Walnut Creek, CA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Walnut Creek, CA Summary

Cost of living in Walnut Creek research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Walnut Creek is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in California, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Walnut Creek is 180, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Walnut Creek is 1.8x higher than the national average.

  • Walnut Creek ranks as the #530 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • Walnut Creek ranks as the #6,208 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Walnut Creek is $858,000.

  • The median income in Walnut Creek is $121,205.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
180
Walnut Creek's Overall Cost Of Living
1.8x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Walnut Creek, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Walnut Creek has an overall cost of living index of 180, which is 1.8x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Walnut Creek has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than California's index of 139.

The standard of living in Walnut Creek ranks as #530 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Walnut Creek ranks as the #105 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Walnut Creek, check out:

530 out of 635
In California
6,208 out of 6,412
In America

Walnut Creek Cost Of Living Vs. California

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Walnut Creek. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Walnut Creek is 117.

  • The Groceries index in Walnut Creek is 134.

  • The Health index in Walnut Creek is 124.

  • The Housing index in Walnut Creek is 301.

  • The Transportation index in Walnut Creek is 145.

  • The Utilities index in Walnut Creek is 134.

Living Expense Walnut Creek California National Average
Overall 180 139 100
Services 117 110 100
Groceries 134 112 100
Health 124 109 100
Housing 301 204 100
Transportation 145 126 100
Utilities 134 124 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Walnut Creek Cost of Living Vs. CA

Walnut Creek, CA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in California, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Walnut Creek is $858,000.

  • The Median Rent in Walnut Creek is $2,363.

  • The Median Income in Walnut Creek is $121,205.

  • The Home Value To Income in Walnut Creek is 7.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Walnut Creek is 0.23x.

Statistic Walnut Creek California United States
Median Home Value $858,000 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $2,363 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $121,205 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 7.1x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Walnut Creek, CA
$858,000
Median Home Value
$2,363
Median Rent
$121,205
Median Income

Walnut Creek, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Walnut Creek Services Costs Vs. California

Item Walnut Creek California
Shampoo $1.39 $1.06
Movie $13.23 $10.68
Bowling $19.56 $14.67
Haircut $19.39 $18.62
Beauty Salon $67.86 $39.05

Detailed Walnut Creek Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Walnut Creek California
Ground Beef $3.73 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.89 $1.39
Milk $2.87 $2.05
Potatoes $3.35 $3.29
Pizza $12.66 $10.62
Beer $10.57 $9.38
Toothpaste $3.07 $2.34

Detailed Walnut Creek Health Costs Vs. California

Item Walnut Creek California
Optometrist $136.92 $108.57
Doctor $146.83 $116.17
Dentist $133.38 $99.13

Detailed Walnut Creek Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Walnut Creek California
Gasoline $3.38 $2.22
Tire Balancing $62.03 $50.07

Detailed Walnut Creek Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Walnut Creek California
All Electricity $269.4 $167.67
Phone $187.26 $175.64

Walnut Creek SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
10
Affordability
4
Diversity
9
Safety
6
Amenities
9.5
Education
9.5
Commute
3

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Walnut Creek

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Walnut Creek. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • San Ramon, CA has a cost of living index of 201, 1.1x Walnut Creek.

  • Mountain View, CA has a cost of living index of 220, 1.2x Walnut Creek.

  • Pleasanton, CA has a cost of living index of 203, 1.1x Walnut Creek.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Walnut Creek
San Ramon, CA 85,688 201 1.1x
Mountain View, CA 82,409 220 1.2x
Pleasanton, CA 79,558 203 1.1x
Dublin, CA 69,818 190 1.1x
Danville, CA 43,673 218 1.2x
Pleasant Hill, CA 34,649 171 0.9x
San Lorenzo, CA 30,420 151 0.8x
Lafayette, CA 25,384 236 1.3x
Alamo, CA 13,852 278 1.5x
Piedmont, CA 11,368 291 1.6x

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