Contra Costa County · Central County
Pleasant Hill
Flat lots, mid century ranch homes and real value between Walnut Creek and Concord.
Pleasant Hill Homes for Sale
Active Coldwell Banker Realty listings in Pleasant Hill, updated straight from the MLS. The full Pleasant Hill search below shows everything on the market from every brokerage.
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Living in Pleasant Hill
Pleasant Hill is where a lot of buyers land when Walnut Creek prices stop working. Same freeway, same BART line, flat lots, and mid century ranch homes with room to grow into.
Downtown Pleasant Hill around Crescent Drive is a compact, easy center with a movie theater, restaurants and a plaza that hosts events through the summer. Diablo Valley College brings a steady flow of people through town, and Pleasant Hill Park and the Iron Horse Trail cover the outdoor side.
It is a practical, unpretentious town. People here tend to be buying a house to live in for a long time rather than trading up every few years, and the neighborhoods reflect that.
Pleasant Hill at a glance
- County
- Contra Costa
- School district
- Mt. Diablo Unified
- High school
- College Park High, in town
- ZIP code
- 94523
- Freeways
- Interstate 680 and Highway 242
- BART
- Pleasant Hill / Contra Costa Centre, on the eastern edge
- Local college
- Diablo Valley College
- Housing
- Postwar and 1950s to 60s single story ranch homes on flat, regular lots
The Housing in Pleasant Hill
Flat lots and honest houses, which is a rarer combination in this county than it sounds.
The core of Pleasant Hill is postwar and 1950s to 60s single story ranch homes on flat, regular lots. Many have been expanded or remodeled, and the ones that have not are some of the best value opportunities in central Contra Costa.
Those flat lots also make Pleasant Hill one of the more workable cities in the county for an accessory dwelling unit, which matters to buyers thinking about rental income or multigenerational living.
Pleasant Hill is a value market inside a premium county, and it moves quickly at the entry level. Updated ranch homes in the popular neighborhoods regularly see more activity than similarly priced homes in cities with bigger names.
For sellers, the buyers looking here are usually comparing you against Walnut Creek and Concord at the same time. Knowing which of those two you are actually competing with on any given weekend is what pricing correctly comes down to.
Pleasant Hill Neighborhoods to Know
Five neighborhoods with strong identities and very different price points.
Gregory Gardens
A large, well known ranch home neighborhood on the north side, popular with first time buyers.
Poets Corner
Central, walkable to downtown, streets named for poets and a strong neighborhood identity.
Sherman Acres
Established mid century homes close to the center of town.
College Park and Chilpancingo
Near Diablo Valley College and the high school, convenient and consistently in demand.
Pleasant Hill Heights
Slightly elevated, larger homes and lots on the eastern side.
Schools in Pleasant Hill
Pleasant Hill is in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District, with College Park High serving most of the city. Elementary assignments vary meaningfully by neighborhood.
| School | Level | Grades | District |
|---|---|---|---|
| College Park High School | High | 9–12 | Mt. Diablo Unified |
| Pleasant Hill Middle School | Middle | 6–8 | Mt. Diablo Unified |
| Sequoia Middle School | Middle | 6–8 | Mt. Diablo Unified |
| Valley View Middle School | Middle | 6–8 | Mt. Diablo Unified |
| Valhalla Elementary | Elementary | K–5 | Mt. Diablo Unified |
| Strandwood Elementary | Elementary | K–5 | Mt. Diablo Unified |
| Sequoia Elementary | Elementary | K–5 | Mt. Diablo Unified |
| Pleasant Hill Elementary | Elementary | K–5 | Mt. Diablo Unified |
| Fair Oaks Elementary | Elementary | K–5 | Mt. Diablo Unified |
| Gregory Gardens Elementary | Elementary | K–5 | Mt. Diablo Unified |
Read this before you fall in love with a listing. School assignment is set by address and boundaries change. Never assume a school from a listing description. I confirm the assignment with the district before you write an offer.
Getting Around
The Pleasant Hill / Contra Costa Centre BART station is on the eastern edge of the city and is surrounded by offices, which makes this one of the better transit commutes in the county.
Interstate 680 runs along the same edge, with Highway 242 connecting north to Highway 4. Getting anywhere in central county from here is straightforward.
The Iron Horse Trail runs through town, and downtown around Crescent Drive is compact enough to walk once you are there.
Recently Sold in Pleasant Hill
Closed Coldwell Banker Realty sales in Pleasant Hill. This is what the market actually paid, not what somebody asked.
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Pleasant Hill Questions I Get Every Week
What does a home in Pleasant Hill cost?
The live numbers at the top of this page are the current read. The short version is that Pleasant Hill is the value play in central county, which is exactly why the entry level here moves fast when a home is priced correctly.
Is Pleasant Hill a good alternative to Walnut Creek?
For a lot of buyers, yes, and it is one of the most common moves I make. Same freeway, same BART line, flatter lots, lower entry point. The tradeoffs are a smaller downtown and a different school district, and both are worth understanding before you commit.
Which schools serve my address?
Pleasant Hill is in Mt. Diablo Unified, with College Park High serving most of the city. Elementary assignments vary meaningfully by neighborhood, so this is a city where you verify by address rather than by neighborhood name. I confirm it with the district before you write an offer.
Can I add an ADU here?
Pleasant Hill is one of the more workable cities in the county for it, largely because the lots are flat and regular. Rules still vary by property, so it is worth scoping before you buy rather than after. I hold a Home Improvement Salesperson license and can bring a contractor through with you.
How is the BART commute?
Good. The Pleasant Hill / Contra Costa Centre station sits on the eastern edge surrounded by offices, so it works both for commuting out and for people working right there. Homes within an easy walk or short drive of it carry a premium.
Am I competing with Walnut Creek and Concord buyers?
You are competing with both, often on the same weekend. That is the single most useful thing to understand when pricing a Pleasant Hill home, and it is why I track what is actually selling in all three cities rather than just this one.
Your Partner in Real Estate
Buying or Selling in Pleasant Hill
If you are buying here, you get someone who is in these neighborhoods every week and will tell you plainly when a house is not worth what it is asking. I am a Certified Real Estate Negotiator, and I walk you through disclosures, inspections, negotiation and closing so nothing lands on you as a surprise. If you are trying to get into central Contra Costa without stretching, Pleasant Hill deserves a serious look before you rule out the area.
If you are selling here, your home gets professional photography, full MLS exposure, a broker tour in the first week on market, and promotion through my Realtors Marketing Association and Contra Costa Realtors in Motion networks. Pricing is built from what Pleasant Hill buyers are actually responding to right now, not last quarter, and if a listing goes quiet we reposition on the numbers rather than just cutting the price. I also hold a Home Improvement Salesperson license and can bring in my contractor network for the prep work that returns the most.
All of it backed by Coldwell Banker Realty out of the Danville and Blackhawk office, and the marketing reach that comes with the brand.
Book an AppointmentSend Me a Question
Prefer to just ask first? Call or text (925) 917-3970 or email chris@chrisleeluna.com. I answer my own phone.
Explore Other East Bay Neighborhoods
Buyers almost never arrive with one city in mind. Here is the rest of the map.
Thinking about Pleasant Hill?
Tell me what you need out of a lot, a commute and a budget, and I will tell you honestly whether Pleasant Hill is the answer or whether it is one town over.
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Listing information is provided by Coldwell Banker Realty and the participating MLSs. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
