Walnut Creek Listed Among 'Million Dollar' Cities In U.S.: Report

WALNUT CREEK, CA — It's no secret that housing prices just keep climbing in the Golden State. In the Bay Area, there are 98 cities where the average home value is $1 million or more, according to a recent report.

In 2021, that number rose by a dozen more than the previous year, with Walnut Creek joining the list, according to a Zillow analysis. In Walnut Creek, the average home value is $1,153,872 — up by 16.7 percent over the past year.

"The surge in demand for housing last year sent home values skyrocketing, even in places where prices already were sky-high, and that helped tip a record number of cities into the million-dollar club," said Jeff Tucker, Zillow senior economist, in a statement.

Across the U.S., there are 481 million-dollar U.S. cities, with 146 more than a year ago — the largest jump observed in six years.

"The locations of these newly seven-figure towns bust the myth that everyone fled California and the Northeast last year, as California, Massachusetts and New York led the pack for the most new cities with home values above $1 million," Tucker said.

The majority of these expensive cities are located near metro areas such as San Francisco and New York.

New to this year's list of million-dollar cities in the Bay Area are Castro Valley, Walnut Creek, Livermore, El. Cerrito, Woodacre, Novato, Byron, Tomales, Lagunitas, Buena Vista, Gilroy and East Palo Alto.

Read the full Zillow analysis here.