | −19 | 4 |
| Fresno | Cooling | +0.5% | −32 | 19 |
| Fullerton | Accelerating | +2.5% | +5 | 4 |
| Garden Grove | Accelerating | +4.5% | +12 | 5 |
| Glendale | Cooling | +1.5% | −11 | 9 |
| Hayward | Softening | −3.1% | −22 | 4 |
| Hemet | Cooling | +0.2% | −40 | 3 |
| Huntington Beach | Cooling | +5.5% | −8 | 5 |
| Inglewood | Cooling | +2.4% | −23 | 5 |
| Irvine | Softening | −1.6% | −37 | 9 |
| Lake Arrowhead | Softening | −1.7% | −56 | 6 |
| Lakewood | Accelerating | +2.6% | +5 | 3 |
| Lancaster | Softening | −0.7% | −34 | 3 |
| Long Beach | Cooling | +1.9% | −20 | 11 |
| Los Angeles | Softening | −0.1% | −29 | 95 |
| Madera | Cooling | +2.9% | −23 | 3 |
| Menifee | Softening | −0.6% | −37 | 3 |
| Merced | Softening | −0.9% | −44 | 3 |
| Modesto | Cooling | +0.1% | −27 | 7 |
| Moreno Valley | Cooling | +0.5% | −21 | 4 |
| Mountain View | Accelerating | +3.6% | +11 | 3 |
| Murphys | Softening | −1.5% | −55 | 3 |
| Newport Beach | Cooling | +10.9% | −7 | 6 |
| Novato | Cooling | +1.5% | −7 | 3 |
| Oakland | Softening | −0.1% | −2 | 13 |
| Oceanside | Cooling | +0.7% | −20 | 4 |
| Ontario | Softening | −0.2% | −40 | 3 |
| Orange | Cooling | +2.9% | 0 | 5 |
| Oxnard | Cooling | +1.3% | −15 | 4 |
| Palmdale | Softening | −0.1% | −31 | 4 |
| Palo Alto | Accelerating | +6.3% | +18 | 3 |
| Pasadena | Cooling | +0.3% | −20 | 6 |
| Pomona | Softening | −0.2% | −33 | 3 |
| Rancho Cordova | Softening | −1.3% | −36 | 3 |
| Rancho Cucamonga | Cooling | +0.3% | −30 | 4 |
| Redding | Softening | −0.5% | −38 | 3 |
| Redwood City | Accelerating | +4.0% | +17 | 3 |
| Richmond | Softening | −1.6% | −14 | 4 |
| Riverside | Cooling | +0.5% | −29 | 7 |
| Roseville | Cooling | +0.5% | −29 | 3 |
| Sacramento | Softening | −0.4% | −30 | 26 |
| Salinas | Cooling | +1.4% | −10 | 6 |
| San Bernardino | Cooling | +1.8% | −16 | 7 |
| San Diego | Cooling | +0.8% | −23 | 33 |
| San Francisco | Accelerating | +13.3% | +31 | 26 |
| San Jose | Softening | −0.4% | −11 | 29 |
| San Leandro | Softening | −1.2% | −6 | 3 |
| San Mateo | Accelerating | +5.7% | +31 | 3 |
| Santa Ana | Accelerating | +3.5% | +10 | 5 |
| Santa Barbara | Cooling | +4.2% | −10 | 6 |
| Santa Clara | Cooling | +0.3% | −6 | 3 |
| Santa Clarita | Softening | −0.8% | −44 | 7 |
| Santa Cruz | Cooling | +6.4% | −4 | 4 |
| Santa Maria | Cooling | +3.7% | −2 | 3 |
| Santa Monica | Cooling | +2.2% | −17 | 5 |
| Santa Rosa | Softening | −0.2% | −28 | 6 |
| Stockton | Softening | −2.3% | −44 | 9 |
| Sunnyvale | Accelerating | +1.3% | +4 | 4 |
| Temecula | Softening | 0.0% | −48 | 3 |
| Thousand Oaks | Cooling | +1.4% | −31 | 3 |
| Torrance | Accelerating | +1.9% | +1 | 5 |
| Tracy | Softening | −4.1% | −46 | 3 |
| Vallejo | Softening | −2.4% | −38 | 4 |
| Ventura | Cooling | +1.3% | −26 | 3 |
| Victorville | Cooling | +0.6% | −38 | 3 |
| Visalia | Cooling | +1.5% | −36 | 4 |
| Vista | Cooling | +1.0% | −20 | 3 |
| Walnut Creek | Cooling | +1.3% | −15 | 4 |
| West Covina | Cooling | +1.0% | −32 | 3 |
| Whittier | Cooling | +1.7% | −12 | 6 |
| Woodland | Softening | −0.7% | −35 | 3 |
Top ZIPs
The ten highest HavenScores among ZIPs with 5,000+ residents.
| Rank | Market balance | ZIP | HavenScore | Typical value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | −48, buyer's market | 93555Ridgecrest, CA | 54 | $269K |
| 2 | +1, balanced | 94105San Francisco, CA | 54 | $1.1M |
| 3 | −48, buyer's market | 95742Rancho Cordova, CA | 54 | $614K |
| 4 | −34, leaning buyer | 92342Helendale, CA | 51 | $371K |
| 5 | −45, buyer's market | 93312Bakersfield, CA | 51 | $457K |
| 6 | −46, buyer's market | 96130Susanville, CA | 51 | $239K |
| 7 | −27, leaning buyer | 93611Clovis, CA | 50 | $493K |
| 8 | −30, leaning buyer | 93619Clovis, CA | 50 | $605K |
| 9 | −37, leaning buyer | 93636Madera, CA | 50 | $522K |
| 10 | −37, leaning buyer | 95747Roseville, CA | 50 | $666K |
The score only ranks ZIPs with 5,000+ residents — thinner markets are too noisy month-to-month. National leaderboards → Every scored ZIP in California, by county →
Cities
91 cities with three or more scored ZIPs, from the strongest lean toward buyers to the strongest toward sellers.
