Contra Costa County · San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley · population 26,499
Where Hercules stands
Home values down 4.7% in the last year.
Home value trajectory · last 10 years
Zillow ZHVI · monthlyLifestyle scores
Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.
Rent trajectory · last 5 years
Zillow ZORI · monthlyHome value vs rent · indexed to 100
Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)Rent vs buy
At a 21.7 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Hercules. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.
How the momentum score breaks down
methodology →Hercules has held up across the cycle: home values at $746,601 with +1.1% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.
Hercules is down 4.7% over the last 12 months and the trend isn't flattening. Falling knife rule applies: you don't catch one with your hands, you wait for it to hit the floor and stop moving.
About Hercules
Hercules is a city in Contra Costa County, California, with an estimated population of 26,499. It anchors the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley metro area. The median home value in Hercules is $746,601 as of 2026-04, down 4.7% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +1.1% annual growth, and the market currently sits about 12% below its 5-year peak. Rents in Hercules average $2,869 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.0%). The composite momentum score is 44 of 100 (Cooling). Buyers may find more room to negotiate; sellers should price realistically.
▲ Bull case
▼ Bear case
About Hercules (Wikipedia)
Hercules is a city in western Contra Costa County, California. Situated along the coast of San Pablo Bay, it is located in the eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area, about 10 miles (16 km) north of Berkeley. As of the 2020 census, its population was 26,016, according to the United States Census Bureau. The site of Hercules was first developed in 1881 as a manufacturing facility of the California Powder Works for the production of its patented dynamite formulation, Hercules powder. In 1882, the Hercules Powder Company was incorporated and assumed responsibility for the Hercules site. It was one of several explosive manufacturers that were active along the Pinole shoreline in the late 19th to the mid-20th century. The small company town that grew up near the facility subsequently became known as "Hercules", and was incorporated at the end of 1900. Starting in the 1970s, Hercules was heavily redeveloped as suburban bedroom community that lies along the I-80 corridor in Western Contra Costa County. It has a very ethnically diverse population.
Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.
Playbook
You have leverage. Negotiate price, ask for closing-cost credits, and don't waive inspection. Walk-away power is real in a Cooling market — use it.
Price aggressively (at or below recent sold comps) or be prepared to wait. Concessions — rate buydowns, closing costs, repair credits — are how deals close right now.
Cap rates are more attractive than they were 12 months ago but the appreciation tailwind is gone. Confirm tenant demand, vacancy rates, and exit liquidity before committing capital.
Local safety & alerts
No active National Weather Service alerts for Contra Costa County right now.
Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Contra Costa County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.
Cities like Hercules
Run the numbers for Hercules
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.
Climate & natural-disaster risk
State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.
Local sports teams
Major professional teams the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.
Current weather
Find rentals & listings
Open current Hercules listings on the major real-estate sites.
Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.
Local news & community
Latest news
- 258 Napoli Ct Unit 258, Hercules, CA 94547Realtor.com · 2h ago
- Anabella JimenezSports Illustrated · 6d ago
- Quake Shakes Contra Costa County: Did You Feel It?Patch · 1w ago
- Patrick Tang Named Hercules Interim City ManagerContra Costa News · 2mo ago
- Police shooting kills suspect on I-80 in HerculesKTVU · 3mo ago
- Statement on Officer-Involved Fatal Incident on Interstate 80 in HerculesContra Costa County Website (.gov) · 3mo ago
Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.
Local economy & environment
Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.
Cities similar to Hercules
Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.