Calistoga, CA Real Estate & Homes for Sale
By Matthew Martinez, Founder, CEO & Managing Broker, Diamond Real Estate Group. California DRE #01869679.
Calistoga is an incorporated city of about 5,100 people at the north end of the Napa Valley, in Napa County, California, built over the geothermal water that feeds its hot springs. Redfin put the median sale price for its ZIP code, 94515, at $999,774 for the three months to June 2026. In town you’ll find single-family houses, mobile homes and apartments; outside it, vineyard and hillside parcels.
Two city rules set Calistoga apart: short-term rentals are banned citywide, and a growth-management system limits how many new homes can be built each year.
- County
- Napa County
- Government
- Incorporated city (since 1886)
- ZIP code
- 94515
- Population
- 5,111 (ACS 2020–2024)
- Median sale price
- $999,774 (3 months to Jun 2026, Redfin)
- Water
- City of Calistoga
- Short-term rentals
- Banned (Ordinance 778, 2025)
- Wine appellation
- Calistoga AVA (2009)
Calistoga homes for sale
Current MLS listings in Calistoga are shown below. To add St. Helena, Angwin or vineyard land outside the city limits, widen your property search and filter by price, acreage and property type, including mobile homes.
What do homes in Calistoga sell for?
$999,774
3 months to June 2026, Redfin
$725
Redfin, accessed October 2026
52
3 months to June 2026, Redfin
On Redfin’s figures, Calistoga’s median was less than half of St. Helena’s for the same three months. It fell 32.9% from a year earlier, price per square foot fell 14.7%, the sale-to-list ratio was 94.8%, and more than a third of listings were reduced. The Napa County median was $918,000 in September 2026 (C.A.R.).
| Measure | Figure | Period and source |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price, ZIP 94515 | $999,774 (down 32.9% year over year) | 3 months to June 2026, Redfin (its calculation from MLS and public records) |
| Homes sold | 11 in June 2026 (9 a year earlier) | Redfin |
| Median days on market | 52 (45 a year earlier) | 3 months to June 2026, Redfin |
| Sale-to-list ratio | 94.8%; 9.1% sold above list | June 2026, Redfin |
| Housing units in the city | 2,166 | 2020–2024, Census Reporter (ACS) |
| Napa County median, for comparison | $918,000 (up 2.0% year over year) | September 2026, C.A.R. |
About 11 sales a month is a thin base for a median. The ZIP’s sales can include in-town houses, mobile homes and rural estates, so a quarter with more mobile-home sales and fewer estates can pull the figure down without any one kind of home losing much value. Compare like with like: in-town houses against in-town houses, hillside parcels against parcels with similar water and road access.
How Calistoga’s growth rules work
Calistoga, incorporated on January 6, 1886, covers just 2.60 square miles (Napa LAFCO, 2016). Its Growth Management System, chapter 19.02 of the municipal code, holds residential growth to a 1.35% population growth rate averaged over five-year cycles. Each year the city sets an allocation (population times 1.35%, divided by household size), opens enrollment for at least 30 days and runs a competitive evaluation; the council awards allocations by November 30, with preference for deed-restricted lower- and moderate-income homes, mixed-use projects and infill.
What that means for a buyer
- A single lot: one house on an existing lot of record doesn’t need an allocation, though it counts toward the growth rate. Second units are treated the same way, and minor subdivisions of up to three lots are also exempt from an allocation.
- A larger project: allocations can’t be moved from one parcel to another, and they lapse if building permits aren’t pulled within 24 months (36 months for a final subdivision map).
- Scale: Napa LAFCO’s 2016 review estimated room for 71 more homes in the 2015–2019 cycle and found four single-family allocations granted at that point.
- A hard stop: the General Plan prohibits further development once 95% of the capacity of the water storage, supply or distribution system is reached, until new capacity is added.
Calistoga doesn’t levy its own transfer tax. A sale pays Napa County’s $1.10 per $1,000, about $1,100 on a $1 million home, and the county shares half with the city (Napa County). Our Napa County real estate guide covers the county-wide rules.
What kinds of homes are in Calistoga?
Mobile homes are a large part of Calistoga’s housing. Napa LAFCO’s 2016 review reported 2,370 housing units: about half single-family homes, about a quarter mobile homes, and the remaining quarter apartments, multifamily buildings and townhomes. Four mobile home park water accounts served 555 mobile homes, and LAFCO described three of the parks inside the city as parks for seniors (Napa LAFCO).
For a mobile home in a park, ask the park for its written rules, any age requirement, the current space rent and how increases are set, and confirm how title is held. Beyond the city limits, land falls under Napa County zoning, where the General Plan’s minimum parcel sizes are 160 acres in Agriculture, Watershed and Open Space areas and 40 acres in Agricultural Resource areas, with listed exceptions.
