What to know before you move: cost, market timing, who it fits.
If you're considering a move to Brentwood, CA, the most important variables are the local housing market, the cost structure (taxes, insurance, utilities), and how well the city fits your day-to-day life. This page summarizes the housing market read; pair it with the cost of living page for the full picture.
Brentwood is a city in Contra Costa County, California, with an estimated population of 66,286. It anchors the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley metro area. The population grew 0.8% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Brentwood is $803,156 as of 2026-04, down 3.4% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +2.0% annual growth, and the market currently sits about 11% below its 5-year peak. Rents in Brentwood average $3,231 per month, up 5.4% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 51 of 100 (Stable). Conditions are neither hot nor cold, so the local fit matters more than market timing.
Sideways market (-3.4% YoY). No urgency to time the macro trend — focus on the home and neighborhood.
Reasons people move here
- Hot rental market: rents up 5.4% YoY — landlords have pricing power, supports new investment math.
- The data is the data: Brentwood has at least 5 years of Zillow tracking, full Census identification, and is included in the 2-criteria momentum score on this page.
Things to know first
- Expensive AND not growing: median home $803,156 with only -3.4% YoY. You're paying premium pricing for a flat trend.
- Cooling: -3.4% over the trailing year — momentum has stalled.
- 11% off recent peak — buyers are getting through-the-cycle pricing, not the peak.
More about Brentwood
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.