Housing Market Overview
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Alameda County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $930,195 | $642,203 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 10.9% | 10.0% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $2,317 | $1,955 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 7.1% | 6.0% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Alameda County is about 45% higher than in California. Rent is about 19% higher than the California average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in Alameda County, up about 10.9% and 7.1% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Alameda County rose about 69.6% between 2015 and 2023, from $1,366 to $2,317. Over the same span, rent in California rose about 55.7%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 7.4 yearly household incomes in Alameda County.
Buying the median-priced home in Alameda County costs roughly 33.4 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Alameda County. The price-to-rent ratio in California is about 27.4.
| Metric | Alameda County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $930,195 | $642,203 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $126,458 | $96,718 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 7.4 | 6.6 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Alameda County rose about 135.7%, while median household income rose about 82.8% between 2009 and 2023 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Alameda County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 50.9% | 51.6% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 43.2% | 40.9% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 6.0% | 7.6% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2011 | 2011 | 2011 |
Alameda County has a homeownership rate of 50.9%, lower than the California average of 51.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 6.0%, compared with 7.6% in California.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Alameda County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.72 people | 2.85 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1968 | 1975 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 4.8 | 5.0 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Alameda County was built around 1968. On average, 2.7 people live in a home with about 4.8 rooms, staying for about 15.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Alameda County, California.
What is the median home price in Alameda County, California?
The median home price in Alameda County, California is $930,195, higher than the California average of $642,203.
What is the average home price in Alameda County, California?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Alameda County, California?
The median gross rent in Alameda County, California is $2,317 per month, higher than the California average of $1,955.
What was the median gross rent in Alameda County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Alameda County, California was $1,903 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Alameda County, California?
The price-to-rent ratio in Alameda County, California is about 33.4, meaning it would take roughly 33.4 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Alameda County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Alameda County, California?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Alameda County, up about 10.9% and 7.1% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Alameda County, California?
50.9% of households in Alameda County, California own their home, lower than the California average of 51.6%.
What is the vacancy rate in Alameda County, California?
The housing vacancy rate in Alameda County, California is 6.0%, lower than the California average of 7.6%.