Cloverdale, CA Real Estate & Homes for Sale
By Matthew Martinez, Founder, CEO & Managing Broker, Diamond Real Estate Group. California DRE #01869679.
Cloverdale is an incorporated city of about 8,700 people at the northern end of Sonoma County, California, on Highway 101 near the Mendocino County line. Redfin’s median sale price for the three months ending September 2026 was $589,219, roughly $460,000 below Healdsburg’s. The city covers just 3.14 square miles of land (Census); ranch and vineyard parcels in the hills outside the limits fall under Sonoma County rules instead.
- County
- Sonoma County
- Government
- Incorporated city (City of Cloverdale)
- ZIP code
- 95425
- Population
- 8,996 (2020 Census)
- Median sale price
- $589,219 (3 months to Sep 2026, Redfin)
- School district
- Cloverdale Unified
Cloverdale homes for sale
Current MLS listings in Cloverdale appear below. Our property search also covers Geyserville and the Alexander Valley to the south and Hopland across the county line.
What do homes in Cloverdale sell for?
$589,219
3 months to September 2026, Redfin
$403
September 2026, Redfin
50
September 2026, Redfin
Cloverdale costs far less than Healdsburg and sits well below the county median. Redfin’s median for the three months ending September 2026, $589,219, was up 0.9% from a year earlier, and its September figures showed homes selling faster than in 2025: a median of 50 days on market, down from 97. The Sonoma County median for September was $875,000 (California Association of REALTORS).
Two other numbers temper that picture. About 43% of homes on the market had a price cut, and the sale-to-list ratio was 98.4%, so most buyers still negotiated. The Census Bureau’s 2020–2024 survey put the median value of owner-occupied homes at $619,400, close to Redfin’s sale median.
| Measure | Figure | Period and source |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $589,219 (up 0.9% year over year) | 3 months ending September 2026, Redfin (its calculation from MLS and public records) |
| Median price per square foot | $403 (up 8.3%) | September 2026, Redfin |
| Homes sold | 24 (28 a year earlier) | September 2026, Redfin |
| Median days on market | 50 (97 a year earlier) | September 2026, Redfin |
| Sale-to-list ratio | 98.4%; 20.8% sold above list; 42.7% of listings with a price drop | September 2026, Redfin |
| Median value, owner-occupied homes | $619,400 | 2020–2024, U.S. Census Bureau (ACS) |
| Owner-occupied share of homes | 71.7% | 2020–2024, U.S. Census Bureau (ACS) |
| Median gross rent | $1,435 a month | 2020–2024, U.S. Census Bureau (ACS) |
| Sonoma County median, for comparison | $875,000 | September 2026, C.A.R. |
Cloverdale’s city rules for buyers
Inside the city limits, the City of Cloverdale sets zoning, issues building permits and runs the water and sewer systems. Outside them, Sonoma County is in charge through Permit Sonoma. Check which side of the line a property is on before you plan an ADU, a rental or a split.
Water and sewer
The city provides water and wastewater service to homes in town. Its Water Department runs the system from the well fields through a treatment plant, reservoirs and booster pumps to the distribution mains (City of Cloverdale). Starting service as a new owner costs a $75 start-of-service fee plus a $150 deposit, or $75 if you enroll in automatic payments (City of Cloverdale).
Rural homes outside the city often rely on a well and a septic system. Sonoma County doesn’t require a septic inspection when a property sells, so a buyer has to order one. Our guide to wells, septic and rural utilities in Sonoma County lists what to test.
Adding an ADU
Cloverdale allows up to two accessory dwelling units on a lot with a single-family or multifamily home, in any zoning district. An ADU can be up to 850 or 1,200 square feet depending on lot size, and ADUs of 750 square feet or less are exempt from the city’s development impact fees, which the city says can save more than $20,000 a unit. A junior ADU of up to 500 square feet can be carved out of an existing bedroom (City of Cloverdale).
New construction and inclusionary units
Projects of five or more new homes must make 15% of them affordable: rentals to lower-income households and for-sale homes to moderate-income buyers earning up to 120% of the county median. Ownership projects of 15 or fewer units can pay a fee instead (Cloverdale Municipal Code ch. 18.13). If you’re buying in a new subdivision, ask whether the home is one of the price-restricted units.
Transfer tax
Cloverdale doesn’t add a transfer tax on top of the county’s, so a sale pays the county rate of $1.10 per $1,000 (Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder).
Can you run a vacation rental in Cloverdale?
