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The Most Expensive Cities in California Might Surprise You
For those who dare to dream, here are the 10 most expensive places to live in the Golden State.
2 min read
February 21, 2020
It’s no secret that California is home to some incredible (and expensive) real estate—especially in big cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego. While it’s easy to see why people want to move into the state’s best beach houses and purchase vacation homes, achieving these goals gets harder every year as property values continue to rise.
According to PropertyShark’s 2019 annual real estate reports, California is home to 91 of the 100 most expensive cities (by zip code) in the country, so it’s no surprise that Californians pay more for housing than the average American. So, it might be time to move to the Bay Area’s least expensive city (or even to a remote destination with more affordable housing) to purchase a starter home and begin saving for the place you really want. But for those who dare to dream, here are the most expensive zip codes in the Golden State.
The Top 10 Most Expensive Cities in California
1. Atherton
Zip code: 94027
County: San Mateo
Median sale price: $7,050,000
2. Santa Monica
Zip code: 90402
County: Los Angeles
Median sale price: $4,154,000
3. Beverly Hills
Zip code: 90210
County: Los Angeles
Median sale price: $4,080,000
4. Palo Alto
Zip code: 94301
County: Santa Clara
Median sale price: $3,522,000
5. Los Altos (94022)
Zip code: 94022
County: Santa Clara
Median sale price: $3,450,000
6. Ross
Zip code: 94957
County: Marin
Median sale price: $3,350,000
7. Portola Valley
Zip code: 94028
County: San Mateo
Median sale price: $3,300,000
8. Los Altos (94024)
Zip code: 94024
County: Santa Clara
Median sale price: $3,150,000
9. Newport Beach (92661)
Zip code: 92661
County: Orange
Median sale price: $3,140,000
10. Newport Beach (92662)
Zip code: 92662
County: Orange
Median sale price: $2,900,000
In total, 55 Bay Area zip codes made it into the top 100, while only 21 Los Angeles County zip codes did. For an even more direct comparison, 13 zip codes in the city of San Francisco were among the most expensive places to live in California, while only 6 from the city of Los Angeles made the pricey cut.
Are you still dreaming of buying a house in one of the most expensive cities to live in? Let us know where you’re looking to splurge in the comments below.
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