The Town FilesWalnut Creek, California
City in Contra Costa County · population 70,127 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,057,300
- Household income
- $130,432
- Jan low / Jul high
- 42° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 46.8
Walnut Creek is a city of 70,127 people in Contra Costa County, California. The median home is worth $1,057,300, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for young professionals than 94% of California towns, better transit than 92% of California towns, more upscale than 91% of California towns.
How Walnut Creek 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 Walnut Creek is worth $1,057,300, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.1 times the median household income of $130,432, which is more affordable than 25% of California towns. Median rent is $2,680 a month. 64.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Walnut Creek | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,057,300 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,680 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $130,432 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.1× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 64.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Walnut Creek
| People | Walnut Creek | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 15.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 70.4% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.4% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 24.4% | — |
| Work from home | 30.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 30.6 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.3% | 93.3% |
Weather in Walnut Creek
July highs average 88.3°F and January lows 41.7°F. About 17.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 47 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 4 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Walnut Creek since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on September 18, 1989 about 4.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 18, 1989.
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 Walnut Creek itself the ACS puts it at 6%.
Public schools in Walnut Creek
16 public schools with 10,149 students, about 23.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Las Lomas High | 9-12 | 1,568 | 20.1 |
| Northgate High | 9-12 | 1,535 | 23.6 |
| Walnut Creek Intermediate | 6-8 | 993 | 23.6 |
| Foothill Middle | 6-8 | 947 | 26.3 |
| Bancroft Elementary | K-5 | 686 | 27.4 |
| Walnut Acres Elementary | K-5 | 678 | 32.3 |
| Buena Vista Elementary | K-5 | 494 | 23.5 |
| Valle Verde Elementary | K-5 | 485 | 32.3 |
| Parkmead Elementary | K-5 | 444 | 23.4 |
| Tice Creek | K-8 | 437 | 23.0 |
| Murwood Elementary | K-5 | 413 | 21.7 |
| Walnut Heights Elementary | K-5 | 402 | 23.6 |
Towns near Walnut Creek
- San Miguel, CA1.1 mi · 3,591 people · home $1,649,100
- Contra Costa Centre, CA1.8 mi · 6,808 people · home $733,300
- Saranap, CA2.2 mi · 5,830 people · home $1,453,300
- Alamo, CA3.6 mi · 15,314 people · home $2,000,001
- Pleasant Hill, CA4.0 mi · 34,613 people · home $1,077,100
- Reliez Valley, CA4.3 mi · 3,354 people · home $1,740,200
- Lafayette, CA4.4 mi · 25,391 people · home $2,000,001
- Concord, CA5.3 mi · 125,410 people · home $797,600
Walnut Creek questions
Is Walnut Creek, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Walnut Creek scores better for retirees than 65% of California towns and quieter than 48%. 29.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.8).
How much does a house cost in Walnut Creek?
The median owner-occupied home in Walnut Creek is valued at $1,057,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $130,432, so homes cost about 8.1 times income. Median rent is $2,680 a month.
What is the weather like in Walnut Creek?
July highs average 88.3°F and January lows 41.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 17.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Walnut Creek get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Walnut Creek since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on September 18, 1989. 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)