Irvine, California, has been identified as the state's top real estate market and ranks 10th overall nationally, according to WalletHub's 2026 analysis. The Orange County city scored 64.28, with its housing market strength earning an eighth-place national ranking, while affordability and economic conditions placed it 85th.
Roseville followed as California's next highest-ranked city at 12th nationwide, with Santa Clara at 29th, Clovis at 33rd, Ontario at 34th, and Elk Grove at 39th. Other California cities in the top 100 include Murrieta (58th), Sunnyvale (66th), San Diego (70th), and Santa Maria (72nd).
WalletHub's study evaluated 300 cities based on 17 metrics, including home-price appreciation, affordability, foreclosure rates, mortgage delinquencies, construction activity, and job growth. "The best cities may not always be the cheapest, but they offer excellent housing options and long-term stability," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo stated.
Irvine was also the second-best large city nationally, trailing only Charlotte, North Carolina. However, the analysis highlighted a trade-off between market strength and affordability for many California cities.
Santa Clara, for instance, was ranked as the 11th-strongest real estate market nationally but fell to 250th for affordability and economic conditions. Conversely, Clovis ranked sixth for affordability and economic conditions but 72nd for its housing market strength.
Major California cities ranked considerably lower overall. Los Angeles placed 237th, San Francisco was 273rd, and Oakland came in at 282nd. Glendale, Berkeley, Santa Barbara, and Santa Monica were near the bottom of the home-price-to-income ranking at 297th.
Despite some cities' lower overall rankings, San Jose, Santa Clara, and Sunnyvale tied for the nation's lowest percentage of seriously underwater mortgages, while Santa Ana and Mission Viejo tied for fourth. Lancaster and Palmdale were the lowest-ranked California markets, at 291st and 292nd, respectively.
