Jenner, CA Real Estate & Homes for Sale
By Matthew Martinez, Founder, CEO & Managing Broker, Diamond Real Estate Group. California DRE #01869679.
Jenner is an unincorporated village at the mouth of the Russian River, on Highway 1 in western Sonoma County, California: a second-home subdivision platted in 1914, with small lots on narrow, steep roads above the river and the ocean. Redfin put the ZIP 95450 median sale price at $1.2 million for the three months ending June 2026, on very few sales. Sonoma County’s Local Coastal Plan, not a city, shapes what can be built.
- County
- Sonoma County
- Government
- Unincorporated; Local Coastal Plan community
- ZIP code
- 95450
- Median sale price
- $1.2 million (ZIP 95450, 3 months to June 2026, Redfin)
- Platted
- 1914, as a second-home development (County LCP)
- Water
- Water system run by Russian River Utility; county public works listed for management
Jenner homes for sale
Jenner listings appear below, along with the rest of ZIP 95450, which runs up the coast past Fort Ross. To compare them with Duncans Mills, Bodega Bay and the other Russian River towns, use our property search.
What do homes in Jenner sell for?
$1.2 million
ZIP 95450, three months to June 2026, Redfin
+24.1%
Same period, Redfin
33
Jenner, May 2021, County of Sonoma
Treat Jenner’s price figures as rough. Redfin’s latest ZIP figure rests on very few sales (Redfin), and the ZIP takes in a long stretch of coast: Salt Point State Park, Fort Ross and the Jenner Headlands all carry Jenner 95450 addresses, so the median can include homes well north of the village. The Census Bureau’s sample for the Jenner census area is too small to give a usable home value.
| Measure | Figure | Period and source |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price, ZIP 95450 | $1.2 million (up 24.1% year over year) | Three months to June 2026, Redfin |
| Vacation rentals registered for hotel tax | 33 | May 7, 2021, County of Sonoma |
| Census estimate, Jenner CDP | Sample too small to use (100 ±70 housing units) | ACS 2020–2024, Census Reporter |
| Sonoma County median, for comparison | $875,000 | September 2026, C.A.R. |
For a Jenner price opinion, compare MLS sales for the village itself, separate from the addresses up the coast, and adjust for view, parking, slope and whether the lot can take any more building.
What are Jenner’s homes and lots like?
The county’s Local Coastal Plan describes the village in some detail. Jenner began as a second-home development platted in 1914, and it has grown slowly. Most houses are one or two stories of conventional construction, with large windows looking over the river and the ocean and some terraced gardens. Roofs are pitched and siding is painted wood, except at the north end of town, where some newer homes have flat roofs and unpainted exteriors.
- Roads: the plan notes that Jenner’s roads are narrow and steep, with no curbs, gutters or sidewalks. Check parking, the driveway grade and how a moving truck or fire engine reaches the house.
- Lots: lots are small, and the plan says new development is held back by limits on water system connections and by the room for septic systems on small lots. A vacant lot’s value depends on whether it can get a water connection and a septic system.
Building or remodeling in Jenner’s coastal zone
Jenner is one of the coastal communities in Sonoma County’s Local Coastal Plan, which took effect when the Board adopted the certified version on February 4, 2025. On parcels zoned “CC”, development needs a coastal permit from Permit Sonoma unless the plan specifically exempts it (Permit Sonoma LCP FAQ).
- The estuary setback: the California Coastal Commission keeps appeal jurisdiction over development within 100 feet of a wetland, estuary or stream and within 300 feet of a beach or bluff edge. Measure those distances for any lot near the estuary or a bluff.
- Second units and past work: coastal parcels have their own ADU standards and a new unit has to meet septic code. For any addition or converted space, check the seller’s permits against Permit Sonoma’s records before you rely on the square footage.
Our guide to building lots and ADUs in Sonoma County explains the county permit side.
Water and septic in Jenner
Jenner is served by a water system, and the coastal plan notes that new connections to it are restricted. Permit Sonoma’s water and sewer referral list names two entities for Jenner’s water: Russian River Utility, which runs water operations for Jenner and six other small communities, and the county’s public works department, listed for management (Permit Sonoma). The list names no sewer provider for Jenner, so plan on a septic system.
