California’s median price held near $900,000 through the third quarter while sales slowed in September as mortgage rates rose. Here are the numbers for the state, its regions and its major counties, with the full report free to download.
By Cresco Intelligence, the research desk of Cresco Real Estate. Licensed UAE brokerage, RERA ORN 34288, with a US office in Los Angeles. Published 6 November 2026.
The short answer
The median held in a tight band all quarter. The sales pace rose to 269,620 in August, then dropped to 260,410 in September. Year to date, sales were still up 0.8%.
Listings did not sit long. Median days on market were 29 in September, against 32 a year earlier, and sellers received 98.8% of list price. About 35.9% of September sales closed at $1 million or more.
| Measure | July | August | September |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median price | $887,680 | $901,420 | $899,720 |
| Sales pace (annual rate) | 263,170 | 269,620 | 260,410 |
| Condo and townhouse median | $645,000 | $640,000 | $640,000 |
| 30 year fixed rate | 6.54% | 6.67% | 6.86% |
| Region | Sept 2026 median | Price, year on year | Sales, year on year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern California | $895,000 | up 3.0% | down 9.1% |
| San Francisco Bay Area | $1,325,000 | up 1.9% | down 3.1% |
| Central Coast | $1,049,500 | up 4.4% | up 4.4% |
| Central Valley | $500,000 | flat | down 2.5% |
| Far North | $377,150 | down 3.4% | down 9.0% |
The Bay Area median is more than three times the Far North median. The Central Coast was the only region where September sales rose.
| County and main cities | Sept 2026 median | Price, year on year | Sales, year on year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Los Angeles, Long Beach, Glendale, Santa Clarita | $994,670 | up 1.2% | down 10.9% |
| Orange Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine, Huntington Beach | $1,480,000 | up 5.6% | down 2.0% |
| San Diego San Diego, Chula Vista, Oceanside, Escondido | $1,050,000 | up 6.1% | down 12.2% |
| Riverside Riverside, Moreno Valley, Corona, Temecula | $620,000 | down 0.6% | down 12.7% |
| San Bernardino San Bernardino, Fontana, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga | $531,090 | up 6.2% | down 6.0% |
| Ventura Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Ventura | $930,000 | up 3.3% | up 6.4% |
| San Francisco San Francisco | $2,054,000 | up 17.4% | up 6.2% |
| San Mateo Daly City, San Mateo, Redwood City | $2,327,500 | up 8.3% | down 8.6% |
| Santa Clara San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Palo Alto | $1,920,000 | down 4.0% | up 1.5% |
| Alameda Oakland, Fremont, Hayward, Berkeley | $1,265,000 | up 1.2% | down 4.4% |
| Contra Costa Concord, Antioch, Richmond, Walnut Creek | $870,000 | up 0.1% | down 5.7% |
| Sacramento Sacramento, Elk Grove, Citrus Heights | $555,000 | up 2.8% | down 2.7% |
| Fresno Fresno, Clovis | $429,450 | down 3.5% | down 10.5% |
| Kern Bakersfield | $420,000 | up 3.7% | down 3.6% |
San Francisco posted the biggest price gain of the major counties, up 17.4%. Santa Clara, which includes San Jose, was down 4.0%. In Southern California, sales fell in every major county except Ventura.
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The California Association of REALTORS reported a statewide median of $887,680 in July, $901,420 in August and $899,720 in September 2026 for existing single family sales. September was up 1.7% year on year.
Among the major counties, San Mateo had the highest September 2026 median at $2,327,500, followed by San Francisco at $2,054,000 and Santa Clara at $1,920,000.
Down at the end of the quarter. The September 2026 sales pace was 260,410, down 6.5% year on year, though year to date sales were still up 0.8%.
Sources: C.A.R., September 2026 sales and price report; C.A.R., August 2026 report; C.A.R., July 2026 report. Mortgage rates are Freddie Mac averages as cited by C.A.R.
This is general information, not investment, tax or legal advice. Figures are existing single family medians from the California Association of REALTORS monthly reports for July, August and September 2026, checked on 6 November 2026. A median moves with the mix of what sold. Q3 means July to September 2026.
The full report covers all 51 counties we could read in the C.A.R. release, with charts, county profiles and sources.