Is Contra Costa County, CA good for real estate investing?

Contra Costa County has an investment score of 37/100, rated as "Avoid". The county ranks #976 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the rent-to-price ratio in Contra Costa?

The rent-to-price ratio in Contra Costa County is 4.37% annually, which ranks in the 11th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Contra Costa?

The median home price in Contra Costa County is $765,618. This ranks #977 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Contra Costa?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Contra Costa County would generate negative cash flow of $2,200/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Contra Costa County

CaliforniaPopulation: 1,162,648

/100

Avoid

#976 of 1,000 counties

#41 in California (58 counties)

Market Snapshot

$765,618

Median Home Price

180% above national median

$2,790/mo

Median Rent

86% above national median

4.37%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 89% nationally

-$2,200

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Price History

Trend based on YoY growth rate. Source: Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$765,618

Down Payment (20%)$153,124

Loan Amount$612,494

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$2,790

Monthly P&I-$4,013

Est. Expenses (35%)-$976

Net Cash Flow-$2,200/mo

2.8%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-15.0%

Cash-on-Cash Return

4.37%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.8% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

37/100

Cash Flow(30%)

36/100

Based on 4.37% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

26/100

Based on -4.8% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

36/100

Price-to-income ratio of 6.4x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. Markets with missing rent data use estimated values based on regional averages.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Below-average rent-to-price ratio (4.37%)
-Declining home values (-4.8% YoY)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$2,200/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 2.8% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

1,162,648

Median Income

$120,020

vs $62,400 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

6.4x

Less affordable

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
CurrentContra CostaCA	37	$765,618	$2,790	4.37%	Avoid
San FranciscoCA	37	$1,245,307	$3,680	3.55%	Avoid	View
VenturaCA	36	$859,803	$2,941	4.11%	Avoid	View
Santa BarbaraCA	36	$959,051	$3,276	4.10%	Avoid	View
TrinityCA	36	$245,830	Est. pending	—	Avoid	View
MontereyCA	35	$827,906	$2,769	4.01%	Avoid	View

The Bottom Line

AvoidContra Costa may be challenging for traditional rentals. High prices or low rents make cash flow difficult.

Contra Costa County in California scores 37/100, ranking #976 of 1,000 US counties (top 97%). The 4.37% rent-to-price ratio may require creative strategies or below-market purchases for positive cash flow. Current market conditions make traditional buy-and-hold investing challenging. Consider house hacking, value-add strategies, or all-cash purchases.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-2,200/mo

Cap Rate

2.8%

Cash-on-Cash

-15.0%

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Contra Costa?

Use our investment calculators to run detailed numbers on specific properties.

Single Family1-4 unit rentals, BRRRR House HackOwner-occupied strategy Multifamily5+ unit properties

Explore Other Markets

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$765,618

Down Payment (20%)$153,124

Loan Amount$612,494

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$2,790

Monthly P&I-$4,013

Est. Expenses (35%)-$976

Net Cash Flow-$2,200/mo

2.8%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-15.0%

Cash-on-Cash Return

4.37%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.8% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

37/100

Cash Flow(30%)

36/100

Based on 4.37% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

26/100

Based on -4.8% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

36/100

Price-to-income ratio of 6.4x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
CurrentContra CostaCA	37	$765,618	$2,790	4.37%	Avoid
San FranciscoCA	37	$1,245,307	$3,680	3.55%	Avoid	View
VenturaCA	36	$859,803	$2,941	4.11%	Avoid	View
Santa BarbaraCA	36	$959,051	$3,276	4.10%	Avoid	View
TrinityCA	36	$245,830	Est. pending	—	Avoid	View
MontereyCA	35	$827,906	$2,769	4.01%	Avoid	View

The Bottom Line

AvoidContra Costa may be challenging for traditional rentals. High prices or low rents make cash flow difficult.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-2,200/mo

Cap Rate

2.8%

Cash-on-Cash

-15.0%