What the Walnut Creek price trend shows
Walnut Creek prices have moved sideways for about three years. Zillow's typical home value hit $1,054,352 in June 2022, fell to $992,326 by September 2023, recovered to $1,015,032 in September 2024, then dipped to $977,849 in September 2025. In September 2026 it stood at $990,472: up 1.3% in a year, up 7.7% over five years and up 49.4% over ten years, from $663,181 in September 2016. The typical value is still about 6% below the 2022 peak.
Redfin's numbers measure the homes that actually sold, so they move with the mix of sales. The median sale price for the three months to September 2026 was $847,596, down 2.0% on a year earlier. The median price per square foot was $571.58, up 0.3%. Price per square foot held steady while the median slipped, which points to a shift toward smaller homes in the sales mix rather than falling values.
Why Walnut Creek's Redfin median sits below Zillow's typical value
The gap of about $143,000 between the two measures comes mostly from ZIP 94595. Redfin counted 139 sales there in the three months to September 2026, and 125 of them were condos or co-ops, with a median of $599,982. Much of that ZIP is the Rossmoor 55+ community, where co-op and condo manors trade far below a detached house. Zillow's index tracks the value of a typical mid-priced home across all housing in the city, so it is less affected by which homes happened to sell. Use Zillow for the trend and Redfin for what buyers paid recently, and never compare one with the other.
Walnut Creek rents are rising faster than values
Zillow's typical Walnut Creek rent was $2,924 in September 2026, up 4.8% in a year and up 14.1% over five years, close to its July 2026 record of $2,937. With values up only 1.3%, rents are gaining ground. Owning still costs much more each month: at the Freddie Mac 30-year rate of 7.24% (week of October 29, 2026), a 20% down loan on Zillow's typical value of $990,472 has a principal and interest payment of about $5,400, before property tax, insurance and HOA dues.
For county-wide figures, see our Contra Costa County market data page.
Sale speed, price cuts and inventory in Walnut Creek
How fast Walnut Creek homes sell
Redfin's median days on market in Walnut Creek was 33 for the three months to September 2026, a little slower than the county's 28 days in September. Of homes listed, 37.6% went under contract within two weeks and 32.9% sold above list price. The average sale closed at 100.0% of list, so most buyers paid close to the asking price. Speed varies a lot by ZIP: 16 days in 94598 against 49 days in 94595.
Price cuts across the San Francisco metro
Zillow reports that 21.2% of San Francisco-Oakland metro listings had a price cut in September 2026, and the mean time to pending was 38 days. The metro's sale-to-list ratio was 106.1% in August 2026, well above Walnut Creek's 100.0%, so homes across the wider metro sell further above asking than homes here. Redfin does not publish a city-level price-cut share, so ask an agent how many active listings near your target home have cut their price and by how much.
Walnut Creek inventory and supply
Redfin counted 231 homes for sale in Walnut Creek at the end of the period, up 1.3% from a year earlier, with 2.5 months of supply. New listings were 327, down 1.4%, against 287 homes sold, down 3.2%, and 279 pending sales. Three months of supply or less usually favors sellers and six or more favors buyers. Contra Costa County had 2.6 months of supply in September 2026, so Walnut Creek is about as tight as the county overall, and neither side has a strong edge.
Walnut Creek home prices by ZIP code
Walnut Creek's four ZIP codes behave like four different markets. The table uses Zillow's typical home value for September 2026; the notes below use Redfin's three-month sales figures to September 2026. Full details are on our Walnut Creek ZIP codes page.
| ZIP | Zillow typical value (Sept 2026) | Change in a year | Main housing type in sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| 94598 | $1,369,644 | +2.3% | Detached houses |
| 94596 | $1,064,425 | +1.8% | Mix of houses and condos |
| 94597 | $972,248 | +1.3% | Mix of houses and townhomes |
| 94595 | $665,851 | +0.3% | Condos and co-ops |
94598: the east side sells fastest
Redfin's median sale price in 94598 was $1,399,589 (down 1.1%) on 68 sales, with a median of 16 days on market and an average sale at 102.0% of list. More than half of sales (53.7%) went above asking. Detached houses made up 47 of the 68 sales, at a median of $1,593,098. See the 94598 market data page.
94597: Oak Road and Buena Vista, with townhome sales
The 94597 median was $1,136,479, up 26.8%, on 69 sales. That jump reflects the mix: 32 detached sales at a median of $1,434,638 and 16 townhome sales at $1,135,002, against fewer condos than a year earlier. Median days on market was 24. See the 94597 market data page.
