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Hopland, CA Real Estate & Homes for Sale

By Matthew Martinez, Founder, CEO & Managing Broker, Diamond Real Estate Group. California DRE #01869679.

Hopland is an unincorporated town on U.S. Highway 101 in southern Mendocino County, California, where the highway runs beside the Russian River between Cloverdale and Ukiah. Its housing is a small village core on public water and sewer, surrounded by vineyard, ranch and oak-woodland parcels. Sales are too few for a local median: Redfin’s figure for the three months ending August 2026 is a single $450,000 sale, so the nearest published benchmark is the Mendocino County median of $480,000 for September 2026 (C.A.R.).

County: Mendocino County
Government: Unincorporated (county rules)
ZIP code: 95449
Population: About 980 (ACS 2024 estimate)
Water and sewer in town: Hopland Public Utility District
Mendocino County median price: $480,000 (Sept 2026, C.A.R.; countywide)

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Hopland homes for sale

Current MLS listings in Hopland appear below. Only a handful are on the market at any time, so set up a saved search on our property search that also takes in Ukiah and Cloverdale, where most of the useful comparisons come from.

What do homes in Hopland sell for?

Homes sold in Hopland

3 months to August 2026, Redfin

Price of that sale

$450,000

$346 per sq ft, 94 days on market, Redfin

Mendocino County median

$480,000

Countywide, not Hopland; September 2026, C.A.R.

One closing can’t carry a median. Redfin shows Hopland’s figure down 15.5% from a year earlier, but with a single sale in the window that change compares two houses, not a market (Redfin). The Census figure in the table is owners’ own estimate of value, not a sale price.

Measure	Figure	Period and source
Hopland sales: count, price, $ per sq ft, days on market	1; $450,000; $346; 94 days	3 months ending August 2026, Redfin
Owner-estimated median value, Hopland census area	$612,200	ACS 2024, via Data USA
Ukiah (ZIP 95482) median sale price	$538,267 (62 sales)	August 2026, Redfin
Cloverdale median sale price	$589,219	3 months ending September 2026, Redfin
Mendocino County median sale price	$480,000 (up 1.4% year over year)	September 2026, C.A.R.

To price a Hopland property, we use a longer run of sales along the Highway 101 corridor and adjust for what changes value here: district water and sewer or a well, acreage and slope, distance from the river and Feliz Creek, and any vineyard or grazing income.

Water and sewer: the Hopland Public Utility District

In the village, the Hopland Public Utility District supplies water and sewer. Its sewer system dates from 1975: about 19,000 feet of 8-inch clay pipe and two lift stations carry wastewater from roughly 290 home and business connections to a plant at 13881 U.S. Highway 101. There, lagoons treat it and two ponds about 600 feet west of the Russian River let it evaporate and percolate. The Regional Water Board’s 2023 permit (Order R1-2023-0013) caps average dry-weather flow at 90,000 gallons a day and forbids discharge to the river (North Coast Regional Water Board).

Costs are moving. The district proposed increases of 40% for water and 25% for wastewater, citing aging infrastructure, inflation and a utility relocation program (Bay City News). Its board approved both after a public hearing in October 2025, with the water increase starting in November 2025 (Mendocino Voice). During escrow, ask the district for the rate schedule now in force.

If you plan an ADU, a second unit or a business use on district sewer, ask the Hopland Public Utility District in writing whether it will serve the added connection. The permit caps the plant’s flow and requires the district to report if it expects to reach capacity within four years.

Outside the district, ranch and hillside parcels use private wells and septic systems permitted by Mendocino County Environmental Health’s land-use program, which handles septic permits, percolation tests and well applications under a county septic program the Regional Water Board approved on November 14, 2018. We found no county rule requiring a septic or well inspection at sale, so order both yourself.

Fire history and fire protection around Hopland

The River Fire, part of the 2018 Mendocino Complex, started at 1:01 p.m. on July 27, 2018, on Old River Road near Hopland. CAL FIRE puts it at 48,920 acres, with 35 structures destroyed and 11 damaged (CAL FIRE).

The Hopland Fire Protection District, founded in 1952, covers 110 square miles, including 17 miles of Highway 101 and 9 miles of State Route 175, from its station at 21 Feliz Creek Road. It’s a volunteer department with paid staff, and its calls include wildland fires, swift-water rescue and river flooding.

Fire zone: look up the parcel on the State Fire Marshal’s maps (state-area maps effective April 1, 2024). In a High or Very High zone, AB 38 requires the seller to provide a defensible-space inspection from the six months before the sale, or a written agreement that the buyer completes the work within a year.
Insurance: get quotes as soon as you’re in contract. The state reported in May 2026 that the FAIR Plan added about 16,000 residential policies in the first quarter, against 35,000 to 50,000 a quarter from 2024 through September 2025 (California Department of Insurance).
Flood: near the river or Feliz Creek, look up the FEMA zone. The Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement reports a special flood hazard area, but not how the driveway behaves in a wet winter.