Short-term rentals are banned in Calistoga
Under Ordinance 778, adopted November 18, 2025, no one may operate a short-term rental anywhere in Calistoga. Chapter 17.34 of the municipal code defines one as a dwelling, or part of one, rented or offered for 30 consecutive days or less. Booking platforms may not complete reservations unless the use is expressly authorized. Hotels, motels, inns, bed and breakfast inns and resorts are not treated as dwellings, so the ban doesn’t reach licensed lodging businesses.
The penalties are steep: $1,000 per violation, with each day a separate violation, and because the city treats short-term rental operation as a threat to public health or safety, minimum fines of $1,500 for a first violation, $3,000 for a second within a year and $5,000 for each later one within a year. Lodging businesses collect a 13% transient occupancy tax plus a 2% Napa Valley Tourism Improvement District assessment (City of Calistoga).
Some older marketing for Calistoga homes still mentions short-term rental income. That no longer applies. Value a Calistoga home as a primary residence, a second home or a rental of more than 30 days.
Hot springs and the geothermal resource
Calistoga’s hot springs come from a geothermal resource “on the order of 200 to 210 degrees Fahrenheit” that underlies the entire city and much of the surrounding area, according to the city’s 2003 General Plan Geothermal Element. Mineral water comes from the shallower zone where cold groundwater mixes with it. Spas, resorts and two bottling plants depend on the resource, spas use volcanic ash dug locally for mud baths, and the hot water directly heats spas, greenhouses and a few private homes. The element noted no geothermal power generation, and a 1986 California Energy Commission study estimated the resource’s life at about 100 years (City of Calistoga).
If a property has, or you want, a geothermal or mineral-water well, three layers of oversight apply. Napa County Environmental Health permits water and geothermal wells (Napa County), state regulators and the California Energy Commission oversee the resource, and the city regulates the above-ground part of a project, with the 2003 element calling for a conditional use permit. Ask the seller for the well permit and any city use permit, and confirm the current rules with the city before you rely on hot water for a pool, spa or heating.
Wildfire: the Tubbs and Glass fires
Calistoga’s recent fire history includes two very large fires. The Tubbs Fire started at 9:45 p.m. on October 8, 2017, off Highway 128 and Bennett Lane in Calistoga. It burned 36,807 acres in Napa and Sonoma counties, destroyed 5,636 structures and killed 22 people (CAL FIRE). The Glass Fire started on September 27, 2020, at North Fork Crystal Springs Road and Crystal Springs Road and burned 67,484 acres in the same two counties, destroying 1,528 structures and damaging 282 (CAL FIRE).
- Fire zone: look up the parcel on CAL FIRE’s hazard severity zone map. In a High or Very High zone, the AB 38 rule means the seller provides a recent defensible-space inspection report, or you agree to bring the property into compliance within a year of closing (State Fire Marshal).
- Rebuilt homes: for a house rebuilt after 2017 or 2020, ask for the permits, the final inspection and the plans’ roofing, vent and siding specifications.
- Insurance: request quotes as soon as your offer is accepted.
The Calistoga Fire Department also covers nearby unincorporated land under county agreements, 56 square miles in all in 2016 (Napa LAFCO).
The Napa River and flood checks
Calistoga sits at the upper end of the Napa River: the regional Water Quality Control Board describes it as running 55 miles “from Calistoga to San Pablo Bay” (Water Board, 2011), and Napa LAFCO describes the city as “bisected” by it. A FEMA public notice for work at the city’s Kimball Creek dam cites flood map panel 06055C0230E, effective September 26, 2008, and places the dam site in Zone A, an area with a 1% annual chance of flooding (FEMA). Napa County has also posted notice that FEMA is conducting a detailed flood-risk study of Calistoga and the county (Napa County), so the maps may change.
- Look up the parcel on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center and read the Natural Hazard Disclosure for its flood-zone entry.
- For a home near the river or a creek, ask whether an elevation certificate exists.
- Get a flood insurance quote for any home near the river or a creek, even if the map doesn’t require one.
Where does Calistoga’s water come from?
The city runs its own water system. Kimball Reservoir, four miles northwest of town, supplies about a third of annual demand through the city’s surface water treatment plant. The dam was built in 1939 and raised in 1948, but sediment has cut storage at the spillway from about 345 acre-feet in 1954 to 267 in 2013, and the city notes that fires sharply increase sediment, especially in the first winter afterward, listing fires in 1964, 1985, 2017 and 2021 (City of Calistoga). A significant portion of the city’s supply comes from the State Water Project through indirect access to the North Bay Aqueduct (Napa LAFCO, 2016).
A FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program project, titled “Kimball Dam Raise (Advance Assistance),” covers borings and preliminary engineering to inform the design of dam improvements; the notice doesn’t commit to a raise. For a buyer, the 95% capacity rule can pause new development, and rural parcels outside the system generally rely on county-permitted wells.
The Calistoga AVA and vineyard land
The Calistoga American Viticultural Area, set out in 27 CFR §9.209, lies in northwestern Napa County. Its boundary starts where Petrified Forest Road meets the Napa–Sonoma county line and follows the 400- and 880-foot contours, Ritchey Creek, Highway 29, Bale Lane and the Silverado Trail. It was created in December 2009 and amended in October 2024, when about 11 acres of one vineyard moved into the new Crystal Springs of Napa Valley AVA.
The federal rule describes the area as underlain entirely by volcanic bedrock, with summer highs around 100 °F and night lows often near 50 °F. Napa County grapes averaged $6,635.85 a ton in 2025, the highest in the state (CDFA crush report). See our vineyard property guide, vineyards and wineries for sale in Napa County and the Napa Valley appellation overview.
Getting around from Calistoga
Highway 29/128 links Calistoga with St. Helena, about 9 miles south: Bothe-Napa Valley State Park sits 4 miles south of Calistoga and 5 miles north of St. Helena on that road (California State Parks). VINE Transit runs the Route 10 Up Valley Connector seven days a week and a daily Calistoga Shuttle, a flexible local service (VINE Transit). Working residents averaged a 24.2-minute commute in 2020 to 2024 (Census Reporter).
Calistoga compared with nearby areas
| Area | Government | One verified difference |
|---|---|---|
| Calistoga | Incorporated city | Short-term rentals banned; residential growth held to an average of 1.35% a year; ZIP 94515 median $999,774 (3 months to June 2026, Redfin) |
| St. Helena | Incorporated city | Allows up to 25 short-term rental permits, with a waiting list; ZIP 94574 median $2,199,503 over the same period |
| Angwin | Unincorporated, Napa County | County planning applies, with no city growth allocation, and county code generally prohibits short-term rentals; there’s no “Angwin” AVA |
| Healdsburg | Incorporated city, Sonoma County | A voter-approved cap (Measure M, 2000) of an average of 30 new homes a year, set as a number rather than a percentage rate |
| Santa Rosa | Incorporated city, Sonoma County | Adds a city transfer tax of $2.00 per $1,000 on top of Sonoma County’s $1.10 |
How Diamond Real Estate Group helps Calistoga buyers
A Calistoga purchase often turns on paperwork that doesn’t show up in photos. Before you sign anything, we check whether the home is inside the city, what the flood and fire maps show, whether any well is permitted and by whom, and, for a mobile home, the park’s rules and rent. If you plan to build, we ask the planning department how the growth allocation applies to the lot, and we read comparables by property type.
- Licensed agents who work in Calistoga, with each license record linked.
- Selling here? See how we sell homes.
- Estates and hillside properties: our luxury real estate guide.
When you’re ready to look, start with how we work with buyers.
Selling a home in Calistoga
Calistoga is an incorporated city, so the house’s permit history, zoning and any growth-management allocation are city records. Land outside the small city limit falls under Napa County. Before you list, pull the city permit file for additions and fire rebuilds, because buyers here ask for it.
Transfer tax
Napa County’s rate, $1.10 per $1,000, is the transfer tax we found for a Calistoga sale, and half of the base tax is shared with the city. On $950,000 it comes to $1,045. Sellers customarily pay it in Northern California, according to the county, but nothing stops the parties from dividing it. See our page on transfer tax.
Selling a mobile home in a Calistoga park
Mobile homes are a large share of Calistoga’s housing, and the city’s rent stabilization chapter matters to anyone selling one in place. Under section 2.22.050, “A park owner is prohibited from raising rent upon the sale of a mobile home on site.” Annual increases are limited to the lesser of the change in CPI or 6% of base rent. Give buyers the current space rent, the last increase notice and the park rules. Title moves through the state housing department (HCD), not the DMV. Our Napa County mobile homes page has more.
What buyers ask Calistoga sellers
- Fire history: for homes rebuilt after the 2017 Tubbs or 2020 Glass fires, the permits, final inspection and roofing and siding specifications.
- Flood: the FEMA zone and any elevation certificate, especially near the Napa River or a creek.
- Wells: county Environmental Health permits for any water, mineral-water or geothermal well, plus a recent test.
- Rentals: since the city banned short-term rentals in 2025, past nightly income should not be part of the pitch.
Required at sale
California law asks you to confirm working smoke alarms and a strapped water heater in writing, and to disclose noncompliant plumbing fixtures. If the parcel sits in a High or Very High fire hazard zone, provide a defensible-space inspection from the last six months or sign an agreement giving the buyer a year to comply. Ask the city fire department who performs that inspection.
