Free resource
The Bay Area Housing Cheat Sheet
A quick interactive affordability check plus a starter city table. Use it to narrow the search before opening twenty tabs.
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City median
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Starter city table
| City | County | Median home | Est 2BR rent | Tax rate | Fit notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo | Solano | $550,000 | $2,350 | 1.18% | lowest price, ferry, long commute |
| Pittsburg | Contra Costa | $610,000 | $2,500 | 1.16% | lowest price, BART, far commute |
| Richmond | Contra Costa | $650,000 | $2,650 | 1.16% | value, waterfront pockets, BART |
| Concord | Contra Costa | $725,000 | $2,600 | 1.16% | relative value, BART, hotter summers |
| Oakland | Alameda | $729,000 | $2,755 | 1.24% | urban, value pockets, BART |
| Hayward | Alameda | $820,000 | $2,825 | 1.24% | relative value, BART, mixed housing |
| San Leandro | Alameda | $836,500 | $2,750 | 1.24% | BART, starter homes, practical commute |
| Walnut Creek | Contra Costa | $1,080,000 | $3,250 | 1.16% | downtown, schools, suburban |
| Daly City | San Mateo | $1,180,000 | $3,250 | 1.11% | SF-adjacent, fog, value vs SF |
| Dublin | Alameda | $1,212,000 | $3,200 | 1.24% | newer housing, schools, family-friendly |
| Union City | Alameda | $1,278,888 | $3,150 | 1.24% | commute middle, suburban, BART |
| Berkeley | Alameda | $1,350,000 | $3,350 | 1.24% | college town, walkable, older housing |
| Mountain View | Santa Clara | $1,390,000 | $4,050 | 1.21% | tech, Caltrain, expensive condos |
| San Jose | Santa Clara | $1,489,000 | $3,450 | 1.21% | job center, suburban pockets, large city |
| Redwood City | San Mateo | $1,498,000 | $4,200 | 1.11% | Peninsula, Caltrain, downtown |
| Pleasanton | Alameda | $1,499,000 | $3,350 | 1.24% | schools, suburban, downtown |
| Fremont | Alameda | $1,503,250 | $3,300 | 1.24% | family-friendly, commute friendly, schools |
| Santa Clara | Santa Clara | $1,548,500 | $3,850 | 1.21% | tech, central South Bay, utilities |
| Sunnyvale | Santa Clara | $1,599,444 | $3,950 | 1.21% | tech, schools, commute friendly |
| San Francisco | San Francisco | $1,687,500 | $5,010 | 1.18% | urban walkable, transit, high ceiling |