Both limit what can be added. The coastal plan ties Jenner’s slow growth to the water connection limits and the small space for septic systems, and the county’s septic rules put systems in the Russian River protection area, by default within 600 feet of the river bank, into Tier 3, the advanced-protection tier. Sonoma County doesn’t require a septic inspection when a home sells.
- Confirm the house has an active water connection and ask the operator whether a vacant lot can get one before you make an offer on it.
- Pull the septic permit and design, confirm the bedroom count it allows, and have the system inspected.
- Ask Permit Sonoma whether the parcel falls in the Russian River protection area, because Tier 3 systems carry extra requirements.
Our guide to septic systems and rural utilities in Sonoma County lists the inspections to order.
Flooding, slides and the two highways
Two state highways meet at the river mouth: Highway 1 along the coast and Highway 116 up the river through Duncans Mills to Guerneville. The National Weather Service’s flood impact statements for the Russian River at Guerneville say that when the river reaches 39 feet there, Highway 116 west of Duncans Mills closes, cutting the river route between Jenner and the inland towns; flood stage at that gauge is 32 feet (NOAA).
Look up any riverside or low-lying Jenner parcel on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center before you write an offer, and price flood insurance with your homeowner’s quote. The seller’s Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement will also show whether the parcel is in a FEMA Zone A or V (Civil Code §1103.2). Hillside lots raise the opposite question: ask for any geotechnical report, drainage work or slide repair on record.
- Slides: the Jenner Headlands Preserve, which runs along Highway 1 for 2.5 miles just north of the estuary, reopened its Russian Gulch Trail with debris from a winter landslide still on the route.
- Bus: Mendocino Transit Authority Route 95 stops in Jenner on its seven-day run between Point Arena and Santa Rosa’s Transit Mall (MTA).
Fire and insurance
Look up the parcel on CAL FIRE’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone map. If the house sits in a High or Very High zone, California’s AB 38 rule applies at sale: the seller provides a defensible-space inspection completed within six months, or the buyer agrees in writing to complete the work within a year of closing (State Fire Marshal). Ask for homeowner’s and flood quotes together in the first days of escrow.
Vacation rentals and property management in Jenner
Jenner had 33 vacation rentals registered for hotel tax in May 2021, when a tax certificate was all a coastal operator needed (County of Sonoma). Permit Sonoma now lists the coastal zone among the places where a short-term rental is allowed with a county permit, and every whole-home rental needs a vacation rental license and a transient occupancy tax number.
- Management: the county requires a certified vacation rental property manager for each rental, so start any search for Jenner property management there.
- Taxes: guests pay the county’s 12% transient occupancy tax, and operators with more than $350,000 in annual rent also pay a 2% tourism assessment.
- Transfer: ask whether the seller’s permit and license can pass to you; our guide to Sonoma County vacation rental rules covers the steps, and buying a second home in Sonoma County covers financing.
The river mouth, Goat Rock and the headlands
Two large protected areas border Jenner. Sonoma Coast State Park runs 17 miles from Bodega Head to the Vista Trail, about 4 miles north of Jenner. Goat Rock, near the river mouth, has a colony of harbor seals; State Parks asks visitors to stay at least 50 yards away, especially in pupping season from March to August, bars dogs from Goat Rock Beach, and sometimes closes the Goat Rock gate to cars when the surf is dangerous.
- Jenner Headlands Preserve: 5,630 acres of forest, oak woodland and coastal prairie north of the estuary, open 8 a.m. to sunset from 12001 Highway 1, bought in 2009 through the Sonoma Land Trust and Sonoma County Ag + Open Space with $10.6 million in loans made or backed by The Wildlands Conservancy (The Wildlands Conservancy).
- Fort Ross State Historic Park: 12 miles north on Highway 1, preserving the Russian-American Company settlement of 1812 to 1841, with a visitor center (California State Parks).
