Land and home values in California
Across California's 58 counties, residential land is about $46.30 per sq ft at the state median ($2.02M an acre). The typical home is worth about $784,000 and a 2-bedroom rents for about $2,760 a month. Largest city: Los Angeles; capital: Sacramento. Values as of October 12, 2026.
Open on the satellite mapState values
| Land: residential | $46.30 | per sq ft |
| Land: residential | $2.02M | per acre |
| Land: quarter-acre lot | $504,207 | 10,890 sq ft |
| Land: farmland | $14,100 | per acre |
| Home: typical (median) | $784,000 | value |
| Home: entry-level | $601,000 | lower quartile |
| Home: upper-end | $972,000 | upper quartile |
| Build new | $177 | per sq ft, no land |
| Rent: 1-bedroom | $2,240 | per month |
| Rent: 2-bedroom | $2,760 | per month |
| Rent: 3-bedroom | $3,620 | per month |
| Rent: 4-bedroom | $4,160 | per month |
| Gross yield, 2-bed | 4.2% | a year |
Price tiers
| Tier | Tracts | Land $/sq ft | Typical home | Rent 2-bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top tier | 801 | $143 | $1.94M | $3,610 |
| Upper | 1,985 | $81.20 | $1.18M | $3,220 |
| Mid | 3,038 | $53.20 | $854,000 | $2,770 |
| Entry | 2,779 | $32.00 | $609,000 | $2,420 |
| Small town | 73 | $10.90 | $435,000 | $1,640 |
| Rural | 387 | $8.21 | $457,000 | $1,650 |
| Farmland | 66 | $5.53 | $383,000 | $1,410 |
Tiers rank neighborhoods by home value within each metro area; outside metro areas they follow how built-up the land is. They describe prices only.
Every county
| County | Setting | Land $/sq ft | Per acre | Typical home | Rent 2-bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco County | Metro core | $205 | $8.94M | $1.39M | $3,540 |
| Santa Clara County | Metro core | $114 | $4.96M | $1.52M | $3,700 |
| San Mateo County | Metro core | $110 | $4.8M | $1.42M | $3,960 |
| Orange County | Metro core | $82.10 | $3.58M | $1.04M | $3,400 |
| Marin County | Metro core | $72.30 | $3.15M | $1.47M | $3,660 |
| Los Angeles County | Metro core | $68.20 | $2.97M | $876,000 | $2,740 |
| Alameda County | Metro core | $65.00 | $2.83M | $1.04M | $3,080 |
| Santa Cruz County | Metro core | $64.00 | $2.79M | $1.15M | $4,540 |
| Santa Barbara County | Metro core | $58.20 | $2.54M | $973,000 | $3,420 |
| Ventura County | Metro core | $49.60 | $2.16M | $863,000 | $2,890 |
| San Diego County | Metro core | $45.80 | $2M | $883,000 | $3,230 |
| Monterey County | Metro core | $44.30 | $1.93M | $829,000 | $2,870 |
| Mono County | Rural | $43.80 | $1.91M | $782,000 | $1,650 |
| Napa County | Metro core | $39.10 | $1.7M | $904,000 | $2,890 |
| San Luis Obispo County | Metro core | $37.00 | $1.61M | $904,000 | $2,660 |
| Contra Costa County | Suburban | $34.70 | $1.51M | $801,000 | $3,020 |
| San Benito County | Suburban | $29.80 | $1.3M | $786,000 | $2,820 |
| Sonoma County | Metro core | $29.80 | $1.3M | $814,000 | $2,920 |
| Placer County | Metro core | $20.70 | $901,692 | $712,000 | $2,730 |
| Yolo County | Suburban | $19.80 | $862,488 | $640,000 | $2,160 |
| San Joaquin County | Metro core | $18.60 | $810,216 | $498,000 | $1,850 |
| San Bernardino County | Metro core | $18.30 | $797,148 | $508,000 | $2,360 |
| Riverside County | Metro core | $17.50 | $762,300 | $589,000 | $2,550 |
| Sacramento County | Metro core | $17.30 | $753,588 | $540,000 | $2,340 |
| Solano County | Metro core | $17.20 | $749,232 | $611,000 | $2,360 |
| Humboldt County | Small town | $15.40 | $670,824 | $433,000 | $1,600 |
| Stanislaus County | Metro core | $14.90 | $649,044 | $458,000 | $1,820 |
| El Dorado County | Metro core | $14.80 | $644,688 | $676,000 | $2,270 |