| Rank | City | Market balance | HavenScore | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Arrowhead | −56 | 42 | |
| 2 | Murphys | −55 | 33 | |
| 3 | Eureka | −49 | 37 | |
| 4 | Temecula | −48 | 43 | |
| 5 | Tracy | −46 | 43 | |
| 6 | Chico | −46 | 39 | |
| 7 | Stockton | −44 | 41 | |
| 8 | Santa Clarita | −44 | 41 | |
| 9 | Merced | −44 | 37 | |
| 10 | Desert Hot Springs | −44 | 37 | |
| 11 | Bakersfield | −42 | 44 | |
| 12 | Hemet | −40 | 38 | |
The other 79 cities, A to Z
Balance and HavenScore, 0–100, are population-weighted averages of each city’s scored ZIPs. All cities, every state →
Counties
56 counties with three or more scored ZIPs, from the strongest lean toward buyers to the strongest toward sellers.
| Rank | County | Market balance | HavenScore | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calaveras County | −53 | 36 | |
| 2 | Lake County | −53 | 43 | |
| 3 | Mendocino County | −51 | 38 | |
| 4 | Tuolumne County | −51 | 41 | |
| 5 | Yuba County | −48 | 42 | |
| 6 | Humboldt County | −48 | 35 | |
| 7 | Butte County | −46 | 40 | |
| 8 | Mariposa County | −45 | 38 | |
| 9 | Amador County | −45 | 40 | |
| 10 | San Joaquin County | −45 | 41 | |
| 11 | Plumas County | −42 | 40 | |
| 12 | Siskiyou County | −42 | 41 | |
The other 44 counties, A to Z
| County | Market balance | HavenScore | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda County | −10 | 36 | |
| Colusa County | −18 | 38 | |
| Contra Costa County | −21 | 39 | |
| El Dorado County | −37 | 41 | |
| Fresno County | −24 | 41 | |
| Glenn County | −19 | 37 | |
| Imperial County | −16 | 35 | |
| Inyo County | −8 | 36 | |
| Kern County | −38 | 42 | |
| Kings County | −30 | 41 | |
| Lassen County | −39 | 49 | |
| Los Angeles County | −23 | 36 | |
| Madera County | −29 | 41 | |
| Marin County | +12 | 37 | |
| Merced County | −34 | 36 | |
| Modoc County | −11 | 46 | |
| Mono County | −23 | 39 | |
| Monterey County | −12 | 36 | |
| Napa County | −42 | 42 | |
| Nevada County | −35 | 38 | |
| Orange County | −9 | 40 | |
| Placer County | −29 | 45 | |
| Riverside County | −34 | 41 | |
| Sacramento County | −32 | 43 | |
| San Benito County | −37 | 38 | |
| San Bernardino County | −31 | 40 | |
| San Diego County | −19 | 41 | |
| San Francisco County | +31 | 40 | |
| San Luis Obispo County | −17 | 41 | |
| San Mateo County | +19 | 38 | |
| Santa Barbara County | −7 | 38 | |
| Santa Clara County | −6 | 40 | |
| Santa Cruz County | −21 | 36 | |
| Shasta County | −34 | 42 | |
| Sierra County | −14 | 43 | |
| Solano County | −40 | 40 | |
| Sonoma County | −22 | 39 | |
| Stanislaus County | −29 | 37 | |
| Sutter County | −38 | 40 | |
| Tehama County | −33 | 43 | |
| Trinity County | −28 | 45 | |
| Tulare County | −29 | 41 | |
| Ventura County | −26 | 37 | |
| Yolo County | −36 | 38 | |
Each county opens its page of the cheapest scored ZIPs.
Questions about California
Answers from the latest figures, each with its month.
Is California a buyer's market?
As of September 2026, California sits in our Leaning buyer band, with an average HavenScore balance of −21 on a scale from −100 (buyers) to +100 (sellers), weighted by population across its 1,542 scored ZIPs.
Are home values falling in California?
As of August 2026, typical home values in California had risen by an average of 1.1% over the previous 12 months, weighted by population across the 1,541 of its 1,542 scored ZIPs that report it (based on Zillow ZIP-level data).
How long do homes take to sell in California?
As of September 2026, the ZIP-level median time on market in California averaged 51 days, weighted by population across the 1,527 of its 1,542 scored ZIPs that report it, against 60 days for the median U.S. ZIP (based on Realtor.com ZIP-level data).
What does a typical home cost in California?
As of August 2026, the average typical home value in California was $912K, weighted by population across its 1,542 scored ZIPs (based on Zillow ZIP-level data).
Sources and freshness
Every figure on this page, where it came from and when.
ZillowHome values, rentsAugust 2026
Realtor.comListings, days on market, price cutsSeptember 2026
RedfinSale-to-list, sold above listMay 2026
HavenScoreScore, balanceScored October 1, 2026
Rent and sale-to-list average only the ZIPs that report them.
Figures are population-weighted averages of the 1,542 scored ZIPs in California.