HomeCaliforniaContra Costa County
Contra Costa County, California: commercial real estate data.
Contra Costa County, California had an estimated 1,172,607 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 1,165,983, across 716 square miles. County output reached $96.58 bn in 2024, 25,932 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 1,158 7(a) approvals worth $630.6 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Contra Costa County
How many people live in Contra Costa County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20241,165,012
- Households414,417
- Average household size2.81
- Median household income$127,229
- Median age40.5
- Median gross rent$2,375 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$866,800
- Home value to household income6.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income22.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher45.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree17.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over816,152
- Population under 18256,000
- Share under 1822.0 percent
- Population 65 and over199,270
- Share 65 and over17.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64709,742
- Civilian labor force608,620
- Unemployment rate6.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over67.0 percent
- Rank by population among California counties9th of 58
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included39th of 3,222
Contra Costa County is the 9th largest of 58 California counties by population. A median home costs 6.8 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.0 percent against 17.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Contra Costa County
Is Contra Costa County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 20241,172,607
- Census 2020 base population1,165,983
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.57 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202410,428
- Births, 202411,185
- Deaths, 20248,420
- Natural change, 20242,765
- Net domestic migration, 2024-4,692
- Net international migration, 202412,286
- Total net migration, 20247,594
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-37,004
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1621st of 3,144
The county has grown 0.57 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Contra Costa County
Where are people moving to Contra Costa County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving27,074
- People arriving, from those returns48,153
- Tax returns filed by households leaving32,075
- Net household movement-5,001
- Adjusted gross income arriving$4.41 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-530.1 m
- Average income of an arriving household$162,744
- Average income of a leaving household$153,896
- Largest single originAlameda County (8,244 households)
- Largest single destinationAlameda County (5,170 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda County | 8,244 | 15,271 | $1.42 bn |
| San Francisco County | 2,513 | 4,431 | $603.9 m |
| Santa Clara County | 1,873 | 3,884 | $497.0 m |
| San Mateo County | 1,686 | 3,292 | $326.9 m |
| Solano County | 1,326 | 2,146 | $89.9 m |
| Los Angeles County | 837 | 1,270 | $101.4 m |
| Sacramento County | 794 | 1,240 | $58.7 m |
| San Joaquin County | 709 | 1,304 | $59.5 m |
Households arriving report $8,848 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Alameda County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Contra Costa County
What is the Contra Costa County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$96.58 bn
- County GDP, 2023$95.19 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20241.5 percent
- GDP change over five years32.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among the California areas BEA publishes11th of 58
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes58th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$82,900
Output grew 1.5 percent in the latest year and 32.3 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Contra Costa County
Employment by industry in Contra Costa County
- Covered employment, annual average373,992
- Establishments reporting39,474
- Average annual pay$86,234
- Average weekly wage$1,658
- Health care and social assistance, employment76,021
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$78,791
- Retail trade, employment40,398
- Retail trade, average annual pay$51,458
- Accommodation and food services, employment33,545
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$33,009
- Construction, employment27,400
- Construction, average annual pay$99,886
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment25,151
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment22,451
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 76,021 | 15,958 | $78,791 |
| Retail trade | 40,398 | 2,250 | $51,458 |
| Accommodation and food services | 33,545 | 2,220 | $33,009 |
| Construction | 27,400 | 2,842 | $99,886 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 25,151 | 4,288 | $132,280 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 22,451 | 1,618 | $70,083 |
| Finance and insurance | 15,592 | 1,507 | $161,712 |
| Manufacturing | 13,307 | 620 | $124,631 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 76,021 jobs, 20.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Contra Costa County
How many businesses are in Contra Costa County?
- Establishments, all industries25,932
- Employment at those establishments343,690
- Annual payroll$28.06 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.3
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Contra Costa County
Building permits in Contra Costa County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20242,155
- Declared construction value permitted$627.2 m
- Single family units authorized1,251
- Multifamily units authorized904
- Multifamily share of units41.9 percent
- Average declared value per unit$291,046
- Units authorized per 1,000 households5.2
Multifamily is 41.9 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Contra Costa County
SBA loans in Contra Costa County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded1,158
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$630.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$544,542
- Median 7(a) approval$250,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,450,800
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)11,873
- Jobs per approval10.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active110
- Distinct industries receiving approvals269
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer16.4 percent
- Loans on real estate terms190
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter909
- Franchise loans134
- Franchise share of approvals11.6 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (47)
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (160)
- 504 approvals recorded487
- 504 gross approval dollars$435.8 m
- Average 504 approval$894,920
- Median 504 approval$616,000
- Distinct CDCs active12
- 504 jobs per approval8.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved9.8
- Most active CDCBay Area Employment Development Company (189)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$1.07 bn
The average approval of $544,542 sits well above the median of $250,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 16.4 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Contra Costa County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Contra Costa County
Do SBA loans in Contra Costa County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded208
- Paid in full186
- Charged off22
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans10.6 percent
- Status: Paid in full186
- Status: Exempt from disclosure727
- Status: Cancelled158
- Status: Charged off22
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed65
Of the 208 loans that have reached a final outcome, 10.6 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Contra Costa County
SBA lending by place in Contra Costa County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending36
- Concord, approvals195
- Walnut Creek, approvals184
- Antioch, approvals86
- Brentwood, approvals83
- San Ramon, approvals80
- Martinez, approvals59
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Concord | 195 | $114,352,700 |
| Walnut Creek | 184 | $103,325,300 |
| Antioch | 86 | $44,879,900 |
| Brentwood | 83 | $33,025,000 |
| San Ramon | 80 | $46,248,600 |
| Martinez | 59 | $34,366,900 |
| Richmond | 58 | $36,560,400 |
| Danville | 57 | $42,729,500 |
| 28 other borrower cities | 356 | $175,091,000 |
Concord accounts for 195 approvals against 184 in Walnut Creek. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Contra Costa County
How large is Contra Costa County?