It depends on whether you live there. Cloverdale’s zoning code treats a whole-home rental and a room rental by a resident owner very differently (Cloverdale Municipal Code §18.09.260–265).
| Rule | Nonhosted (whole home) | Hosted (owner on site) |
|---|---|---|
| Where allowed | Commercial zoning districts | All residential districts |
| Approval | Conditional use permit; neighbors notified first | Listing on the city’s hosted rental registry |
| Limits | One unit per parcel; one parking space per bedroom; occupancy set in the permit; permit and license numbers on all ads | Owner lives and sleeps on the property; up to two bedrooms and two guests per bedroom; 120 days a year; not in an ADU |
| Both | Stays under 30 days; a city business license; transient occupancy tax paid to the city | |
The city’s transient occupancy tax is 10% of the rent (Cloverdale Municipal Code §3.44.030), lower than Healdsburg’s combined 16% and the unincorporated county’s 12%. On rural parcels outside the city, the county’s own permit applies; see our guide to vacation rental rules in Sonoma County.
Cloverdale’s code places whole-home vacation rentals in commercial districts and offers hosted rentals as the residential option. If short-stay income is part of your plan for a house in a neighborhood, get the Planning Department’s answer in writing before you remove contingencies.
Fire, flood and insurance checks
Fire hazard zones are mapped parcel by parcel, so check each property rather than relying on what’s true of the city as a whole.
- Fire zone: in 2025 the state issued revised Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps for land inside cities, and each city adopted its own version, free to add zones but not to drop them (City of Sonoma summary of the state process). A disclosure prepared before that update may be out of date.
- Defensible space at sale: where the zone is High or Very High, California’s AB 38 asks the seller for a recent defensible-space inspection report; if there isn’t one, the buyer can agree in writing to do the work within a year after closing (Office of the State Fire Marshal).
- Recent fire history: the 2019 Kincade Fire started northeast of Geyserville, the next town south, and burned 77,758 acres and destroyed 374 structures (CAL FIRE).
- Insurance: price a policy during your inspection period, especially for homes on the hillside edges of town or on acreage outside the city.
- Flood: for homes near the Russian River or a creek, compare the FEMA flood map with the seller’s natural hazard disclosure.
Wine country at the north end of the county
Two federal wine appellations reach Cloverdale. The Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA, established in October 2011, covers high ground in both Mendocino and Sonoma counties, with parts of its boundary following the 1,600-foot contour line on the Asti, Cloverdale and Highland Springs maps (27 CFR 9.220). The Alexander Valley AVA, established in 1984, uses the Cloverdale map as one of its seven boundary maps (27 CFR 9.53).
| AVA | Regulation | Established | Cloverdale connection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak | 27 CFR 9.220 | 2011 (T.D. TTB-96) | Higher-elevation appellation, partly bounded by the 1,600-foot contour; crosses into Mendocino County |
| Alexander Valley | 27 CFR 9.53 | 1984 (T.D. ATF-187) | The Cloverdale quadrangle is one of its boundary maps |
For hillside vineyard land, read our vineyard property guide and browse vineyards and wineries for sale in Sonoma County; on hillside parcels, water and road access often decide what the land can support.
Getting around: Highway 101, buses and the SMART plan
Cloverdale sits on Highway 101, and for now its public transit is the bus. Sonoma County Transit Route 60 runs between Cloverdale, Healdsburg, Windsor and Santa Rosa, Route 60X is a Cloverdale–Santa Rosa express, and Route 68 is the local Cloverdale shuttle (Sonoma County Transit).
Cloverdale is meant to be the northern end of the SMART train, but it has no date. SMART’s station page doesn’t name a Cloverdale site yet and says the station “will be completed when funding becomes available” (SMART). Here’s where the line stands as of October 2026:
- Windsor: the station opened in 2025.
- Healdsburg: nine miles of new track and a downtown station are under contract, with construction scheduled from January 2026 and service planned by late 2028 (SMART). That contract includes options to keep building north if more grant money is secured.
- Healdsburg to Cloverdale: SMART is pursuing funding for the remaining 18 miles as two projects of about nine miles each, and is evaluating an intermediate station in Geyserville (SMART).
For a buyer, the practical reading is that rail service to Cloverdale is a long-range plan, not something to price into a home today.
Daily life in Cloverdale
Cloverdale hosts the Citrus Fair, which began in 1892 to celebrate the citrus once grown in northern Sonoma County and is held each February at 1 Citrus Fair Drive. The 135th fair is scheduled for February 12–15, 2027, and the fairgrounds also host the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (Cloverdale Citrus Fair).