Calistoga’s median swings with the mix of homes that sell, so compare like with like. When you’re ready, read how we sell homes.
Sources for this section: Napa County: Document Transfer Tax; Calistoga Municipal Code: Chapter 2.22, Mobile Home Park Rent Stabilization; California HCD: Manufactured home registration and titling; Napa County Environmental Health: Well and Onsite Wastewater Treatment; California Public Law: Health and Safety Code section 13113.8; California Public Law: Health and Safety Code section 19211; California Public Law: Civil Code section 1101.4; Justia: California Civil Code section 1102.19.
Calistoga real estate FAQs
Can I rent out a Calistoga home on Airbnb or VRBO?
No. Since Ordinance 778 (2025), rentals of 30 consecutive days or less are prohibited everywhere in the city, and platforms may not complete those bookings. Fines start at $1,000 per violation per day.
How much do homes cost in Calistoga?
Redfin’s median for ZIP 94515 was $999,774 for the three months to June 2026, about $725 a square foot. That’s roughly 9% above the September 2026 Napa County median of $918,000 and less than half the St. Helena ZIP median.
Why did Calistoga’s median price fall so much?
Redfin shows a 32.9% drop year over year, but on only about 11 sales a month across in-town homes, mobile homes and rural estates. A change in what sold can move the median that much, so ask for comparables of your property type.
Can I build a new house or ADU in Calistoga?
Often, yes. One house on an existing lot of record and a second unit don’t need a growth-management allocation, though both count toward the 1.35% growth rate. Larger projects compete for annual allocations, and development can pause if water capacity hits the General Plan’s 95% limit.
Are mobile homes for sale in Calistoga?
Yes. In 2016 about a quarter of the city’s homes were mobile homes, and LAFCO described three parks as senior parks. Ask each park about age requirements, rules and space rent before you make an offer.
Can a Calistoga home use geothermal hot water?
Some can: the city’s 2003 Geothermal Element noted a few private homes heated this way. Napa County permits the well, state agencies regulate the resource, and the 2003 element calls for a city conditional use permit, so confirm the current requirements with the city first.
Where does Calistoga’s water come from?
From the city’s Kimball Reservoir, which meets about a third of demand, and from the State Water Project through the North Bay Aqueduct. Rural homes outside the city system generally rely on wells permitted by Napa County.
Is Calistoga in a flood zone?
Check each parcel. The Napa River starts its 55-mile run to San Pablo Bay at Calistoga and runs through the city, the FEMA panel cited for the Kimball dam site dates from September 26, 2008, and the county has posted notice of a new FEMA flood-risk study. Look the address up on FEMA’s map and get a flood insurance quote.
Where did the Tubbs Fire start?
Off Highway 128 and Bennett Lane in Calistoga, at 9:45 p.m. on October 8, 2017 (CAL FIRE). It burned 36,807 acres and destroyed 5,636 structures. For a home rebuilt since then, ask for its permits and final inspection.
What was the Glass Fire?
A September 2020 wildfire that started at Crystal Springs Road and burned 67,484 acres in Napa and Sonoma counties, destroying 1,528 structures (CAL FIRE). With the Tubbs Fire, it’s why insurance quotes should come early here.
Does Calistoga have a city transfer tax?
No. Only Napa County’s $1.10 per $1,000 applies, and the seller customarily pays it in Northern California, though the contract can assign it differently.
Are there estate and vineyard properties near Calistoga?
Yes. Larger vineyard and estate parcels sit under Napa County zoning outside the city limits, where the General Plan sets minimum parcel sizes of 40 acres in Agricultural Resource areas and 160 acres in Agriculture, Watershed and Open Space areas. Check the parcel’s designation, and whether it lies inside the Calistoga AVA, before you buy.
Sources & notes
- Redfin: ZIP 94515 housing market (three months to June 2026, accessed October 23, 2026) and C.A.R.: September 2026 sales and price report
- Census Reporter: Calistoga (ACS 2020–2024)
- Napa LAFCO: Calistoga municipal service review (December 2016)
- City of Calistoga: Municipal Code ch. 19.02 and ch. 17.34, TOT, Kimball Reservoir and Geothermal Element (2003)
- CAL FIRE: Tubbs Fire and Glass Fire; State Fire Marshal: AB 38 guidance
- FEMA: Kimball Dam Raise (Advance Assistance) public notice and Napa County: FEMA flood risk field study notice
- Napa County: documentary transfer tax, well and onsite wastewater permits and General Plan agricultural element
- eCFR: 27 CFR §9.209, Calistoga AVA, TTB final rule (2009) and 2025 Grape Crush Report
- California State Parks: Bothe-Napa Valley and VINE Transit routes
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 the 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: Napa County planning and building services. Check official information for the address you are considering; area descriptions do not establish a property’s permitted uses.
