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: Counties in California
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | California | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $642,203 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 10.0% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,955 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 6.0% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — |
The median home price in California is about 165% higher than in US. Rent is about 46% higher than the US 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 California, up about 10.0% and 6.0% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in California rose about 55.7% between 2015 and 2023, from $1,255 to $1,955. Over the same span, rent in US rose about 45.1%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 6.6 yearly household incomes in California.
Buying the median-priced home in California costs roughly 27.4 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 California. The price-to-rent ratio in US is about 15.0.
| Metric | California | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $642,203 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $96,718 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 6.6 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in California rose about 121.8%, while median household income rose about 59.8% 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 | California | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 51.6% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 40.9% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 7.6% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2011 | 2011 |
California has a homeownership rate of 51.6%, lower than the US average of 58.2%. Its housing vacancy rate is 7.6%, compared with 10.6% in US.
Housing Stock
| Metric | California | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.85 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1975 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.0 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in California was built around 1975. On average, 2.9 people live in a home with about 5.0 rooms, staying for about 15.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in California.
What is the median home price in California?
The median home price in California is $642,203, higher than the US average of $242,182.
What is the average home price in 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 California?
The median gross rent in California is $1,955 per month, higher than the US average of $1,342.
What was the median gross rent in California in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in California was $1,586 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in California?
The price-to-rent ratio in California is about 27.4, meaning it would take roughly 27.4 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 California.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in California?
Both home prices and rent are rising in California, up about 10.0% and 6.0% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in California?
51.6% of households in California own their home, lower than the US average of 58.2%.
What is the vacancy rate in California?
The housing vacancy rate in California is 7.6%, lower than the US average of 10.6%.