Blog > Silicon Valley Home Appreciation by City: What the Same Houses Resold For (2026)
Silicon Valley Home Appreciation by City: What the Same Houses Resold For (2026)
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How much have Silicon Valley homes really appreciated? We matched 1,241 houses that sold in the last 24 months in seven cities to their previous sale since 2012. 950 were about the same size both times. The typical one gained from 4.1% a year in Palo Alto to 6.1% a year in Los Altos, and 38 of the 950 sold for less than their owners paid.
The short answer
- Los Altos: 6.1% a year, +54% over a median 7.4 years (86 houses).
- Cupertino: 5.8% a year, +65% over a median 8.4 years (53 houses).
- Santa Clara: 5.8% a year, +40% over a median 6.7 years (211 houses).
- Saratoga: 5.6% a year, +48% over a median 7.3 years (69 houses).
- Sunnyvale: 5.4% a year, +38% over a median 6.5 years (196 houses).
- Los Gatos: 4.4% a year, +36% over a median 6.9 years (188 houses).
- Palo Alto: 4.1% a year, +33% over a median 7.6 years (147 houses).
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Seven cities compared
| City | Same-size resales | Median gain | Per year | Years held | Sold for less | Expanded houses’ gain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Altos | 86 | +54% | 6.1% | 7.4 | 3 | +136% |
| Cupertino | 53 | +65% | 5.8% | 8.4 | 0 | +133% |
| Santa Clara | 211 | +40% | 5.8% | 6.7 | 4 | +88% |
| Saratoga | 69 | +48% | 5.6% | 7.3 | 1 | +139% |
| Sunnyvale | 196 | +38% | 5.4% | 6.5 | 8 | +85% |
| Los Gatos | 188 | +36% | 4.4% | 6.9 | 19 | +84% |
| Palo Alto | 147 | +33% | 4.1% | 7.6 | 3 | +114% |
By the year the seller bought
Median gain on same-size resales; a dash means too few houses.
| City | 2012–2013 | 2014–2016 | 2017–2019 | 2020–2022 | 2023–2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Altos | +117% | +78% | +48% | +33% | — |
| Palo Alto | +100% | +49% | +23% | +23% | +13% |
| Sunnyvale | +160% | +91% | +41% | +23% | +12% |
| Cupertino | +113% | +82% | — | +20% | — |
| Santa Clara | +169% | +85% | +40% | +29% | +13% |
| Los Gatos | +99% | +54% | +36% | +14% | +8% |
| Saratoga | +123% | +82% | +43% | +24% | +9% |
Reading it right
- These are prices, not profits: selling costs, remodels and carrying costs come out.
- Not adjusted for inflation.
- Same size isn’t same condition; many owners remodel inside the footprint.
- Owners who would sell at a loss often wait, so resales lean toward gains.
Each city in detail
- Los Altos home appreciation: what the same houses resold for
- Palo Alto home appreciation: what the same houses resold for
- Sunnyvale home appreciation: what the same houses resold for
- Cupertino home appreciation: what the same houses resold for
- Santa Clara home appreciation: what the same houses resold for
- Los Gatos home appreciation: what the same houses resold for
- Saratoga home appreciation: what the same houses resold for
Houses that came back bigger
Resales with at least 25% more living area than at the earlier sale: additions, second stories and rebuilds. The gain includes the cost of the work, which these sales don’t show.
| City | Houses | Living area, before → after | Median gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Altos | 27 | 1,740 → 3,620 sq ft | +136% |
| Palo Alto | 37 | 1,390 → 3,290 sq ft | +114% |
| Sunnyvale | 39 | 1,080 → 1,920 sq ft | +85% |
| Cupertino | 14 | 1,200 → 2,750 sq ft | +133% |
| Santa Clara | 27 | 1,180 → 1,840 sq ft | +88% |
| Los Gatos | 25 | 1,220 → 2,610 sq ft | +84% |
| Saratoga | 14 | 1,860 → 3,750 sq ft | +139% |
The last year, by the median
The median house in the last 12 months against the 12 months before. Medians also move with which houses sold.
| City | The 12 months before | Last 12 months | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Altos | $4.81M | $4.9M | +1.8% |
| Palo Alto | $3.82M | $4M | +4.7% |
| Sunnyvale | $2.7M | $2.63M | −2.6% |
| Cupertino | $3.45M | $3.33M | −3.3% |
| Santa Clara | $2.02M | $1.97M | −2.6% |
| Los Gatos | $2.83M | $2.67M | −5.5% |
| Saratoga | $4.2M | $4.28M | +2% |
Questions we get
Which Silicon Valley city appreciated the most?
By repeat sales of same-size houses, Los Altos: a median 6.1% a year. Palo Alto was lowest of the seven, at 4.1%.
How often do Silicon Valley homes sell for less than the owner paid?
Rarely: 38 of 950 same-size resales in these seven cities over the last 24 months.
How long do owners keep a house before reselling?
Among these resales, a median of 6.5 years in Sunnyvale to 8.4 in Cupertino. Longtime owners who haven’t sold aren’t counted.
How we counted
House sales in the last 24 months (October 28, 2024 to October 27, 2026) matched to the previous sale by address (number, street, unit), the earlier sale in 2012 or later and at least a year before; both closed sales reported to the MLS and read through the IDX feeds that power our home search, one record per sale with a usable living area and map position, the same rules as our city price posts. Houses are MLS property type “single family home”; condos include townhomes. Same size: living area within 5%; expanded: at least 25% more. Past sales aren’t a forecast or the value of any one home, and nothing here is financial, tax or legal advice. Run your own with the home appreciation calculator.
Talk to a Property Nerd
We’re the Property Nerds at Compass, recognized as NextGenAgents by a national real estate portal. We’ll pull the sales that matter for your home and your plans, and walk you through what they mean. Call (408) 373-1660 or (650) 383-8606, or book a strategy call. Commissions are negotiable, and we offer bundled services, so ask us what’s included.