Vineyards, ranch land and the UC research station

Two federal wine appellations are drawn on the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hopland map: McDowell Valley (1981), whose boundary uses that map alone and follows State Route 175 and Younce Road in places, and Yorkville Highlands (1998), which lists the Hopland map among its six. The broad Mendocino appellation (1984) lies entirely within the county. There is no “Sanel Valley” or “Ukiah Valley” appellation, so check a listing’s AVA claim against 27 CFR part 9.

Fruit prices set what vineyard land can earn. For the 2025 crop, buyers paid Mendocino County (crush district 1) growers a base price of about $1,295 a ton for Chardonnay, $1,819 for Cabernet Sauvignon, $2,007 for Zinfandel and $3,338 for Pinot Noir, per the state’s final grape crush report. Our vineyard due diligence guide covers water rights, contracts and vine condition; the vineyards hub has the rest.

The University of California’s Hopland Research and Extension Center, at 4070 University Road, manages more than 5,300 acres of oak woodland, grassland, chaparral and streamside land, with field studies since 1951, and runs public hikes, workshops and naturalist classes.

Getting around from Hopland

Mendocino Transit Authority’s Route 65, the CC Rider, runs daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas between Fort Bragg and Santa Rosa by way of Willits, Ukiah and Hopland. Its 2026 timetable lists the Hopland stops as the north end of Brutocao (southbound) and Mendocino Savings Bank (northbound); check MTA’s current timetable for departure times (MTA). SMART’s nearest planned station, in Cloverdale, will be built “when funding becomes available.”

County rules that apply in Hopland

With no city government, Hopland’s permits come from Mendocino County Planning and Building Services, and a sale pays only the county’s documentary transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000. Inside Ukiah’s city limits the total is the same $1.10; state law splits it between the city and the county (R&T Code §11931).

Short stays: stays of 30 days or less owe the county’s 10% lodging tax plus a 1% assessment. The inland zoning code allows renting up to two rooms to short-stay guests as an accessory use (with a use permit if the parcel lacks public-road frontage). Whole-house rentals inland have no ordinance of their own that we could find: on February 3, 2026 the supervisors discussed creating an inland short-term rental use type and gave staff direction only, and we found no adopted rules as of October 2026. Confirm the current position with the county before buying for rental income.
Second units: the inland code has its own ADU and junior ADU chapter; a second residential unit may be rented but is “not intended for sale” on its own.
Power: Sonoma Clean Power supplies electricity by default, over PG&E’s lines.

See our Mendocino County real estate guide for the county-wide rules.

Schools and community

The Mendocino County Office of Education lists one school in Hopland: Shanél Valley Academy, a TK–6 charter at 1 Ralph Bettcher Drive. Ukiah Unified’s board approved its petition on January 20, 2021, to serve Hopland-area children who took a long bus ride to school (Mendocino Voice). Confirm older grades’ assignments for the address with the district.

Hopland compared with nearby areas

Area	Government	What’s different from Hopland
Ukiah	Incorporated city	City-owned Ukiah Public Utilities supplies power, water and sewer; $0.55 of the $1.10 transfer tax goes to the city; ZIP 95482 median $538,267 (August 2026, Redfin)
Cloverdale	Incorporated city, Sonoma County	City water from its own well fields; a 10% city lodging tax; median $589,219 (3 months to September 2026, Redfin)
Redwood Valley	Unincorporated	Its own AVA (1996); a 2022 Grand Jury report found the local water district’s 2001 moratorium on new connections still in place
Boonville	Unincorporated	Anderson Valley AVA (1983), on Highway 128; Anderson Valley Unified’s district office

How Diamond Real Estate Group helps Hopland buyers

In the village, we confirm the district accounts, the current rates and, if you plan to add a unit, whether the district will serve it. On rural land, we pull the well log, order flow and quality tests, match the septic permit to the house, look up the fire and flood zones, and start insurance quotes in the first week. For vineyard or grazing land, we read the AVA boundary, grape contracts and leases before we talk price.

Owners weighing a sale can start with a home valuation; buyers, with how we work with buyers.

Selling a home in Hopland

Hopland is unincorporated, so its land-use records belong to Mendocino County. How a sale is prepared depends on which of two housing types you own: a village lot on Hopland Public Utility District water and sewer, or a ranch or hillside parcel with its own well and septic system.

Transfer tax

Hopland sales pay only the county documentary transfer tax, $0.55 per $500 of consideration: $660 on a $600,000 home. By North Bay custom the seller usually pays, though that is negotiable. See our transfer tax guide.

Village homes on district service

Ask the utility district for your account history and its process for closing the account at transfer. If a second unit or business use was added, buyers will want proof the district agreed to serve it, along with the county building permit.

Rural parcels on well and septic

Septic. The county’s sewage chapter sets no inspection at sale, so any inspection is agreed between you and the buyer. Pull the permit file now; the department is digitizing its records, which can slow responses.
Non-standard systems. Using one without a valid county operational permit is a public nuisance under the code, so confirm yours is current. Environmental Health also lists a “Transfer of Ownership for Land Use Sites” form; ask whether your system needs it.
Well. Request the well completion report through the county’s owner form and order a flow and quality test.
Flood. Near the Russian River or Feliz Creek, read the FEMA zone on the Natural Hazard Disclosure before listing.

