Walnut Creek, CA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

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 199, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Walnut Creek is 2.0x higher than the national average.

  • Walnut Creek ranks as the #528 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Walnut Creek ranks as the #6,312 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Walnut Creek is $1,008,269.

  • The median income in Walnut Creek is $135,665.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
199
Walnut Creek's Overall Cost Of Living
2.0x
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 199, which is 2.0x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Walnut Creek has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Walnut Creek ranks as #528 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Walnut Creek ranks as the #106 most expensive place in the Golden State.

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

528 out of 634
In California
6,312 out of 6,489
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 115.

  • The Groceries index in Walnut Creek is 118.

  • The Health index in Walnut Creek is 119.

  • The Housing index in Walnut Creek is 378.

  • The Transportation index in Walnut Creek is 128.

  • The Utilities index in Walnut Creek is 135.

Living Expense Walnut Creek California National Average
Overall 199 141 100
Services 115 110 100
Groceries 118 112 100
Health 119 110 100
Housing 378 195 100
Transportation 128 125 100
Utilities 135 128 100
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 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Walnut Creek is $1,008,269.

  • The Median Rent in Walnut Creek is $2,613.

  • The Median Income in Walnut Creek is $135,665.

  • The Home Value To Income in Walnut Creek is 7.4x.

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

Statistic Walnut Creek California United States
Median Home Value $1,008,269 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,613 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $135,665 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 7.4x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,008,269
Median Home Value
$2,613
Median Rent
$135,665
Median Income

Walnut Creek, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Walnut Creek Services Costs Vs. California

Item Walnut Creek California
Shampoo $1.45 $1.28
Movie $16.46 $12.13
Bowling $27.22 $18
Haircut $25.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $76.0 $45.56

Detailed Walnut Creek Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Walnut Creek California
Ground Beef $5.7 $5.84
Fried Chicken $3.43 $1.57
Milk $4.91 $4.67
Potatoes $4.87 $4.93
Pizza $13.49 $12.09
Beer $11.18 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.64 $3.7

Detailed Walnut Creek Health Costs Vs. California

Item Walnut Creek California
Optometrist $137.4 $125.68
Doctor $110.0 $135.78
Dentist $118.27 $113.29

Detailed Walnut Creek Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Walnut Creek California
Gasoline $4.6 $3.46
Tire Balancing $60.97 $59.92

Detailed Walnut Creek Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Walnut Creek California
All Electricity $182.51 $193.99
Phone $180.31 $192.25

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 222, 1.1x Walnut Creek.

  • Mountain View, CA has a cost of living index of 283, 1.4x Walnut Creek.

  • Pleasanton, CA has a cost of living index of 226, 1.1x Walnut Creek.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Walnut Creek
San Ramon, CA 85,734 222 1.1x
Mountain View, CA 82,363 283 1.4x
Pleasanton, CA 77,500 226 1.1x
Dublin, CA 70,542 218 1.1x
Danville, CA 43,426 240 1.2x
Pleasant Hill, CA 34,335 194 1.0x
San Lorenzo, CA 29,453 170 0.9x
Lafayette, CA 25,277 284 1.4x
Alamo, CA 14,441 302 1.5x
Piedmont, CA 11,012 340 1.7x

Articles About California

Enjoy The Snack?