How we ranked Northern California's best places
This ranking looks at how each housing market is working right now, using Redfin's figures for the three months ending September 30, 2026. We took the 31 Northern California cities this site tracks and dropped three with fewer than 30 sales in the period (Los Altos Hills, Cottonwood and Palo Cedro), because a handful of sales can swing a median. That left 28 cities from Redding and Red Bluff in the north to Santa Cruz in the south.
Each city gets a score out of 100 from three Redfin measures, each turned into a percentile rank:
- Median sale price (40%). Lower scores higher, because cost is the first filter for most buyers.
- Median days on market (30%). Fewer days scores higher. Fast sales show that buyers want to live there.
- One-year change in the median sale price (30%). A rise scores higher than a fall.
The score measures housing demand and cost only. It says nothing about schools, crime, jobs or weather. Our statewide best places to live in California ranking uses a different measure, Zillow's typical home value, so the two lists are not directly comparable.
The 15 best places to live in Northern California
Redfin median sale price, change from a year earlier, median days on market, homes sold and average sale-to-list ratio, all for the three months ending September 2026.
| Rank | City | County | Median sale price | 1 year | Days on market | Homes sold | Sale to list | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Citrus Heights | Sacramento | $479,772 | +2.4% | 24 | 215 | 100.0% | 74 |
| 2 | Sacramento | Sacramento | $508,258 | +3.3% | 25 | 1050 | 99.9% | 73 |
| 3 | Mountain View | Santa Clara | $1,836,625 | +9.7% | 12 | 130 | 105.1% | 70 |
| 4 | Redding | Shasta | $399,810 | +3.9% | 35 | 322 | 98.4% | 67 |
| 5 | Los Altos | Santa Clara | $4,617,801 | +11.9% | 9 | 76 | 106.3% | 60 |
| 6 | Sunnyvale | Santa Clara | $1,884,103 | +4.1% | 16 | 233 | 104.1% | 60 |
| 7 | Lincoln | Placer | $620,704 | +3.5% | 37 | 279 | 99.2% | 59 |
| 8 | Roseville | Placer | $629,700 | -0.8% | 28 | 519 | 99.3% | 58 |
| 9 | Danville | Contra Costa | $1,799,143 | +6.6% | 25 | 141 | 100.1% | 57 |
| 10 | Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz | $1,350,357 | -0.9% | 17 | 77 | 100.8% | 55 |
| 11 | Rocklin | Placer | $721,406 | +0.9% | 33 | 187 | 98.8% | 52 |
| 12 | Anderson | Shasta | $314,850 | -7.0% | 33 | 40 | 99.8% | 51 |
| 13 | Lafayette | Contra Costa | $1,926,583 | +1.9% | 17 | 67 | 101.4% | 50 |
| 14 | Red Bluff | Tehama | $276,868 | -4.5% | 54 | 52 | 98.4% | 49 |
| 15 | Palo Alto | Santa Clara | $3,608,282 | +0.9% | 13 | 135 | 107.1% | 49 |
The list mixes two kinds of place. Sacramento-area and North State cities score on price. Silicon Valley cities score on speed and price growth, where homes routinely sell above the asking price. Cities that scored lowest, such as Sausalito, Mill Valley, Cupertino and Saratoga, combined high prices with falling medians over the year, though their small sample sizes make those changes less reliable.
The top 15, city by city
1. Citrus Heights (Sacramento County): $479,772
Citrus Heights is a suburban city of about 88,000 in northeastern Sacramento County. It tops this list because it pairs one of the lower prices in the region with fast sales: the median home sold in 24 days, 38% of homes went over list price, and Redfin's median sale price of $479,772 was +2.4% on a year earlier across 215 sales. See is Citrus Heights a good place to live.
2. Sacramento (Sacramento County): $508,258
California's capital sits where the American River meets the Sacramento River. With 1050 sales in three months, it is the deepest market in this list outside San Jose, so you get the most choice. Redfin's median sale price was $508,258 (+3.3%) and the median home sold in 25 days. Older central neighborhoods such as Land Park and East Sacramento cost well above the city median. Start with is Sacramento a good place to live.
3. Mountain View (Santa Clara County): $1,836,625
Mountain View is the Santa Clara County city named for its views of the Santa Cruz Mountains. It is home to Google's headquarters and NASA Ames Research Center. It ranks high despite a $1,836,625 median because its market is among the fastest and strongest here: 12 median days on market, 105.1% of list price on average and a +9.7% rise in the median. See the Mountain View housing market.