Jenner compared with nearby areas
| Area | Setting | One verified difference |
|---|---|---|
| Jenner | Village at the Russian River mouth, ZIP 95450 | Platted 1914; limited new water connections; 33 tax-registered rentals in 2021 |
| Duncans Mills | Upriver on Highway 116 | A County Historic District in the coastal plan; 14 tax-registered rentals in 2021 |
| Bodega Bay | Harbor town south on Highway 1 | Water and sewer from the Bodega Bay Public Utility District; 205 rentals in 2021 |
| The Sea Ranch | Planned community on the north coast | Association CC&Rs and design review; 328 rentals in 2021 |
| Guerneville | Russian River town inland on Highway 116 | Site of the river gauge whose 39-foot reading the Weather Service ties to the Highway 116 closure west of Duncans Mills |
How Diamond Real Estate Group helps Jenner buyers
In Jenner the questions are about the lot as much as the house: can it get water, can the septic take the bedrooms, what coastal permit did the last addition need, and what happens to the road in a storm. Check the water connection and septic records, the permit history and the coastal zoning, look up flood and fire maps, and get insurance quotes early. At closing, the county’s documentary transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000 is the only transfer tax, and our Sonoma County buying guide covers the other costs. See how we work with buyers, and for the rest of the county, the Sonoma County real estate guide.
Selling a home in Jenner
Jenner is unincorporated and inside the coastal zone, so the permit file a buyer reviews comes from Permit Sonoma. On these small, steep lots, the records that matter most are the water connection, the septic system and the coastal permits behind past work.
The river mouth and flood records
A sandbar sometimes closes the mouth of the Russian River at Jenner. Sonoma Water has breached it artificially when estuary levels threatened low-lying properties, and since 2011 its estuary plan aims to hold a freshwater lagoon from May 15 to October 15 while limiting flood risk. For a home near the estuary, disclose any time water reached the lot or a structure, whether from the lagoon or a river flood.
Ask Permit Sonoma whether it holds an elevation certificate for the house; if not, a civil engineer or licensed land surveyor can prepare one. The Natural Hazard Disclosure statement will show whether the parcel sits in a FEMA Zone A or V. Our North Bay flood zone guide explains the maps.
Water, septic and permits
- Water. The county’s referral list names Russian River Utility, with county public works, for Jenner. Have recent bills ready and arrange the account change.
- Septic. Provide the permit, the bedroom count it allows and pumping records. A system with supplemental treatment carries an annual county operating permit, and the acknowledgement you signed requires telling the buyer.
- Coastal permits. Any addition, deck or converted room should have its coastal and building permits on file. Work within 100 feet of the estuary falls in the Coastal Commission’s appeal area.
Rentals, fire and tax
- Vacation rentals. In the coastal zone, a rental legally operated between October 26, 2018 and October 26, 2023, shown by hotel-tax payments, needs no separate zoning permit, but a county license is now required and must be held by an owner. Keep those tax records together; ask Permit Sonoma whether the permit exemption carries over to a buyer.
- Defensible space. Parcels in High or Very High fire hazard zones need documentation from the six months before the contract, or a signed buyer agreement. For State Responsibility Area land, Permit Sonoma’s Fire Prevention Division does the inspection.
- Transfer tax. County only, at $1.10 per $1,000: $1,320 on a $1,200,000 sale. The seller customarily pays in Diamond’s North Bay markets, though that is negotiable; our transfer tax page has examples.
The countywide seller guide covers the standard forms. Village sales are few and differ by view, parking and slope, so start with a Jenner home valuation.
Sources for this section: Sonoma Water: Russian River Estuary Management Project EIR; Permit Sonoma: Floodplains and floodways; California Public Law: Civil Code section 1103.2 (Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement); Permit Sonoma: SAN-006 water and sewer referral list; Permit Sonoma: Operational Permit and Monitoring Program; Permit Sonoma: Form WLS-043, acknowledgement of operational permit requirement; Permit Sonoma: Local Coastal Plan frequently asked questions; Permit Sonoma: Vacation rental permit and license application; County of Sonoma Clerk-Recorder: Documentary transfer tax; Justia: California Civil Code section 1102.19; Permit Sonoma: Property sales inspections (AB 38).
