Oct 27, 2026 · By Oanh Nguyen · Broker & Loan Officer · Market Data
Buyers ask me this every week. Sellers ask me too. It is the first number everyone wants.
The honest answer is that it depends. It depends on the city. It depends on the type of home. It even depends on the month you look.
Over the years, I have learned that one headline number rarely tells the full story. So in this post, I will show you the latest public numbers, tell you where each one comes from, and explain how to use them.
All the data here runs through September 2026. Every number has a source and a date. You will find the full list of sources at the end.
Why One "Median Price" Is Never Enough
You will see home prices quoted everywhere. News sites, portals, social media and mailers all have a number.
Those numbers often don't match. That doesn't mean someone is wrong. It usually means they are measuring different things.
Here is what changes the number:
- The area. A county, a city and a ZIP code can each have a very different median.
- The home type. Some reports count only single-family homes. Others mix in condos and townhomes.
- The time period. Some use one month. Others use three months or a full year.
- The data source. Each group pulls from its own data set and uses its own rules.
So when you see a price, ask two questions. Where did it come from? What does it include?
The County View: Single-Family Homes
The California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.) tracks existing single-family home sales by county every month. Here is what it reported for the two counties I serve.
| County | Median price, Sept 2026 | Median price, Sept 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara County | $1,920,000 | $2,000,000 | -4.0% |
| Alameda County | $1,265,000 | $1,250,000 | +1.2% |
Source: C.A.R. September 2026 sales and price report, released October 19, 2026.
For context, C.A.R. reported a statewide median of $899,720 for single-family homes in September 2026. Both of my counties sit well above the state.
The Santa Clara County Association of REALTORS® (SCCAOR) reports a slightly different number for the same month. It shows a single-family median of $1,880,000 for September 2026. That is down 4% from a year earlier and up 1.6% from August.
Why two numbers for the same county? C.A.R. and SCCAOR each use their own data and methods. Neither one is wrong. That is why I always show you the source.
The City View: All Home Types
Redfin publishes median sale prices for each city. Its numbers mix houses, townhomes and condos together. That makes them handy for comparing cities side by side.
| City | Median sale price | Change vs. a year earlier |
|---|---|---|
| Pleasanton | $1,496,787 | -3.5% |
| Fremont | $1,370,347 | -6.5% |
| San Jose | $1,349,357 | -5.0% |
| Milpitas | $1,287,887 | -9.4% |
| Castro Valley | $1,137,958 | -0.7% |
| San Leandro | $849,595 | +1.4% |
| Hayward | $830,604 | -2.3% |
Source: Redfin city housing market pages, data through September 2026, accessed October 26, 2026. All home types.
Notice that these city numbers run lower than the county single-family numbers above. That is expected. When a city sells a lot of condos and townhomes, the all-types median comes down.
Also notice the direction. Most of these cities showed lower medians than a year earlier. Two showed small gains. A lower median does not always mean values fell. It can also mean a different mix of homes sold. I explain that next.
How to Read a Median the Right Way
A median is the middle sale. Half of the homes sold for more. Half sold for less.
That makes it more useful than an average. One very expensive sale won't pull a median up much. But a median still has limits.
A median moves when the mix moves. Say more condos sell one month than usual. The median can drop, even if no single home lost value. The reverse is also true.
A median is not your home's value. One home can sell far above or far below the median. Size, condition, lot, layout and location on the street all matter.
A median lags. Sales close weeks after offers are accepted. So today's median reflects deals made a month or two ago.
Small samples swing more. A big city with hundreds of sales a month gives a steady median. A small area with a few dozen sales can jump around from month to month.
Single-Family vs. All Home Types
This is the most common mix-up I see. Someone compares a single-family median from one report with an all-types median from another. Then they think prices jumped or crashed.
Here is a simple way to keep it straight:
- Single-family only answers: "What does a detached house cost here?"
- All home types answers: "What does a typical home of any kind cost here?"
If you want a detached house, focus on single-family data. If you are open to a townhome or condo, the all-types number is a better starting point. Then I can split the data by home type for you.
What About My ZIP Code?
I serve these ZIP codes:
- San Jose: 95112, 95118, 95119, 95121, 95122, 95123, 95127, 95136, 95148
- Milpitas: 95035
- Fremont: 94538, 94555
- Hayward: 94544, 94545
- Castro Valley: 94546, 94552
- San Leandro: 94578
- Pleasanton: 94566, 94588
ZIP-level medians swing more than city numbers. A ZIP code may only have a few dozen sales in a month. One large or small sale can move the number a lot.
ZIP codes also hold many kinds of homes. One ZIP can include older single-story homes, newer two-story homes, townhomes and condos. A single median blends all of them together.
That is why I don't quote one number per ZIP from a headline. Instead, I pull current MLS sales for the exact ZIP code you care about. I can split them by house, townhome and condo, by size, and by age. That gives you a much cleaner picture.
What the Numbers Mean If You Are Buying
If you are buying, the data above can help you in three ways.
It sets expectations. If you know the typical price range in a city, you can plan your savings and your pre-approval with fewer surprises.
It widens your options. The city table shows a wide spread, from about $830,000 to about $1.5 million for all home types. Every city also has homes above and below its median. Looking at more than one city, or more than one home type, can open up choices you didn't know you had.