Vineyard and grazing land

A Williamson Act contract stays in force for the next owner, so share it early. Under state law, a buyer of part of a contracted parcel can later file for nonrenewal on that part alone.

Fire zone and state statements

If the parcel is mapped High or Very High, provide AB 38 defensible-space documentation from the last six months, or agree in writing that the buyer obtains it within a year. You also give written smoke alarm and water heater statements and disclose any fixtures that are not water-conserving.

For pricing that accounts for water and septic, start with a home valuation; our Mendocino County seller page gives the county-wide picture.

Sources for this section: Mendocino County Code (GoCodebook): Chapter 5.24, Real Property Transfer Tax; Mendocino County Code (GoCodebook): Chapter 16.08, On-Site Sewage Systems; Mendocino County Environmental Health: Land Use (on-site sewage and water wells); California Public Law: Government Code section 51243 (Williamson Act contracts); CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal: Information Bulletin 21-007, defensible space inspections in real estate transactions (2021); Justia: California Civil Code section 1102.19; 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.

Hopland real estate FAQs

What county is Hopland in, and is it a city?

Hopland is in southern Mendocino County and is unincorporated, so the county sets its zoning and issues its permits. Fire protection comes from the Hopland Fire Protection District, and in-town water and sewer from the Hopland Public Utility District.

What is Hopland’s ZIP code?

95449. It covers rural properties as well as village lots, so the ZIP alone doesn’t tell you whether a home is on district water and sewer.

How much do homes in Hopland cost?

There’s no reliable local median. Redfin’s three months to August 2026 held one sale, at $450,000; the county median was $480,000 in September 2026 (C.A.R.). Price each property on a year or more of comparable sales.

Do Hopland homes have public water and sewer?

Village homes generally do, through the Hopland Public Utility District, whose sewer serves about 290 connections. Rural parcels use wells and septic, so confirm the source for each address before you offer.

Are water and sewer rates going up in Hopland?

Yes. After an October 2025 hearing the district’s board approved increases of 40% for water and 25% for wastewater, with the water increase starting in November 2025 (Mendocino Voice). Ask the district for the current rate schedule before you close.

Did the 2018 River Fire reach Hopland?

It started on Old River Road near Hopland on July 27, 2018, and burned 48,920 acres, destroying 35 structures (CAL FIRE). For a property in the burn area, ask for rebuild permits and tree-removal records.

Do I need a defensible-space inspection to buy in Hopland?

Only if the parcel is in a High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. Then AB 38 requires the seller to provide a recent inspection, or both sides agree that the buyer finishes the work within a year of closing.

Is there a bus from Hopland to Ukiah or Santa Rosa?

Yes. MTA Route 65 runs daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas between Fort Bragg and Santa Rosa by way of Ukiah, stopping in Hopland at the north end of Brutocao southbound and at Mendocino Savings Bank northbound. Check MTA’s current timetable for times before relying on it.

Which wine appellations include Hopland?

The McDowell Valley and Yorkville Highlands boundaries both use the Hopland map, and the countywide Mendocino AVA may also apply. Which one covers a vineyard depends on the parcel, so read the boundary description rather than the listing.

Can I rent a Hopland home to visitors?

Possibly. Short stays owe the county’s 10% lodging tax plus a 1% assessment, renting up to two rooms is an accessory use under the inland code, and we found no adopted inland whole-house rental rules as of October 2026 (supervisors gave staff direction in February). Confirm with Planning and Building Services first.

What is the Hopland Research and Extension Center?

The University of California’s main North Coast field station for agriculture and natural resources, on more than 5,300 acres. Studies there date to 1951, and it offers public hikes and classes.

What schools are in Hopland?

Shanél Valley Academy, a TK–6 charter on Ralph Bettcher Drive, approved by the Ukiah Unified board in 2021. Confirm assignments for older grades with the district.

Sources & notes

Market: Redfin Hopland, ZIP 95482 and Cloverdale; C.A.R. September 2026; Data USA: Hopland (ACS)
Water and septic: Regional Water Board Order R1-2023-0013 and 2018 county septic program approval; Bay City News (October 2025) and Mendocino Voice (October 11, 2025) on the rate increases; County Environmental Health
Fire and hazards: CAL FIRE River Fire; Hopland Fire Protection District; State Fire Marshal fire zones and AB 38 guidance; Department of Insurance (May 2026); Civil Code §1103.2
Wine and land: eCFR McDowell Valley, Yorkville Highlands and Mendocino; 2025 grape crush report, table 8; UC Hopland Research and Extension Center
Transit, schools and rules: MTA Route 65 (2026); SMART Cloverdale; MCOE directory; Mendocino Voice on the 2021 charter; Board of Supervisors February 3, 2026 agenda and the county’s inland short-term rental page; County Code ch. 5.24, ch. 5.20 and inland zoning; Sonoma Clean Power

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.

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Local resource: Mendocino County planning resources. Check official information for the address you are considering; area descriptions do not establish a property’s permitted uses.