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California›Contra Costa County

Acalanes RidgeCA

Home to 1,006 people, this town lies in California.

Is Acalanes Ridge a good place to live?

The best of Acalanes Ridge’s subject grades are an A+ for incomes, health, and schools; the weakest is a D− for cost of living. 38% of residents are 65 or older in Acalanes Ridge, where California’s towns sit at 16% and U.S. towns at 18%. Only 2 of California’s 1,056 towns score higher on incomes. Acalanes Ridge is more walkable than 92% of U.S. towns. Acalanes Ridge has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.

What makes Acalanes Ridge stand out

Where Acalanes Ridge beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

A growing town

Acalanes Ridge has grown 13% from 2010 to 2020

1,137 counted in 2010 and 1,285 in 2020.

1,1372010
1,2852020

U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts

How Acalanes Ridge grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Acalanes Ridge is from typical.

How grading works

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary and 207 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Acalanes Ridge. Close and well known come first.

All 276 attractions →
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary: druchoy, CC BY-SA 2.0 · USS Hornet: kitmasterbloke, CC BY 2.0 · Chase Center: Gregory Varnum, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Oracle Park: User Coasttocoast on en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lombard Street: The original uploader was Y6y6y6 at English Wikipedia., Public domain · Levi's Stadium: Matthew Roth, CC BY-SA 2.0

Getting set up

Moving to Acalanes Ridge: who provides what

Acalanes Ridge is unincorporated, so Contra Costa County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterEBMUDNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesContra Costa CountyContra Costa County provides services here
SchoolsAcalanes Union High School DistrictWalnut Creek Elementary School District2 districts serve Acalanes Ridge; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections hereContra Costa County Elections DivisionContra Costa County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2025
ZIP code9459794597 100%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Acalanes Ridge.

HealthA+

Acalanes Ridge is healthier than 97% of U.S. towns

For adults in Acalanes Ridge, the share who had a checkup this year is 76%. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Acalanes Ridge is ahead of California on 19 and behind on 2. 6.7% of adults in Acalanes Ridge smoke cigarettes; 10% report frequent physical distress.

97%healthier than U.S. townsA+Health Grade
Acalanes RidgeCalifornia townsU.S. towns
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)13%17%17%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)6.7%11%14%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)10%14%14%
Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES)13%22%19%
32 measures vs. California
19 better11 too close to call2 worse
What stands outAcalanes RidgeCA
Fewer uninsured adults3.5%10.6%
Fewer adults facing food insecurity6%17.9%
More adults who have had cancer9.9%6.4%
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Walnut Creek
1.4 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D

Top of a very high hazard risk in Acalanes Ridge: earthquakes

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 89% of U.S. communities. 56% of Acalanes Ridge’s expected losses from natural hazards come from earthquakes, followed by inland flooding at 42%.

89risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
89Very high riskLowerHigher
EarthquakesInland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+

A smaller share of residents in Acalanes Ridge live below the poverty line than in the typical California or U.S. town

In Acalanes Ridge, 0.8% of working residents work locally. This California town had 245 jobs in 2023, up 194 from 2013. Its median household income comes in at $181,000. The top destinations are San Francisco (19%), Walnut Creek (12%) and Oakland (9%).

1%work in town
Acalanes RidgeCalifornia townsU.S. towns
Median household income$181,000$95,000$80,000
Below the poverty line1.5%10%9.6%
Working residents who work in town0.8%6.6%8%
Average trip to work27 minutes28 minutes25 minutes

Where working residents work

In Acalanes Ridge1%
San Francisco19%
Walnut Creek12%
Oakland9%
Pleasant Hill4%
15 mi
median commute distance
245
jobs based in Acalanes Ridge
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 92% of U.S. towns

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

Acalanes Ridge: mild winters and pleasant summers

July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 39° and snow is almost unheard of.

86°summer high

Typical low → high °F

Winter40–58°
Spring46–71°
Summer55–85°
Fall49–75°
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
86°
typical summer high

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

HousingCost of living grade D−

Homes in Acalanes Ridge sell for about $1.65M

Acalanes Ridge’s median rent comes in at $3,501 a month. Among households in the town, 73% live in a home they own.

$1.65Mmedian sale price
Acalanes RidgeCalifornia townsU.S. towns
Median rent$3,501 a month$1,896 a month$1,185 a month
Households that own their home73%64%73%
2
homes sold in September

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Acalanes Ridge

15pages on Acalanes Ridge
After high school

Colleges nearby

23 within 15 miles of the center of Acalanes Ridge

Small town

1,006 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Walnut CreekLafayetteSaranapWalnut CreekLafayetteSaranapAcalanes Ridge

About Acalanes Ridge

Place in California, United States

Acalanes Ridge is a census-designated place in Contra Costa County, California, United States. Acalanes Ridge sits at an elevation of 499 feet (152 m). The population was 1,285 at the 2020 Census. Acalanes Ridge was created a census-designated place for the 2010 census, and comes alphabetically first among all census-designated places in California.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
0.5 sq mi
Elevation
750 ft

Questions about Acalanes Ridge

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Acalanes Ridge, CA expensive?

Yes. The typical home is worth about $1,633,000, 114% above the California typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D−.