4. Redding (Shasta County): $399,810
Redding is the Shasta County seat on the Sacramento River, about 162 miles north of Sacramento, and the commercial center of the Shasta Cascade region. Redfin's median sale price was $399,810, +3.9% on a year earlier, across 322 sales, with homes taking a median of 35 days. It is the lowest-priced city in this list with a deep market. Read is Redding a good place to live and the Redding cost of living guide.
5. Los Altos (Santa Clara County): $4,617,801
Los Altos is a mostly residential city on the western edge of Silicon Valley that keeps its shops to the downtown and a few strips along Foothill Expressway and El Camino Real. Price works against it at a $4,617,801 median, but nothing in Northern California sold faster: 9 median days, with 60% of homes going over list and a +11.9% rise. See the Los Altos housing market.
6. Sunnyvale (Santa Clara County): $1,884,103
Sunnyvale, the second-largest city in Santa Clara County, runs from El Camino Real to the bay next to Moffett Field. In the three months to September, 61% of homes sold over list price, the highest share here, at an average 104.1% of list. The median was $1,884,103 (+4.1%) across 233 sales. Read is Sunnyvale a good place to live.
7. Lincoln (Placer County): $620,704
Lincoln is a Placer County city about 10 miles north of Roseville. It grew 282% between 2000 and 2010, and it is home to Sun City Lincoln Hills, one of the state's largest 55+ communities. Redfin's median sale price was $620,704 (+3.5%) across 279 sales; homes took a median 37 days. See new construction in Lincoln.
8. Roseville (Placer County): $629,700
Roseville is Placer County's largest city, crossed by Interstate 80, and runs its own electric utility. It had 519 sales in three months, the second-largest market in the Sacramento region here. Redfin's median sale price was $629,700, -0.8% on a year earlier, and the median home sold in 28 days. Read the Roseville housing market.
9. Danville (Contra Costa County): $1,799,143
Danville is a town in the San Ramon Valley of Contra Costa County, crossed by the Iron Horse Regional Trail. Its median of $1,799,143 rose +6.6%, one of the stronger gains in the East Bay cities here, and homes sold in a median 25 days. See is Danville a good place to live.
10. Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz County): $1,350,357
Santa Cruz is on the north edge of Monterey Bay, home to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (1904) and the University of California, Santa Cruz. Its median of $1,350,357 slipped -0.9%, but homes sold in a median 17 days, faster than most of the Sacramento region. Read is Santa Cruz a good place to live.
11. Rocklin (Placer County): $721,406
Rocklin is a Placer County city about 22 miles northeast of Sacramento, between Roseville, Loomis and Lincoln. Redfin's median sale price was $721,406 (+0.9%) across 187 sales, with a median 33 days on market. See the Rocklin cost of living guide.
12. Anderson (Shasta County): $314,850
Anderson is a former railroad town about 10 miles south of Redding, near the northern tip of the Central Valley. At $314,850 it has one of the lowest medians in this list, though it fell -7.0% on a small base of 40 sales. Homes sold in a median 33 days. See our Anderson guide.
13. Lafayette (Contra Costa County): $1,926,583
Lafayette is a Contra Costa County city of about 25,000 named after the Marquis de Lafayette. Its median of $1,926,583 rose +1.9%, and homes sold in a median 17 days at 101.4% of list price on average. See our Lafayette guide.
14. Red Bluff (Tehama County): $276,868
Red Bluff, the Tehama County seat, lies on Interstate 5 about 31 miles south of Redding. It has the lowest median in this list, $276,868, down 4.5% on a year earlier, and the slowest sales in this top 15, a median 54 days. That slower pace gives buyers more time to negotiate. Read is Red Bluff a good place to live.
15. Palo Alto (Santa Clara County): $3,608,282
Palo Alto was founded alongside Stanford University and borders Mountain View, Los Altos and Menlo Park. It makes the list on speed: a median 13 days on market and an average sale at 107.1% of list price, the highest in Northern California here. The median was $3,608,282 (+0.9%). See the Palo Alto housing market.
