Looking for affordable housing options in California? Based on the Zillow Home Value Index data through March 31, 2025, you can still find neighborhoods with relatively affordable home values in the Golden State. The following analysis reveals striking patterns in California’s housing market where the least expensive neighborhoods have experienced an average price increase of 258% since 2010.
You might be surprised to learn that the most affordable neighborhoods in California are concentrated in just six cities across five counties. Bakersfield dominates the list with 11 neighborhoods, while areas in Stockton have seen the most dramatic appreciation—with Louis Park experiencing an astonishing 522% increase over the 15-year period. Even the “slowest” growing neighborhood in this analysis, Chapmantown in Chico, still saw prices more than double with a 123% increase since 2010…