It helps you spot outliers. If a listing is priced far above or below what similar homes sold for, that is worth a closer look. There may be a reason, such as condition, size or lot.
What the data can't do is choose for you. Where you live is your decision. I show you the facts for every area that fits your needs.
What the Numbers Mean If You Are Selling
If you are selling, medians tell you how the market is moving overall. They don't set your price.
Your price should come from recent sales of homes like yours, close by, in similar condition. I also look at how long those homes took to sell and how much they sold for compared with their list price. That tells me how buyers are responding right now.
A home priced in line with the recent sales tends to get the most attention from buyers. A home priced well above them tends to sit longer. Every home is different, so I look at yours on its own.
How I Use This Data With My Clients
Medians are a starting point. Here is how I take a buyer or seller from a headline to a real number.
Step 1: Start with the big picture. I start with the county and city data above, so you can get your bearings.
Step 2: Narrow it to the home you want. Which home type? How many bedrooms? What size range? Which ZIP codes fit your daily life?
Step 3: Pull the recent comparable sales. These are homes like yours, nearby, that sold recently. This is where the real price range comes from.
Step 4: Check what is for sale now. Active and pending listings show where the market is heading this month.
Step 5: Adjust for condition. An updated home and a dated home on the same street can sell for very different prices.
For buyers, this helps you set a realistic budget. For sellers, it helps you set a price that matches the market.
A Hypothetical Example
This example is made up to show the process. It is not based on any real home or client.
A buyer reads that a city's median sale price is about $1.3 million. They assume every home there costs about that much.
I pull the recent sales for their exact needs: a three-bedroom single-family home in two ZIP codes. Those sales land in a higher range than the city median. The city median included many condos and townhomes.
Then I pull townhome sales in the same ZIP codes. Those land below the city median.
Now the buyer has two real price ranges, not one headline number. They can choose which path fits their budget and their life.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median home price in San Jose right now?
Redfin reported a median sale price of $1,349,357 for San Jose, all home types, through September 2026. For single-family homes only, county-level data is a better guide. C.A.R. reported $1,920,000 for Santa Clara County in September 2026.
Why do different websites show different prices?
They use different data sets, time periods and home types. Some show single-family only. Others mix in condos. Always check what a number includes before you compare it.
Are home prices going down?
Most of the cities in this post showed lower medians than a year earlier, and two showed small gains. But a median can move because a different mix of homes sold. I don't predict where prices go next. I can show you what recent sales say.
Is the median price what I will pay?
No. It is the middle of all sales. Your price depends on the home you choose, its size, condition and location, and what similar homes sold for.
Can you give me the median price for my ZIP code?
Yes. I can pull current MLS sales for any ZIP code I serve. I can split them by home type so the numbers fit what you are looking for.
How often do these numbers change?
C.A.R. and SCCAOR publish monthly. Redfin updates its pages often. I recommend checking again before any big decision.
Which is better for comparing cities, C.A.R. or Redfin?
They answer different questions. C.A.R.'s county data covers single-family homes only. Redfin's city pages mix all home types. I use both, and I always label which one I am showing.
Do medians help sellers, too?
Yes, as a starting point. But your list price should come from recent comparable sales, not a city median.
The Bottom Line
A median price is a helpful compass. It is not a map.
Use county and city medians to understand the big picture. Then look at the actual recent sales that match the home you want. That is where your real budget, or your real list price, comes from.
Here is the short version of the latest data. Santa Clara County's single-family median was $1,920,000 in September 2026, per C.A.R. Alameda County's was $1,265,000. City medians for all home types ranged from about $830,000 in Hayward to about $1.5 million in Pleasanton, per Redfin.
I don't predict where prices go next. Nobody can promise that. What I can do is show you what the data says today, explain it in plain English and help you make your own decision.
Sources
- C.A.R., "September home sales and price report," released October 19, 2026: https://www.car.org/aboutus/mediacenter/newsreleases/2026releases/sept2026sales
- SCCAOR, "Santa Clara County Housing Statistics, Month of September," published October 14, 2026: https://www.sccaor.com/santa-clara-county-housing-statistics-month-of-september/
- Redfin housing market pages (data through September 2026, accessed October 26, 2026): San Jose https://www.redfin.com/city/17420/CA/San-Jose/housing-market · Milpitas https://www.redfin.com/city/12204/CA/Milpitas/housing-market · Fremont https://www.redfin.com/city/6671/CA/Fremont/housing-market · Hayward https://www.redfin.com/city/8439/CA/Hayward/housing-market · San Leandro https://www.redfin.com/city/17447/CA/San-Leandro/housing-market · Castro Valley https://www.redfin.com/city/21841/CA/Castro-Valley/housing-market · Pleasanton https://www.redfin.com/city/14986/CA/Pleasanton/housing-market
Want current sales for your ZIP code? Call or text me at 408-780-1188, or email onrealtygroup@gmail.com.
Oanh Nguyen · Broker & Loan Officer · On Realty Group, brokered by LPT Realty · BRE #02133991 · NMLS 2020335
Equal Housing Opportunity.
Disclaimer: This post is general information only, not legal, tax, financial or investment advice; data comes from the public sources linked above, is believed reliable but not guaranteed, and can change at any time.