What to know before you move: cost, market timing, who it fits.
If you're considering a move to Union City, 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.
Union City is a city in Alameda County, California, with an estimated population of 66,196. It anchors the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley metro area. The population has contracted 1.4% per year on average since 2020. The median home value in Union City is $1,265,098 as of 2026-04, down 6.1% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +3.6% annual growth (-6.5% from the 5-year peak). Rents in Union City average $2,717 per month, up 3.7% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 46 of 100 (Cooling). Buyers may find more room to negotiate; sellers should price realistically.
Prices have come off recent highs (-6.5% from peak). Buyers may have more room to negotiate; sellers should price realistically.
Reasons people move here
- The data is the data: Union City has at least 5 years of Zillow tracking, full Census identification, and is included in the 1-criteria momentum score on this page.
- Data is sourced from public datasets (Zillow, US Census) with full citations on the methodology page.
Things to know first
- Prices actively falling: down 6.1% in the last 12 months — buyer sentiment has flipped. Sellers competing on price.
- Net out-migration: population shrinking 1.4% per year — services, schools, and tax base will follow.
- Expensive AND not growing: median home $1,265,098 with only -6.1% YoY. You're paying premium pricing for a flat trend.
More about Union City
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.