- Land area716 sq mi
- Rank by land area among California counties51st of 58
- Width, east to west48.8 mi
- Height, north to south25.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land1,627
- Establishments per square mile36.22
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Contra Costa County
Flood risk in Contra Costa County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Contra Costa County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 060025
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 6
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book20
- Of those, participating in the NFIP20
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 6
- Communities carrying a CRS class7
- Radon levels in Contra Costa County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Contra Costa County (community 060025), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 6, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Contra Costa County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 6, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Contra Costa County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Contra Costa County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20241,165,012
- Households414,417
- Average household size2.81
- Median household income$127,229
- Median age40.5
Common questions
Contra Costa County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Contra Costa County, California?
The Census Bureau estimates 1,172,607 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 1,165,012, in 414,417 households, ranking 9th of 58 California counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Contra Costa County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.57 percent since the 2020 census base of 1,165,983, to 1,172,607 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 11,185 births against 8,420 deaths, with net migration of 7,594. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Contra Costa County?
$127,229. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $866,800, which is 6.8 times income, and median gross rent is $2,375 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Contra Costa County?
25,932 establishments, employing 343,690 people with an annual payroll of $28.06 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Contra Costa County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 76,021 jobs, 20.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 373,992 jobs at an average annual pay of $86,234, or $1,658 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Contra Costa County?
1,158 7(a) approvals totaling $630.6 m since FY2020, across 110 lenders, with a median approval of $250,000, plus 487 504 approvals worth $435.8 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Contra Costa County get paid back?
Of the 208 loans that have reached a final outcome, 186 were paid in full and 22 charged off, a charge-off rate of 10.6 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Contra Costa County?
2,155 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $627.2 m. Multifamily was 41.9 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Contra Costa County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Contra Costa County come from?
The largest single origin is Alameda County, with 8,244 households. Arriving households report an average income of $162,744 against $153,896 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Contra Costa County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Contra Costa County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Contra Costa County
Cities and places in Contra Costa.
53 Census places lie wholly or partly in Contra Costa County. All 53 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concord | city | 124,035 | 195 | Wholly in this county |
| Antioch | city | 116,477 | 86 | Wholly in this county |
| Richmond | city | 115,505 | 58 | Wholly in this county |
| San Ramon | city | 85,993 | 80 | Wholly in this county |
| Pittsburg | city | 76,257 | 37 | Wholly in this county |
| Walnut Creek | city | 70,088 | 184 | Wholly in this county |
| Brentwood | city | 65,208 | 83 | Wholly in this county |
| Oakley | city | 45,183 | 37 | Wholly in this county |
| Danville | town | 43,401 | 57 | Wholly in this county |
| Martinez | city | 36,903 | 59 | Wholly in this county |
| Pleasant Hill | city | 34,235 | 50 | Wholly in this county |
| San Pablo | city | 31,720 | 28 | Wholly in this county |
| Hercules | city | 26,302 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| El Cerrito | city | 25,994 | 23 | Wholly in this county |
| Lafayette | city | 25,285 | 38 | Wholly in this county |
| Bay Point | CDP | 24,231 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Orinda | city | 19,514 | 16 | Wholly in this county |
| Pinole | city | 18,761 | 17 | Wholly in this county |
| Moraga | town | 16,769 | 13 | Wholly in this county |
| El Sobrante | CDP | 16,294 | 25 | Wholly in this county |
| Discovery Bay | CDP | 14,911 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Alamo | CDP | 14,488 | 15 | Wholly in this county |
| Clayton | city | 10,937 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Blackhawk | CDP | 10,137 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rodeo | CDP | 8,976 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Contra Costa Centre | CDP | 6,893 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Camino Tassajara | CDP | 5,831 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Saranap | CDP | 5,662 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kensington | CDP | 5,179 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Tara Hills | CDP | 4,840 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pacheco | CDP | 4,325 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| San Miguel | CDP | 3,967 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| North Richmond | CDP | 3,855 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rollingwood | CDP | 3,627 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Vine Hill | CDP | 3,540 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Crockett | CDP | 3,372 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Reliez Valley | CDP | 3,173 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| East Richmond Heights | CDP | 3,109 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bayview | CDP | 2,751 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mountain View | CDP | 2,418 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Knightsen | CDP | 2,264 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Montalvin Manor | CDP | 2,063 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bethel Island | CDP | 1,864 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Byron | CDP | 1,837 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Diablo | CDP | 1,232 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Castle Hill | CDP | 1,026 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Norris Canyon | CDP | 1,014 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Acalanes Ridge | CDP | 1,006 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Alhambra Valley | CDP | 979 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| North Gate | CDP | 806 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Shell Ridge | CDP | 746 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Clyde | CDP | 653 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Port Costa | CDP | 296 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 7 of the county's 1,158 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Contra Costa County, the largest being Pleasanton (2), Irvine (1), Briones (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby