Most Expensive U.S. Zip Codes in 2021: 10 Areas Surpass $4 Million Median Sale Price

[Zorro]

Key Takeaways:

- At nearly $7.5 million, Atherton, Calif.’s 94027 remains #1 most expensive zip code for fifth consecutive year
- Record $5.5 million median sale price gives Boston’s 02199 #2 spot
- Top 10 most expensive zip codes in 2021 all surpass $4 million mark — a historic first
- 33109 in Miami jumps 66% Y-o-Y, becomes #5 priciest in U.S.
- Nationally, 30 zips feature median sale prices higher than $3 million, more than double the number of areas in 2020
- Country’s 100 most expensive zip codes located in 10 states, with 70% from California
- Bay Area claims 47 of nation’s most exclusive zip codes
- Los Angeles County remains priciest county with 21 entries
- Once again, San Francisco boasts highest concentration of pricey zip codes, while NYC drops out of top 20
- Gibson Island’s 97% Y-o-Y price surge claims Maryland’s highest position yet at #23
- Exclusive Lake Tahoe enclaves rule Nevada real estate, Paradise Valley returns Arizona for 3rd consecutive year

Ranking the Priciest U.S. Zip Codes by Closed Home Sales

Even as another uniquely challenging year — marked by the efforts of tackling the pandemic and boosting the economy — is coming to an end, the U.S. residential market continues to experience vertical price trends. And, that picture is clearly visible in our 2021 edition of the 100 most expensive zip codes in the U.S. — which, for the first time ever, includes 127 zip codes due to multiple ties.

Compiled by calculating median home sale prices as opposed to listing prices to ensure an accurate picture of market conditions as opposed to selling prices that reflect sellers’ wishes, this year’s edition highlights the ever-increasingly competitive residential markets of economically vital urban centers.

The Bay Area, Los Angeles County, and New York City yet again have a heavy presence, joined by exclusive pockets of affluence scattered across the country, like Arizona’s Paradise Valley, Washington state’s Medina and Connecticut’s Fairfield County. What’s more, 2021’s competitive residential landscape is further evidenced by the country’s 10 most expensive zip codes — all of which surpassed the $4 million threshold, marking a new record.

https://www.propertyshark.com/Real-Estate-Reports/most-expensive-zip-codes-in-the-us

[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. Atherton is so pretty and nice ... had friends who lived there for awhile

It has the foliage of hillier regions in the Bay like Danville/Alamo/Orinda/Oakland Hills ... but it's totally FLAT, like the whole town, least from what I've seen. They also developed it to be an exclusive enclave from the beginning of it's existence ... there's like no apartments, and I think the smallest lot in the city is 1/2 acre, basically the city has never let its original large homesteads be divided into small parcels. Most of the houses are on a acre or more, which if you know the Bay Area, that's pretty big.

A big, flat acre in the Bay with beautiful iconic natural foliage is worth a TON. Plus the houses are ALL custom.

I'd still rather live in Orinda (which is down the list a bit) because I lived there as a kid, and I prefer the hillier terrain.

[Retrograde]

2. It's a great place to bike on weekdays

Flat, shady, roads in good, little traffic, long stretches where you can get up some speed.
And the contrast between Atherton and the Fair Oaks section of Redwood City, which it abuts, is stark: it goes abruptly from large, leafy estates to a largely Hispanic, working class neighborhood.

[hunter]

3. My California family is really good at selling homes before they become that valuable.

The remaining homes of my great grandparents and great-great grandparents in San Francisco are approaching two million dollars.

One of the homes is fully restored, upgraded, and dressed up in all its [link:https:/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilded_Age|gilded age] glory. It has never looked so good, not even when it was new. (No, the entire city was not destroyed in the Great Earthquake.)

The homes weren't anything special when my great grandma sold them. Her daughters, my grandma and her sister, didn't really have any appreciation for San Francisco. To them it was a grimy place of hard work, rough people, and broken dreams.

I'm reluctant to look at the value of the small orchard my parents once owned. All the orchards around it were turned into mini-ranches with very expensive custom homes, horse barns and bridal trails, gated driveways... the works. From my parent's perspective, as artists with day jobs, the neighborhood was turning to shit and they sold the place soon after my dad retired, and just before property values in the neighborhood skyrocketed.