- Schools: the Census Bureau’s 2020 school district map places Cloverdale in the Cloverdale Unified School District; the district can tell you which school serves a given address.
- Electricity: unlike Healdsburg, Cloverdale is in Sonoma Clean Power’s territory, with PG&E delivering the power and handling outages (Sonoma Clean Power).
- Housing mix: 71.7% of occupied homes are owner-occupied, and the median gross rent of $1,435 a month (2020–2024) is well below the county’s $2,158 (Census). The city’s population was 8,996 in the 2020 Census and an estimated 8,701 in July 2025.
Cloverdale compared with nearby areas
| Area | Government | One verified difference |
|---|---|---|
| Cloverdale | Incorporated city | Median $589,219 (3 months to September 2026, Redfin); planned northern end of SMART |
| Geyserville | Unincorporated, Sonoma County | County vacation-rental permits; SMART is studying a station there |
| Healdsburg | Incorporated city | Median $1,049,500 (September 2026, Redfin); SMART service planned by late 2028 |
| Hopland | Unincorporated, Mendocino County | Mendocino County rules apply across the county line |
| Ukiah | Incorporated city, Mendocino County | Outside Sonoma Clean Power’s service area, like Healdsburg (Sonoma Clean Power) |
How Diamond Real Estate Group helps Cloverdale buyers
Cloverdale’s prices sit well below Healdsburg’s and the county median, and our work is making sure the details of a lower-priced home hold up. We confirm the zoning and any rental limits, the water and sewer connection or the well and septic permits, the fire zone and insurance quotes, and the permit history of additions, and we read comparable sales for what they were rather than averaging across the city.
- Real estate agents working in Cloverdale, each listed with a link to their DRE license record.
- Mortgages and affordability in Sonoma County: loan limits and programs that matter at Cloverdale’s price level.
For the whole county, see our Sonoma County real estate guide and how we work with buyers.
Selling a home in Cloverdale
Inside the city, the City of Cloverdale’s planning and building staff hold the permit records and the city supplies water and sewer. Homes on the hills and ranch land around town are unincorporated, so Permit Sonoma holds their permits along with the well and septic files.
Transfer tax
Cloverdale adds no city transfer tax. The county recorder includes the city in the county’s $1.10 per $1,000, so a $590,000 sale pays $649. The seller customarily pays in Diamond’s North Bay markets, but the contract can split it. See our guide to transfer tax.
Rural parcels: wells, septic and fire
Permit Sonoma’s operational permit program doesn’t describe an inspection at sale, so buyers usually order their own septic and well tests. Septic systems with supplemental treatment carry an operational permit that is renewed and paid each year. Under the county’s acknowledgement form, the owner must tell the next owner about it, so include the permit and service-provider records. Our wells and septic guide lists what buyers test.
For defensible space, Civil Code 1102.19 applies to homes in High or Very High hazard zones. If Northern Sonoma County Fire serves the parcel, it handles inspections in its Local Responsibility Area and refers State Responsibility Area parcels to CAL FIRE. Book early on hillside property.
In-town checklist
- If the home was sold as a price-restricted unit, read the recorded resale terms first.
- Have the written smoke alarm statement and water heater bracing certification ready.
- Complete the Civil Code 1101.4 disclosure on plumbing fixtures.
- Have permits and finals ready for additions, decks and solar.
- If you hosted guests, keep the city permit and transient occupancy tax records together.
Acreage with vines or a planted block needs a separate approach; our page on selling a vineyard covers it. For countywide timing and disclosures, read the Sonoma County seller guide, then request a Cloverdale home valuation.
Sources for this section: County of Sonoma Clerk-Recorder: Documentary transfer tax; Permit Sonoma: Operational Permit and Monitoring Program; Permit Sonoma: Form WLS-043, acknowledgement of operational permit requirement; Northern Sonoma County Fire Protection District: AB 38 defensible space inspections; Justia: California Civil Code section 1102.19; California Health and Safety Code section 13113.8 (California Public Law); California Health and Safety Code section 19211 (California Public Law); California Civil Code section 1101.4 (California Public Law).
Cloverdale real estate FAQs
Is Cloverdale in Sonoma County or Mendocino County?
Cloverdale is an incorporated city in Sonoma County, near the Mendocino County line. Hopland, the next community north on Highway 101, is in Mendocino County, so county rules change when you cross the line.
