Add The California Post on Google California homebuyers searching for the state’s strongest real estate market may want to skip Los Angeles and San Francisco — and set their sights on Irvine.
The Orange County city was named California’s best real estate market and the 10th-best nationwide in WalletHub’s 2026 ranking.
Irvine earned a score of 64.28, ranking eighth for the strength of its housing market and 85th for affordability and economic conditions. It also finished second among large US cities, behind only Charlotte, North Carolina.
California homebuyers searching for the state’s strongest real estate market may want to skip Los Angeles and San Francisco Vit Onopriienko – stock.adobe.com Roseville was California’s next-best bet at No. 12 nationwide, followed by Santa Clara at No. 29, Clovis at No. 33, Ontario at No. 34 and Elk Grove at No. 39.
Rounding out the Golden State’s top 10 were Murrieta at No. 58, Sunnyvale at No. 66, San Diego at No. 70 and Santa Maria at No. 72.
WalletHub compared 300 cities across 17 measures, including home-price appreciation, affordability, foreclosures, mortgage delinquencies, building activity and job growth.
“The best cities may not always be the cheapest, but they offer excellent housing options and long-term stability,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.
An aerial skyline view of Santa Clara’s main business district with Mission College in the foreground and mountains of Santa Clara valley in the background is seen on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, in Santa Clara. Getty Images That trade-off was clear in California.
Santa Clara boasted the nations 11th-strongest real estate market but ranked a dismal 250th for affordability and economic conditions. Clovis had nearly the opposite showing, ranking sixth for affordability and economic conditions but 72nd for its housing market.
Several of California’s biggest cities landed much further down the list, Los Angeles ranked 237th overall, while San Francisco placed 273rd and Oakland came in at No. 282.
Glendale, Berkeley, Santa Barbara and Santa Monica also tied near the bottom of home-price-to-income ranking at No. 297.
Still, San Jose, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale tied for the nation’s lowest share of seriously underwater mortgages, while Santa Ana and Mission Viejo tied for fourth.
Lancaster and Palmdale were California’s lowest-ranked markets, finishing at 291st and 292nd, respectively.
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