City · California
Walnut Creek, California
Walnut Creek, city, in Contra Costa County, California. Walnut Creek had 70,012 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 70,127 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 70,088 (±67). GEOID 0683346.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
70,012
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 70,127 · ACS 2020-2024: 70,088 ±67
Median household income
$130,432
±$8,895 (90% margin)
California: $99,122
Median home value
$1,057,300
±$37,144 (90% margin)
California: $734,700
Median gross rent
$2,680
±$111 (90% margin)
California: $2,036
Where is Walnut Creek and what county is it in?
Walnut Creek is a city in Contra Costa County, California. It covers 19.8 square miles of land, 3,549 residents per square mile in 2020.
Walnut Creek is in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 5 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Walnut Creek, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 70,012 people lived in Walnut Creek on July 1, 2025, down 0.2% since 2020, in line with California (−0.5%). The 2020 Census counted 70,127 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 70,088 (±67).
| Measure | Walnut Creek | Contra Costa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 70,088 ±67 | 1,165,012 | +521 |
| Households | 33,072 ±781 | 414,417 | +1,682 |
| Average household size | 2.09 ±0.05 | 2.78 | −0.09 |
| Housing units | 34,389 ±779 | 429,260 | +1,232 |
Walnut Creek's population since 2000
From 64,296 in 2000 to 70,012 in 2025: up 8.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Walnut Creek as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Walnut Creek?
The median resident of Walnut Creek is 46.8 years old; 15.5% are under 18 and 29.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 61.3%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 17.1%. 24.4% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Walnut Creek | Contra Costa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.8 ±1.4 | 40.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 15.5% ±1.1 pts | 22.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 29.5% ±1.5 pts | 17.1% | – |
| Male | 47.7% ±1.2 pts | 49.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 12.4% ±1.3 pts | 27.6% | +3.3 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 61.3% ±2.2 pts | 38.1% | −7.0 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±0.5 pts | 7.9% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 17.1% ±1.7 pts | 18.6% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.5% ±1.3 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±0.4 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 24.4% ±1.6 pts | 26.6% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 27.8% ±1.7 pts | 37.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.6% ±0.7 pts | 4.2% | – |
| With a disability | 12.8% ±1.1 pts | 11.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.3% ±0.7 pts | 4.6% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.2% ±0.6 pts | 89.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 70.4% ±1.6 pts | 45.2% | +3.7 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 30.6% ±1.7 pts | 17.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 84.6% ±1.6 pts | 90.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.3% ±0.9 pts | 0.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Walnut Creek earn?
Half of Walnut Creek's 33,072 households earn less than $130,432 a year (±$8,895), against $127,229 in Contra Costa County and $99,122 in California. In 2015-2019 it was $130,390 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 6.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Walnut Creek | Contra Costa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $130,432 ±$8,895 | $127,229 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $179,868 ±$8,566 | $174,872 | – |
| Per capita income | $85,521 ±$4,061 | $62,927 | +$5,459 |
| People below the poverty line | 6.4% ±1.2 pts | 8.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 9.0% ±3.8 pts | 10.0% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 3.0% ±0.7 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.3% ±0.8 pts | 97.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 96.3% ±1.1 pts | 95.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Walnut Creek?
Owners occupy 64.4% of Walnut Creek's occupied homes and renters 35.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $1,057,300 by its owner (±$37,144). The median renter pays $2,680 a month including utilities, and 42.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Walnut Creek | Contra Costa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $1,057,300 ±$37,144 | $866,800 | +$81,237 |
| Median gross rent | $2,680 ±$111 | $2,375 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 42.1% ±4.3 pts | 47.4% | +7.9 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $3,764 ±$148 | $3,435 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 64.4% ±1.8 pts | 68.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 35.6% ±1.8 pts | 32.0% | – |
| Housing units | 34,389 ±779 | 429,260 | +1,232 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.9% ±0.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.3% ±1.9 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 36.8% ±1.7 pts | 67.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.7% ±0.4 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.5% ±1.0 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 2.2% ±0.6 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.1% ±1.7 pts | 5.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Walnut Creek building?
Builders took permits for 15 new housing units in Walnut Creek in 2025 (15 in single-family houses), 0.2 per 1,000 residents against 2.6 across California.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Walnut Creek work and get to work?
50.1% of Walnut Creek's workers drive alone and 30.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 30.6 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.0%.
| Measure | Walnut Creek | Contra Costa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 59.2% ±1.6 pts | 64.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.0% ±1.1 pts | 6.5% | +2.3 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 50.1% ±2.6 pts | 59.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.7% ±1.7 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 6.2% ±1.3 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Walked | 3.2% ±1.0 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 30.8% ±2.3 pts | 21.3% | +21.6 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 30.6 min ±1.7 | 35.3 min | −6.0 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Walnut Creek?
19 census tracts lie mostly in Walnut Creek, and 4 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $66,500 (Tract 3511.04) to $250,000 or more (Tract 3461.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 3382.04Contra Costa County | 6,523 | $164,107 |
| Tract 3400.01Contra Costa County | 5,829 | $142,723 |
| Tract 3383.02Contra Costa County | 5,667 | $207,105 |
| Tract 3390.03Contra Costa County | 4,519 | $115,579 |
| Tract 3390.01Contra Costa County | 3,641 | $96,472 |
| Tract 3390.04Contra Costa County | 3,701 | $129,637 |
| Tract 3373Contra Costa County | 6,205 | $146,784 |
| Tract 3430.01Contra Costa County | 5,759 | $173,643 |
| Tract 3553.02Contra Costa County | 3,299 | $250,000 or more |
| Tract 3382.01Contra Costa County | 4,026 | $213,929 |
| Tract 3383.01Contra Costa County | 3,034 | $218,191 |
| Tract 3430.02Contra Costa County | 4,478 | $163,771 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Walnut Creek) · Census block assignment files
How does Walnut Creek compare with other places in California?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Walnut Creek is the 554th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 126th-most populous of 483 in California.
Walnut Creek ranks 224th of 1,037 places in California with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 126th | 483 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 175th | 469 |
| Residents per square mile | 376th | 1,077 |
| Median household income | 224th | 1,037 |
| Per capita income | 122nd | 1,073 |
| Median home value | 211th | 1,054 |
| Median gross rent | 158th | 987 |
| Poverty rate | 680th | 836 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 86th | 988 |
| Median age | 249th | 1,075 |
| Owner-occupied share | 576th | 1,064 |
| Work from home | 107th | 822 |
| Travel time to work | 355th | 1,069 |
Walnut Creek's figures with every place in California (CSV)
Every place in California, sortable · Compare Walnut Creek with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Walnut Creek?
3 of the 57 figures for Walnut Creek on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Walnut Creek are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Walnut Creek.