What’s the typical sale price in Cloverdale?
Redfin’s median sale price for the three months ending September 2026 was $589,219, up 0.9% from a year earlier, at about $403 per square foot. That’s well below both Healdsburg’s $1,049,500 and the Sonoma County median of $875,000 for September.
How quickly are Cloverdale homes selling?
Faster than a year ago. Redfin’s median days on market in September 2026 was 50, down from 97 in September 2025, though about 43% of listings had taken a price cut and the typical sale closed at 98.4% of the asking price.
Can I buy a Cloverdale home and rent it on Airbnb?
Cloverdale’s code permits whole-home vacation rentals in commercial zoning districts, with a conditional use permit. In residential neighborhoods, the option it provides is a hosted rental: up to two bedrooms, up to 120 days a year, while you live on the property.
What is the hotel tax in Cloverdale?
Cloverdale’s transient occupancy tax is 10% of the rent on stays of less than 30 days. That’s lower than Healdsburg’s 16% total and the unincorporated county’s 12%.
Is Cloverdale on city water and sewer?
Yes, inside the city limits. The City of Cloverdale runs both, drawing water from its well fields and treating it at a city plant. New owners pay a $75 start-of-service fee and a $150 deposit, or $75 with automatic payments.
Who supplies electricity in Cloverdale?
Sonoma Clean Power is the default generation supplier and PG&E delivers the power. Cloverdale doesn’t have its own electric utility the way Healdsburg does.
How many ADUs can a Cloverdale lot have?
Up to two. The city allows two ADUs on a lot with a home in any zoning district, up to 850 or 1,200 square feet depending on lot size, and waives development impact fees for ADUs of 750 square feet or less.
Does Cloverdale charge its own transfer tax?
No. The city doesn’t add one, so the deed pays only Sonoma County’s documentary transfer tax, $1.10 for each $1,000 of value.
Is the SMART train coming to Cloverdale?
Eventually, but there’s no date. SMART plans service to Healdsburg by late 2028 and says the Cloverdale station will be completed when funding becomes available, with the Healdsburg-to-Cloverdale stretch split into two projects of about nine miles each.
Can you get from Cloverdale to Santa Rosa by bus?
Yes. Sonoma County Transit Route 60 runs from Cloverdale through Healdsburg and Windsor to Santa Rosa, and Route 60X is an express between Cloverdale and Santa Rosa. Route 68 is the local Cloverdale shuttle.
Which wine appellations are near Cloverdale?
The Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA, created in 2011, covers higher ground in Sonoma and Mendocino counties, and the Cloverdale map is one of seven used to define the Alexander Valley AVA. Check a specific parcel against the federal boundary description before relying on either.
When is the Cloverdale Citrus Fair?
Every February. The fair began in 1892, and the 135th Citrus Fair is set for February 12–15, 2027 at the fairgrounds on Citrus Fair Drive.
Which school district serves Cloverdale?
Public schools in town belong to the Cloverdale Unified School District. Ask the district which school serves a particular address, since attendance areas can change.
Sources & notes
- Redfin: Cloverdale housing market (September 2026) and C.A.R.: September 2026 sales and price report
- U.S. Census Bureau: QuickFacts, Cloverdale city (2020 Census; ACS 2020–2024) and the 2020 Census school district map, Sonoma County
- City of Cloverdale: water, water and sewer service and housing and ADUs; Municipal Code vacation rentals (§18.09.260–265), transient occupancy tax (ch. 3.44) and inclusionary housing (ch. 18.13) (accessed October 2026)
- Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder: documentary transfer tax and Sonoma Clean Power: FAQ
- Fire: CAL FIRE incident record for the 2019 Kincade Fire, the City of Sonoma’s summary of the 2025 map update and the State Fire Marshal’s AB 38 bulletin
- eCFR: Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak and Alexander Valley
- SMART: Cloverdale station, Healdsburg extension contract (September 19, 2025) and Geyserville and Cloverdale planning; Sonoma County Transit routes
- Cloverdale Citrus Fair
Figures carry their dates where they appear, and we refresh market numbers every quarter. This is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice; confirm rules for a specific property with the agency named. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
Plan your next move
Share your preferred location, budget, property requirements and timing. We can help organize a focused search, arrange showings or discuss preparing a property for sale.
Local resource: Sonoma County community directory. Check official information for the address you are considering; area descriptions do not establish a property’s permitted uses.
