Movie stars, vineyards, and cutting-edge technology: most of us associate sunny California with these markers of wealth and prosperity. Most of the priciest homes in not just the state but the entire nation are located, not surprisingly, in celebrity-laden Los Angeles. The $149 million dollar Beverly Hills estate called Palazzo di Amore, reduced from its original $195 million list price, is the most expensive home for sale in the US. Rundowns of jaw-droppingly lavish celebrity abodes are plentiful, so for a fresh list of the most expensive homes in California, we looked at the counties with the highest median household incomes; at about $56,000, Los Angeles doesn’t even crack the top 20 by this metric. Then, we searched for the most expensive home recently listed or sold in each of those seven counties. For reference, the median household income for the entire state of California is $62,000, and the cost of living is about 50 percent higher than the national average.
1. Marin County
Located in the San Francisco Bay area, Marin County tops the list of wealthiest California counties. The median household income here is about $90,000. It’s also the smallest county on our list, with only about a quarter-million residents. The Bay area has the nation’s fourth-highest cost of living. The most expensive home currently for sale in Marin County is an “undisclosed” location on a 140-acre lot, listed at $39 million. The next priciest, at $20 million, is located in Ross. At just over 10,000 square feet, it boasts nine bedrooms, eight full baths, and a half-bath. In addition to two guest houses and a seven-car garage, the historic estate features a pool, tennis court, and its own redwood grove. Built in 1896, it was completely overhauled in 2012 to bring all the utilities up to date.
2. Santa Clara
Santa Clara County is home to the San Jose metropolitan area and the fabled tech hub known as Silicon Valley. The median household income among the county’s 1.8 million residents is $89,000. The county’s most expensive home for sale is in Saratoga. At $24.5 million for about $13,000 square feet, this sprawling, Spanish-style estate features seven bedrooms and 12 baths. It offers panoramic city and canyon views, four gas fireplaces, and a home theater. The heated infinity pool has a cabana and hot tub.
3. San Mateo
Also in the Bay area, San Mateo County is home to about 718,000 residents. The median household income here is about $88,000. San Mateo is home to diverse ecosystems and offers sweeping views of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Located in Atherton, San Mateo’s most expensive listing is a newly constructed Italian villa-style home for just under $43 million. Each detail of this home was crafted with luxury in mind, from the German mahogany window and door frames to the Italian brick ceilings. Sitting on about 1.5 acres, it features six bedrooms and 10 baths. The estate elevates outdoor living to an art, with a large pool and spa, a fire pit, and a full outdoor kitchen and entertainment pavilion complete with brick pizza oven.
4. Contra Costa
Contra Costa County has a population of just over one million and a median household income of $79,000. Affordable housing for the working class in the service sector is becoming scarce in the area, due in part to San Francisco’s urban sprawl. The county’s most expensive home on the market lies on 101 acres in Alamo. Nestled in the Las Trampas foothills and overlooking a vineyard, the opulent estate has 12 bedrooms and a whopping 16 baths. Its wine cellar accommodates 5,000 bottles. There’s plenty of outdoor living space to take advantage of the picturesque views. Outbuildings include a guest house, pool house, and car barn. It can be yours for $35 million.
5. Ventura
The Southern California county of Ventura is home to about 823,000 with a median income of $77,000. Many of the high-dollar homes in the western part of the county offer breathtaking views of the Pacific. The priciest, 6.5 acres known as La Villa Contenta, is located in dreamy Malibu. With 16,000 square feet of luxurious amenities, it comes in at an astonishing $53.8 million. In addition to its 10 bedrooms and 14 baths, its next owner will enjoy an indoor pool, library, and wine cellar, and of course, incredible ocean views.
6. Orange
The densely-populated Orange County is home to more than three million residents, as well as famed tourist attraction Disneyland. The median income here is about $76,000. In San Clemente’s exclusive private residential community, Cotton Point Estates, is the county’s most expensive real estate listing. It’s about 13,000 square feet located on a nearly three-acre oceanfront lot. The Spanish-style home has seven bedrooms and 10 baths. With soaring, two-story ceilings and a well-appointed gourmet kitchen, the interior is perfect for entertaining. Exterior features aren’t too shabby, either, including private access to the beach. At $55 million, it’s the most expensive entry on our list.
7. Placer
Placer County boomed during the Gold Rush. Today, it’s home to about 350,000 residents and zero active gold mines, but the median income is about $75,000. The county’s highest-priced active listing is in Olympic Valley. This chalet-style retreat sits on 29 acres in the eastern Squaw Valley community. It’s the most modest home on our list with four bedrooms and 4.5 baths, but its unbelievable mountain views and an indoor pool help explain its $15 million price tag. Outbuildings include a caretaker’s cabin and a four-car garage.
2 Point Highlight
The $149 million dollar Beverly Hills estate called Palazzo di Amore, reduced from its original $195 million list price, is the most expensive home for sale in the US.
Each detail of this home was crafted with luxury in mind, from the German mahogany window and door frames to the Italian brick ceilings.
