Population 90,208 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Walnut Creek
Household size in Walnut Creek
| Period | Walnut Creek | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.21 | 2.74 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.29 | 2.79 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.33 | 2.83 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.27 | 2.75 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | +0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Walnut Creek is a place of small households, averaging 2.27 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has crept up from 2.21 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Only 45 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Walnut Creek
| Period | Walnut Creek | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.6 | 38.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.2 | 39.4 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.2 | 40.1 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.2 | 41.3 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.4 | +2.7 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.2, Walnut Creek is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has edged down from 46.6 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Residents skew youngest in the northwest and oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Walnut Creek
| Period | Walnut Creek | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 10.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.0% | 9.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 9.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 8.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Walnut Creek: 5.2% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 1.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 53 have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Walnut Creek
Renters in Walnut Creek
| Period | Walnut Creek | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.7% | 43.7% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 37.0% | 46.2% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.0% | 45.3% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.1% | 44.5% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly four in ten households in Walnut Creek rent their homes (38.1%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. Locally, though, renters make up a smaller share here than in the San Francisco area as a whole (44.5%). About a third of owners (34.3%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 5.4 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Walnut Creek
| Period | Walnut Creek | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 8.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 7.1% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.5% | 6.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 3.8% of homes in Walnut Creek are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.7 points, as it has nationally. Only 47 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Walnut Creek
| Period | Walnut Creek | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1964 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1972 | 1965 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1973 | 1968 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Walnut Creek run older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1973 against 1980. Still, homes here are newer than in the wider San Francisco area, where the median home dates to 1968. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the southwest has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Walnut Creek
| Period | Walnut Creek | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,512 | $1,452 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,622 | $1,551 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,247 | $2,139 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,772 | $2,666 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,260 | +$1,214 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Walnut Creek costs $2,772 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,260 a month since 2006–10, up 83%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 32.8% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the northeast; the most affordable are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Walnut Creek
Bachelor's degrees in Walnut Creek
| Period | Walnut Creek | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 59.4% | 42.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 62.9% | 44.1% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 68.1% | 48.9% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 70.6% | 52.2% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.2 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Walnut Creek: 70.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 11.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only 55 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Walnut Creek
| Period | Walnut Creek | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.9% | 86.8% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.4% | 87.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.8% | 88.8% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.2% | 89.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Walnut Creek: 97.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Only 66 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Walnut Creek
| Period | Walnut Creek | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.5% | 4.6% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 5.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Walnut Creek is close to the national rate: 5.5% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Walnut Creek compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walnut Creek | 2.27 | 46.2 | 5.2% | 38.1% | 3.8% | 1973 | $2,772 | 70.6% | 97.2% | 5.5% |
| Castle Hill | 2.68 | 45.7 | 6.6% | 5.1% | 3.0% | 1966 | $3,501 | 87.1% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Lafayette | 2.66 | 45.5 | 6.1% | 23.2% | 4.2% | 1964 | $3,100 | 78.8% | 99.0% | 4.9% |
| Pleasant Hill | 2.57 | 43.3 | 10.3% | 37.7% | 7.4% | 1970 | $2,742 | 52.0% | 95.2% | 5.0% |
| Reliez Valley | 2.91 | 48.5 | 6.2% | 5.3% | 1.8% | 1970 | $3,468 | 80.8% | 98.9% | 3.9% |
| Alamo | 2.85 | 49.6 | 3.5% | 8.2% | 5.4% | 1977 | $3,501 | 75.8% | 97.9% | 3.6% |
| Concord | 2.69 | 40.7 | 9.6% | 38.5% | 4.2% | 1969 | $2,483 | 37.5% | 87.3% | 5.4% |
| Moraga | 2.77 | 41.2 | 4.8% | 15.9% | 5.0% | 1972 | $3,154 | 80.6% | 98.6% | 6.5% |
| Diablo | 2.54 | 47.5 | 2.1% | 9.4% | 3.6% | 1971 | $3,440 | 75.9% | 98.9% | 3.5% |
| Martinez | 2.55 | 43.1 | 9.2% | 28.3% | 3.8% | 1972 | $2,555 | 42.5% | 93.1% | 6.0% |
| Orinda | 2.74 | 48.0 | 4.7% | 10.1% | 3.5% | 1965 | $2,489 | 84.9% | 98.2% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Waterbury, CT · Warm Springs, GA · Waverly Gables, OH · Waverly, GA · Wampum, PA · Wassaic, NY · Warne, NC · Waterloo, IA · Waterloo, GA · Warman, MN
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Walnut Creek. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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