ZIP 94598
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12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in ZIP 94598 usually run 1.2% below trend in December and 0.9% above it in June, about $69 a month apart at today's median. Based on 9 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 94598 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in February 2017.
Rent in ZIP 94598 changed +6.7% over the year to September 2026. Across the 819 California ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.2%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 94598 rose 16.5% while median household income rose 20.8% ($154,125 to $186,225). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in ZIP 94598 is 23% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($186,225) is $4,656 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($3,880); a 3-bedroom is $4,960.
3rd cheapest of 3 ZIP codes in Walnut Creek.
ZIP 94596, 2 miles away, rents for 10% less ($2,933/mo), about $4,000 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 94598. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
Who lives here
ZIP 94598 (Walnut Creek, CA) is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 73.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 94598 in Walnut Creek, CA has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in ZIP 94598 in Walnut Creek, CA paid around $2,688 a month. That figure now sits near $3,266, up 21.5% from the 2021 baseline. Median household income climbed from $166,534 to $186,225 between 2021 and 2024, a 11.8% shift. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show ZIP 94598 in Walnut Creek, CA adding about 765 residents over the five-year window, up 2.9% on net. Taken together, the five-year picture in ZIP 94598 in Walnut Creek, CA reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 94598
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 94598 covers Walnut Creek, CA. The median rent here is $3,266/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $3,180/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $3,880/mo.
At 21% of local median household income ($186,225/yr), ZIP 94598 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 6.7% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 94598 compare to the rest of Walnut Creek?
At $3,266/mo, rent takes ~21% of ZIP 94598's median household income ($186,225/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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