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- Rising demand and limited supply have driven U.S. home prices up by nearly 4% so far in 2024.
- In many popular coastal areas, price increases have far exceeded the national average.
- In California, however, not all oceanfront housing markets align with the broader trend.
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Bordering the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as the Arctic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, the United States has nearly 12,400 miles of coastline, more than all but a handful of other countries worldwide. America’s coastal communities include some of the most popular places to live in the country.
Of the more than 3,200 counties and county equivalents across the 50 states, fewer than 8% are located on the coast — yet these same areas are home to nearly 30% of the U.S. population. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the population of coastal counties climbed by more than 40 million between 1970 and 2020.
While demand for real estate on or near an ocean has climbed in recent decades, available waterfront acreage is inherently fixed. With rising demand and limited supply, many coastal communities are reporting skyrocketing home prices — a microcosm of the nationwide housing shortage and ongoing affordability crisis.
Though home prices have fallen slightly in recent months, the housing market is still generally more expensive today than it was at the beginning of the year. According to data from Realtor.com, the typical American home was listed for $425,000 in September 2024, a $15,500, or 3.8%, increase from the median list price in January 2024.
In California, one of 23 U.S. states located along an ocean, home prices have climbed even faster than average. Among the 89,212 homes statewide that were on the market in September 2024, the median list price was $767,675, about 7.6% higher than in January. Notably, however, not all housing markets in coastal California have followed this trend.
Of the 58 counties in California with available housing market data, 19 border the Pacific Ocean. In some of these places, home prices have climbed by more than 20% in 2024. In other coastal counties, however, price increases have been far more modest — and in five, a typical home is cheaper now than it was at the beginning of the year. (Here is a look at the most affordable housing market in each state.)
It is important to note that, as of September 2024, the most recent month of available data, median list prices vary between $444,125 to $2,191,000 in these counties. And while some of these housing markets may be only modestly more expensive or even cheaper than they were at the beginning of the year, they are not necessarily affordable areas for a broad range of budgets. (Here is a look at the cities where most homes cost less than $125,000.)
These are the coastal counties in California where home prices have climbed or fallen the most in 2024. All 19 oceanfront counties in the state, with available data from Realtor.com, are ranked on the percent change in median list price from January to September 2024.
Why It Matters
In recent years, limited supply and rising demand have fueled a surge in home prices. This year alone, the list price of a typical American home has climbed by about 3.8%. In many popular coastal areas, the same supply and demand dynamics that led to the ongoing housing affordability crisis have been even more pronounced. In California, however, not all oceanfront housing markets have gotten more expensive in 2024.
19. Marin County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +29.7% (+$365,000)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $1,230,000 ($516,611 more than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $1,595,000 ($827,325 more than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,943 square feet (179 sq. ft. larger than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 681 (0.8% of all listed homes in California)
- Population: 260,485
18. Santa Barbara County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +25.2% (+$441,500)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $1,749,500 ($1,036,111 more than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $2,191,000 ($1,423,325 more than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 2,210 square feet (446 sq. ft. larger than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 818 (0.9% of all listed homes in California)
- Population: 445,213
17. Santa Cruz County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +20.0% (+$212,750)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $1,062,000 ($348,611 more than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $1,274,750 ($507,075 more than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,585 square feet (179 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 598 (0.7% of all listed homes in California)
- Population: 268,571
16. San Luis Obispo County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +11.3% (+$113,000)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $997,000 ($283,611 more than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $1,110,000 ($342,325 more than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,888 square feet (124 sq. ft. larger than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 841 (0.9% of all listed homes in California)
- Population: 281,712
15. Humboldt County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +10.7% (+$47,500)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $442,000 ($271,389 less than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $489,500 ($278,175 less than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,565 square feet (199 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 454 (0.5% of all listed homes in California)
- Population: 136,132
14. Contra Costa County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +9.4% (+$68,775)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $730,225 ($16,836 more than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $799,000 ($31,325 more than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,746 square feet (18 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 2,633 (3.0% of all listed homes in California)
- Population: 1,162,648
13. Sonoma County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +9.3% (+$88,507)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $950,748 ($237,359 more than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $1,039,255 ($271,580 more than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,904 square feet (140 sq. ft. larger than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 1,374 (1.5% of all listed homes in California)
- Population: 488,436
12. Santa Clara County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +8.9% (+$122,528)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $1,375,472 ($662,083 more than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $1,498,000 ($730,325 more than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,650 square feet (114 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 2,451 (2.7% of all listed homes in California)
- Population: 1,916,831
11. Alameda County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +5.9% (+$49,528)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $837,972 ($124,583 more than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $887,500 ($119,825 more than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,403 square feet (361 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 2,739 (3.1% of all listed homes in California)
- Population: 1,663,823
10. Los Angeles County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +5.4% (+$53,875)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $1,003,125 ($289,736 more than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $1,057,000 ($289,325 more than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,751 square feet (13 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 17,202 (19.3% of all listed homes in California)
- Population: 9,936,690
9. Orange County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +4.5% (+$60,275)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $1,338,725 ($625,336 more than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $1,399,000 ($631,325 more than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,903 square feet (139 sq. ft. larger than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 5,400 (6.1% of all listed homes in California)
- Population: 3,175,227
8. Monterey County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +4.4% (+$54,250)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $1,230,750 ($517,361 more than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $1,285,000 ($517,325 more than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,872 square feet (108 sq. ft. larger than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 727 (0.8% of all listed homes in California)
- Population: 437,609
7. San Diego County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +2.0% (+$20,000)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $977,000 ($263,611 more than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $997,000 ($229,325 more than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,637 square feet (127 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 6,887 (7.7% of all listed homes in California)
- Population: 3,289,701
6. Solano County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: +1.3% (+$7,445)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $592,500 ($120,889 less than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $599,945 ($167,730 less than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,724 square feet (40 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 1,117 (1.3% of all listed homes in California)
- Population: 450,995
5. San Francisco County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: -0.3% (-$3,700)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $1,198,700 ($485,311 more than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $1,195,000 ($427,325 more than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,298 square feet (466 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 1,538 (1.7% of all listed homes in California)
- Population: 851,036
4. San Mateo County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: -0.6% (-$10,000)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $1,596,500 ($883,111 more than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $1,586,500 ($818,825 more than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,640 square feet (124 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 1,143 (1.3% of all listed homes in California)
- Population: 754,250
3. Mendocino County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: -0.8% (-$5,250)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $682,250 ($31,139 less than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $677,000 ($90,675 less than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,787 square feet (23 sq. ft. larger than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 480 (0.5% of all listed homes in California)
- Population: 91,145
2. Ventura County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: -5.5% (-$57,650)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $1,057,000 ($343,611 more than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $999,350 ($231,675 more than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,904 square feet (140 sq. ft. larger than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 1,723 (1.9% of all listed homes in California)
- Population: 842,009
1. Del Norte County
- Change in median home list price in 2024: -6.6% (-$31,625)
- Median home list price in January 2024: $475,750 ($237,639 less than statewide median)
- Median home list price in September 2024: $444,125 ($323,550 less than statewide median)
- Median size of a listed home in September 2024: 1,650 square feet (114 sq. ft. smaller than statewide median)
- Number of homes for sale in September 2024: 121 (0.1% of all listed homes in California)
- Population: 27,462
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