Jenner real estate FAQs
What ZIP code is Jenner, CA?
Jenner uses 95450. The same ZIP covers addresses well up the coast, including Fort Ross State Historic Park and Salt Point State Park, so a “Jenner” listing may be miles north of the village.
How much do homes in Jenner cost?
Redfin’s ZIP 95450 median was $1.2 million for the three months ending June 2026, up 24.1%, on very few sales, so price a house from individual village comparables instead.
Do I need a coastal permit to remodel a Jenner home?
Usually, if the parcel is zoned “CC”: under the county’s Local Coastal Plan, development needs a coastal permit unless the plan exempts it. Work within 100 feet of the estuary or 300 feet of a bluff edge can also be appealed to the Coastal Commission.
Can I rent out my Jenner home as a vacation rental?
Yes, with a county vacation rental permit, a license, a certified property manager and a transient occupancy tax number. Guests pay 12% TOT, and a second unit (ADU) can’t be used for vacation rentals.
Who can manage a vacation rental in Jenner?
Sonoma County requires a certified vacation rental property manager for each whole-home rental, so ask any Jenner property management company for its county certification before you sign.
Where does Jenner get its water?
From a local water system: the county’s referral list names Russian River Utility for water operations in Jenner and the county public works department for management. Because the coastal plan notes limits on new connections, confirm service in writing before you buy a vacant lot.
Can I install a septic system on a Jenner lot?
Only if the lot has room for one that meets county code, and the coastal plan names the limited space for septic on Jenner’s small lots as a brake on new building. Parcels in the Russian River protection area fall into Tier 3, the county’s advanced-protection septic tier, so involve a septic designer before you commit.
Does Jenner flood?
The river and the highways can. When the Russian River reaches 39 feet on the Guerneville gauge, the Weather Service expects Highway 116 west of Duncans Mills to close. Check the FEMA flood map for any riverside parcel and get a flood insurance quote.
Are Jenner’s streets steep?
Yes: the county’s coastal plan calls them narrow and steep, with no curbs, gutters or sidewalks, so check parking and driveway grade when you tour.
Where can I see harbor seals near Jenner?
At Goat Rock Beach near the river mouth, in Sonoma Coast State Park. State Parks asks visitors to stay at least 50 yards away, especially in pupping season from March to August, and dogs aren’t allowed on that beach.
How far is Fort Ross from Jenner?
Fort Ross State Historic Park is 12 miles north of Jenner on Highway 1, according to State Parks. The Kruse Rhododendron reserve is about 21 miles north.
Sources & notes
- Permit Sonoma: Local Coastal Plan coastal communities, LCP FAQ, water and sewer referral list, septic (OWTS) program, ADUs and vacation rentals
- Redfin: ZIP 95450 housing market (three months to June 2026), Census Reporter: Jenner CDP and C.A.R.: September 2026 sales report
- County of Sonoma: coastal vacation rental workshop report (July 2021) and transient occupancy tax
- NOAA National Water Prediction Service: Russian River at Guerneville and State Fire Marshal: AB 38 guidance
- California State Parks: Sonoma Coast State Park, Fort Ross State Historic Park, Kruse Rhododendron State Natural Reserve and Salt Point State Park; The Wildlands Conservancy: Jenner Headlands Preserve
- Mendocino Transit Authority: Route 95 and Civil Code §1103.2 (Natural Hazard Disclosure)
Figures carry their dates where they appear. This is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice; check the rules for a particular property with the agency named.
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Local property guides
- Buying a Home in Jenner: Coastal Permits, Parcel Records and Existing Improvements
- Jenner Property Settings Compared: Shoreline, Inland and Sloping Sites
- What Does a Jenner Home Cost to Own? Insurance, Maintenance and Utilities
- Jenner Home Inspections: Drainage, Foundations, Roofs and Site Access
- Pricing a Jenner Home: Views, Access, Condition and Comparable Sales
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