94596: downtown and the BART station area
94596 had a median of $994,708, down 13.6%, on 59 sales, with 36 days on market and an average sale at 98.8% of list. Detached houses sold for a median of $1,677,077 and condos for $432,487, so the overall median swings with whichever type sold more. See the 94596 market data page.
94595: Rossmoor and Tice Valley
94595 had the most sales, 139, at a median of $629,315, down 1.7%, and the slowest pace at 49 days. Condos and co-ops sold for a median of $599,982 and took 57 days. The 15 detached sales had a median of $1,599,597. See the 94595 market data page.
Condos, houses, luxury and new homes in Walnut Creek
Detached houses in Walnut Creek
Across the four ZIPs, Redfin's three-month medians for detached houses ran from $1,434,638 in 94597 to $1,677,077 in 94596. House sales were fastest in 94598 (15 days) and 94595 (14 days). At these prices a buyer with 20% down needs a loan of about $1.15 million to $1.34 million, which may exceed the county conforming loan limit; confirm the current limit and jumbo loan terms with your lender.
Condos and co-ops in Walnut Creek
Condos are the entry point. Redfin's condo and co-op medians ranged from $432,487 in 94596 to $601,232 in 94597, with sales taking 20 to 57 days. County-wide, condo prices fell 7.2% in the year to September 2026 and took a median 58 days to sell, so condo buyers have more room to negotiate than house buyers. Rossmoor co-ops are a separate product: you buy shares rather than a deed, and the community says property taxes are included in the monthly fee. Our Walnut Creek condos guide and 55+ communities guide cover both.
Townhomes in Walnut Creek
Townhomes sold for a median of $1,135,002 in 94597 and $750,001 in 94598 over the three months, a wide gap that reflects age and size. Several new townhome communities are selling or planned, including SummerHill Homes' Oak Grove on Oak Road. See new homes in Walnut Creek.
Luxury homes in and around Walnut Creek
The top of the market is in the hills. Zillow's typical value in the Livorna Estates neighborhood was $1,781,752 and in Woodlands $1,402,313 in September 2026. Next door, Lafayette's typical value was $1,907,310. Luxury buyers often compare Walnut Creek's east and south hills with Lafayette, Alamo and Danville; our Walnut Creek neighborhoods guide lists each area.
Is now a good time to buy a home in Walnut Creek?
It depends on your budget, how long you plan to stay and the type of home. The data points both ways.
Reasons to buy in Walnut Creek now
- Prices are about 6% below the 2022 peak on Zillow's measure, and growth has been slow, so you are not buying at the top of a rapid run.
- Supply is balanced at 2.5 months, and the average sale closes at list price rather than well above it, unlike much of the inner Bay Area.
- Condo prices are soft county-wide, and condos sit on the market for weeks, which gives room to negotiate on price, repairs or credits.
- Rents rose 4.8% in a year, so renting is getting more expensive while values are flat.
Reasons to wait or rent in Walnut Creek
- At 7.24%, the monthly payment on a typical home is about $5,400 before tax, insurance and dues, well above the typical rent of $2,924.
- Values have risen only 7.7% in five years, so a short stay may not cover buying and selling costs.
- Houses in 94598 still sell in about two weeks and often above list, so competition there remains strong.
Before you offer, check the property tax rate for the parcel on our Contra Costa County property tax guide, and price insurance early using the California homeowners insurance guide.
Is now a good time to sell a home in Walnut Creek?
For detached houses, conditions are fair to good. Houses in 94598 and 94595 sold in about two weeks over the three months to September 2026, and more than half of 94598 sales closed above list. Condo sellers face a slower market: 57 days in 94595 and 94596, and falling county-wide prices. Price to the most recent comparable sales, not to the 2022 peak.
Your costs include the county documentary transfer tax, explained in our transfer tax guide, and agent commission, which is negotiable and handled differently since 2024; see how commission works in California. The guide to selling a house in California covers disclosures and timing.
Walnut Creek housing market outlook
We do not make our own forecast. Zillow's Home Value Forecast for the San Francisco-Oakland metro, published with September 2026 data, expects values to rise 0.4% by October 2026, 0.5% by December 2026 and 1.9% by September 2027. That points to slow growth, in line with Walnut Creek's own 1.3% gain over the last year.
Three things to watch: mortgage rates, which set what buyers can afford; listings in 94598, the fastest-moving ZIP; and condo prices in 94595 and 94596, which have been the weak spot. We update this page with each month's data. For the statewide picture, see the California housing market guide.