Walnut Creek, California
Among the top 3% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 3% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 97% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 35% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 73% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 83% of US places
- top 1% for comfortable days
- top 8% for airport distance
- bottom 2% for monthly rent
Walnut Creek is a mid-size city in California with about 70,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include comfortable days, airport distance, and walkability. It rates lower on income tax and monthly rent.
Official websitewalnut-creek.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Cool winters · Dry
cool
comfortable
warm
comf.
cool
85%56%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.0 in0.1 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$130k93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$76kbetter than 3% of US places
Home Value$973k98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$3kbetter than 2% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$4kbetter than 3% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.68%better than 74% of US places
Income Tax13.30%better than 3% of US places
Sales Tax8.85%better than 19% of US places
Estimated total tax burden21.33%better than 3% of US places
Unemployment4.9%better than 41% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)50°F89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)70°F12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation20.3 in14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.7 inbetter than 80% of US places
Sunny Days261 daysbetter than 79% of US places
Summer Humidity55°Fbetter than 83% of US places
Comfortable Days181 daysbetter than 99% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk95.5better than 3% of US places
Air Quality32 AQIbetter than 89% of US places
School Quality75.8better than 72% of US places
Violent Crime722/100kbetter than 50% of US places
Property Crime3091/100kbetter than 6% of US places
Community
Population69,80998th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age47.272nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5185th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9134th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+464th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)64.1%26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)2.4%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)10.4%74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)16.3%98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)6.8%81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time35 minbetter than 8% of US places
Walkability10.9/20better than 89% of US places
Airport Distance16 mibetter than 92% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access94.8%better than 82% of US places
Amenities Nearby51.28better than 40% of US places
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 83% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Walnut Creek an affordable place to live?
- Walnut Creek is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $76k, better than 3% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Walnut Creek?
- The median home value in Walnut Creek is $973k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Walnut Creek?
- Median household income in Walnut Creek is $130k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Walnut Creek?
- Median gross rent in Walnut Creek is $3k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Walnut Creek safe?
- Walnut Creek is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 722/100k (better than 50%). Property crime is 3091/100k.
- What is the weather like in Walnut Creek?
- Walnut Creek averages 70°F in July and 50°F in January, with 20.3 in of annual precipitation and about 261 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Walnut Creek?
- Public-school quality in Walnut Creek is above average, scoring better than 72% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Walnut Creek?
- The average one-way commute in Walnut Creek is 35 min.
Other places in Contra Costa County
Places near Walnut Creek
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Explore California
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)