The Town FilesEl Sobrante, California
Community in Contra Costa County · population 15,524 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $758,800
- Household income
- $114,853
- Jan low / Jul high
- 44° / 71°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 39.3
El Sobrante is a community of 15,524 people in Contra Costa County, California. The median home is worth $758,800, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better transit than 92% of California towns, better for first-time buyers than 87% of California towns, better for young professionals than 72% of California towns.
How El Sobrante ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in El Sobrante is worth $758,800, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.6 times the median household income of $114,853, which is more affordable than 47% of California towns. Median rent is $2,216 a month. 67.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | El Sobrante | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $758,800 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,216 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $114,853 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.6× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 67.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in El Sobrante
| People | El Sobrante | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.3% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.5% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.4% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 31.1% | — |
| Work from home | 15.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 33.8 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.5% | 93.3% |
Weather in El Sobrante
July highs average 70.8°F and January lows 44.1°F. About 24.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of El Sobrante since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on December 5, 1998 about 3.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 5, 1998.
Severe weather in Contra Costa County since 1996
Contra Costa County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3428: Covid-19 |
| April 1, 2017 | Flood | DR-4308: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County had 373,992 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $86,234 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in El Sobrante itself the ACS puts it at 5.4%.
Public schools in El Sobrante
4 public schools with 1,142 students, about 20.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murphy Elementary | K-6 | 445 | 20.2 |
| Betty Reid Soskin Middle | 6-8 | 378 | 18.9 |
| Olinda Elementary | K-6 | 319 | 22.8 |
| Harbour Way Elementary Community Day | K-8 | — | — |
Towns near El Sobrante
- Rollingwood, CA1.6 mi · 3,015 people · home $600,000
- Tara Hills, CA1.6 mi · 5,364 people · home $661,200
- East Richmond Heights, CA2.1 mi · 3,460 people · home $915,400
- Pinole, CA2.1 mi · 19,022 people · home $718,600
- Montalvin Manor, CA2.2 mi · 3,099 people · home $438,600
- San Pablo, CA2.3 mi · 32,127 people · home $551,700
- Hercules, CA3.4 mi · 26,016 people · home $769,400
- Richmond, CA3.5 mi · 116,448 people · home $668,200
El Sobrante questions
Is El Sobrante, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, El Sobrante scores better for retirees than 59% of California towns and quieter than 43%. 18.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.3).
How much does a house cost in El Sobrante?
The median owner-occupied home in El Sobrante is valued at $758,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $114,853, so homes cost about 6.6 times income. Median rent is $2,216 a month.
What is the weather like in El Sobrante?
July highs average 70.8°F and January lows 44.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 24.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does El Sobrante get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of El Sobrante since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on December 5, 1998. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)