The California Beach Community Where Home Prices Are Down 7% This Year

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• Rising demand and limited supply have driven U.S. home prices up by nearly 4% so far in 2024.
• In many popular coastal areas, price increases have far exceeded the national average.
• In California, however, not all oceanfront housing markets align with the broader trend.
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Bordering the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as the Arctic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, the United States has nearly 12,400 miles of coastline, more than all but a handful of other countries worldwide. America's coastal communities include some of the most popular places to live in the country.

Of the more than 3,200 counties and county equivalents across the 50 states, fewer than 8% are located on the coast -- yet these same areas are home to nearly 30% of the U.S. population. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the population of coastal counties climbed by more than 40 million between 1970 and 2020.

While demand for real estate on or near an ocean has climbed in recent decades, available waterfront acreage is inherently fixed. With rising demand and limited supply, many coastal communities are reporting skyrocketing home prices -- a microcosm of the nationwide housing shortage and ongoing affordability crisis.

Though home prices have fallen slightly in recent months, the housing market is still generally more expensive today than it was at the beginning of the year. According to data from Realtor.com , the typical American home was listed for $425,000 in September 2024, a $15,500, or 3.8%, increase from the median list price in January 2024.

In California, one of 23 U.S. states located along an ocean, home prices have climbed even faster than average. Among the 89,212 homes statewide that were on the market in September 2024, the median list price was $767,675, about 7.6% higher than in January. Notably, however, not all housing markets in coastal California have followed this trend.

Of the 58 counties in California with available housing market data, 19 border the Pacific Ocean. In some of these places, home prices have climbed by more than 20% in 2024. In other coastal counties, however, price increases have been far more modest -- and in five, a typical home is cheaper now than it was at the beginning of the year. (Here is a look at the most affordable housing market in each state. )

It is important to note that, as of September 2024, the most recent month of available data, median list prices vary between $444,125 to $2,191,000 in these counties. And while some of these housing markets may be only modestly more expensive or even cheaper than they were at the beginning of the year, they are not necessarily affordable areas for a broad range of budgets. (Here is a look at the cities where most homes cost less than $125,000 .)

These are the coastal counties in California where home prices have climbed or fallen the most in 2024. All 19 oceanfront counties in the state, with available data from Realtor.com, are ranked on the percent change in median list price from January to September 2024.

Why It Matters

In recent years, limited supply and rising demand have fueled a surge in home prices. This year alone, the list price of a typical American home has climbed by about 3.8%. In many popular coastal areas, the same supply and demand dynamics that led to the ongoing housing affordability crisis have been even more pronounced. In California, however, not all oceanfront housing markets have gotten more expensive in 2024.

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