Northern California by region: county prices
County figures are Redfin's monthly numbers for September 2026, which may be revised. They show how far prices fall as you move away from the Bay Area.
| Region | County | Median sale price | 1 year | Homes sold | Days on market | Sale to list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento region | Sacramento County | $543,783 | +2.9% | 1113 | 31 | 99.6% |
| Sacramento region | Placer County | $688,459 | +2.0% | 543 | 48 | 98.1% |
| Sacramento region | El Dorado County | $661,021 | -0.6% | 259 | 54 | 98.1% |
| Sacramento region | Yolo County | $627,595 | +1.4% | 103 | 27 | 98.0% |
| Silicon Valley and the Peninsula | Santa Clara County | $1,568,490 | -4.7% | 1045 | 19 | 102.3% |
| Silicon Valley and the Peninsula | San Mateo County | $1,727,384 | +5.3% | 434 | 14 | 104.2% |
| Silicon Valley and the Peninsula | San Francisco County | $1,661,282 | +18.9% | 476 | 14 | 119.3% |
| East Bay | Alameda County | $1,059,130 | +0.8% | 897 | 18 | 107.3% |
| East Bay | Contra Costa County | $778,258 | -0.2% | 846 | 28 | 101.7% |
| East Bay | Solano County | $563,738 | -6.8% | 322 | 48 | 99.1% |
| North Bay and wine country | Marin County | $1,496,651 | -1.5% | 255 | 25 | 102.7% |
| North Bay and wine country | Sonoma County | $808,191 | +6.6% | 386 | 45 | 100.3% |
| North Bay and wine country | Napa County | $848,102 | -5.8% | 79 | 54 | 97.1% |
| North State | Shasta County | $377,405 | -1.3% | 179 | 43 | 98.0% |
| North State | Tehama County | $329,262 | -1.7% | 52 | 85 | 98.0% |
| North State | Butte County | $409,085 | +0.6% | 154 | 43 | 98.8% |
| North State | Humboldt County | $440,514 | +0.2% | 123 | 24 | 96.8% |
| Sierra foothills and coast | Nevada County | $698,437 | +9.6% | 165 | 41 | 98.6% |
| Sierra foothills and coast | Santa Cruz County | $1,074,595 | -7.6% | 160 | 33 | 98.8% |
Sacramento region: the main lower-cost option
Sacramento County's median of $543,783 is about a third of Santa Clara County's. Placer County ($688,459) costs more and holds most of the region's newer master-planned suburbs, from Roseville to Lincoln. Many Bay Area workers move here and commute or work remotely. See the best suburbs of Sacramento.
Silicon Valley and the Peninsula: highest prices, fastest sales
San Mateo County had the state's highest county median at $1,727,384, and San Francisco sold at 119.3% of list price on average. Homes in all three counties sold in under three weeks. See the best places to live in Silicon Valley.
East Bay: a wide range in one region
Alameda County's median of $1,059,130 compares with $778,258 in Contra Costa and $563,738 in Solano, where Fairfield is the main city this site covers. Alameda homes sold in a median 18 days. Compare the region in our best places to live in the Bay Area guide.
North Bay and wine country: slower markets
Marin County's median was $1,496,651, while Sonoma ($808,191) and Napa ($848,102) cost a little over half that. Napa had 7.9 months of supply, more than most of the region, so buyers there have more room to negotiate. Santa Rosa, Windsor and Healdsburg are the Sonoma cities this site covers.
North State: the lowest prices
Shasta ($377,405) and Tehama ($329,262) counties had the lowest medians in this table. Homes in Tehama took a median 85 days to sell. These counties sit in the Sacramento Valley and its foothills, with hot summers and high wildfire exposure, so price the insurance early.
Sierra foothills and the coast
Nevada County, home to Grass Valley and Truckee, had a median of $698,437, up +9.6%. Santa Cruz County, at $1,074,595, is the coastal option nearest Silicon Valley. For the coast farther south, see our best beach towns in California.
Before you move within Northern California
Fire, smoke and the insurance quote
Much of the foothill and North State housing in this list is in or near state fire hazard zones. Look up the address on CAL FIRE's map and get an insurance quote before you write an offer. Our wildfire zones guide and FAIR Plan guide explain the steps.
The Bay Area commute
Sacramento and Placer prices look low next to Santa Clara County, but the drive to Bay Area job centers is long at peak times. If you will commute, test the drive or the Capitol Corridor train before you buy.
Your tax bill after the purchase
Under Prop 13 the bill restarts from your purchase price, and newer Placer and Sacramento suburbs often add Mello-Roos. If you are 55 or older and selling elsewhere in California, Prop 19 may let you bring your old taxable value. See the property tax guide and the Prop 19 guide.