| Butte County | Metro core | $14.60 | $635,976 | $441,000 | $1,660 |
| Mendocino County | Small town | $13.20 | $574,992 | $542,000 | $1,720 |
| Nevada County | Small town | $11.30 | $492,228 | $668,000 | $2,060 |
| Alpine County | Small town | $10.60 | $461,736 | $612,000 | $1,530 |
| Fresno County | Metro core | $10.40 | $453,024 | $372,000 | $1,700 |
| Tulare County | Metro core | $9.53 | $415,301 | $343,000 | $1,510 |
| Sutter County | Metro core | $9.28 | $404,063 | $466,000 | $1,650 |
| Kings County | Metro core | $9.01 | $392,432 | $340,000 | $1,580 |
| Merced County | Metro core | $8.99 | $391,822 | $402,000 | $1,590 |
| Madera County | Suburban | $8.48 | $369,519 | $418,000 | $1,460 |
| Shasta County | Metro core | $8.14 | $354,622 | $370,000 | $1,630 |
| Colusa County | Rural | $8.01 | $348,741 | $438,000 | $1,220 |
| Yuba County | Metro core | $7.67 | $333,975 | $367,000 | $1,570 |
| Kern County | Metro core | $7.47 | $325,480 | $312,000 | $1,620 |
| Amador County | Rural | $6.55 | $285,274 | $465,000 | $1,600 |
| Tuolumne County | Small town | $6.54 | $284,882 | $435,000 | $1,630 |
| Calaveras County | Rural | $6.18 | $269,070 | $480,000 | $1,600 |
| Glenn County | Rural | $6.11 | $266,108 | $381,000 | $1,370 |
| Mariposa County | Rural | $5.79 | $252,082 | $410,000 | $1,600 |
| Plumas County | Rural | $5.77 | $251,472 | $348,000 | $1,410 |
| Imperial County | Metro core | $5.43 | $236,400 | $352,000 | $1,430 |
| Del Norte County | Small town | $5.37 | $233,743 | $377,000 | $1,450 |
| Tehama County | Small town | $5.22 | $227,209 | $355,000 | $1,420 |
| Lake County | Small town | $4.98 | $216,972 | $338,000 | $1,480 |
| Sierra County | Rural | $4.73 | $205,952 | $317,000 | $1,530 |
| Trinity County | Rural | $3.79 | $165,267 | $355,000 | $1,200 |
| Inyo County | Small town | $3.42 | $149,062 | $255,000 | $1,640 |
| Siskiyou County | Rural | $2.97 | $129,330 | $324,000 | $1,200 |
| Modoc County | Rural | $2.81 | $122,316 | $243,000 | $1,120 |
| Lassen County | Small town | $2.47 | $107,767 | $264,000 | $1,260 |
Questions people ask
How much is land worth in California?
Residential land in California is about $46.30 per square foot, or $2.02M an acre, as of October 2026. A quarter-acre lot (10,890 sq ft) is about $504,207. Smaller lots sell for more per square foot and large tracts for less.
Where is land most expensive in California?
The highest county medians for residential land are San Francisco County ($205 per sq ft), Santa Clara County ($114 per sq ft), San Mateo County ($110 per sq ft), Orange County ($82.10 per sq ft).
Where is land cheapest in California?
The lowest county medians are Lassen County ($2.47 per sq ft), Modoc County ($2.81 per sq ft), Siskiyou County ($2.97 per sq ft), Inyo County ($3.42 per sq ft); farmland and remote acreage are cheaper still.
What is the typical home value in California?
The typical (median) home in California is worth about $784,000, with entry-level homes around $601,000 and upper-end homes around $972,000, as of October 2026.
How much is rent in California?
A 2-bedroom rents for about $2,760 a month in California, a 1-bedroom about $2,240 and a 3-bedroom about $3,620 (gross rent including utilities, HUD Fair Market Rent basis).
How much is farmland per acre in California?
Farmland averages about $14,100 an acre in California (USDA, including buildings), well below residential land.
Is this an appraisal?
No. Indicative values for screening, budgeting and negotiation, not an appraisal. For lending, a tax appeal or legal use, hire a state-licensed or certified appraiser.