Rutherford, CA Real Estate & Homes for Sale
By Matthew Martinez, Founder, CEO & Managing Broker, Diamond Real Estate Group. California DRE #01869679.
Rutherford is an unincorporated community in the middle of the Napa Valley in Napa County, California, between Oakville and St. Helena. The Census Bureau counts 84 residents and roughly 108 homes there, property is mainly vineyard estates on agricultural land, and on October 23, 2026 Redfin showed two listings asking $5.5 million and $7.3 million. With so few sales, Rutherford has no reliable median price.
- County
- Napa County
- Government
- Unincorporated (Napa County rules)
- ZIP code
- 94573 (Napa 94558 and St. Helena 94574 addresses also appear)
- Population
- 84 (Census ACS 2020–2024)
- Wine appellation
- Rutherford AVA (27 CFR 9.133, 1993)
Rutherford homes for sale
Any current MLS listings in Rutherford appear below. Redfin showed only two Rutherford listings on October 23, 2026, so our Napa Valley property search also covers Oakville and St. Helena.
What do Rutherford properties sell for?
2
Asking $5.5M and $7.3M, October 23, 2026
108 (±63)
Census ACS 2020–2024
$918,000
September 2026, C.A.R.
Rutherford is too small for a median. The Census survey reports no median home value for the community at all, and its housing count of 108 carries a margin of error of 63 (Census Reporter). Redfin’s Rutherford page showed one closed sale, at $5.2 million after 195 days on the market, without saying when it closed (Redfin).
| Measure | Figure | Period and source |
|---|---|---|
| Active listings, Rutherford | 2, asking $5,500,000 and $7,295,000 | October 23, 2026, Redfin |
| Sale shown on Redfin’s Rutherford page | $5.2 million; $1,250 per sq ft; 195 days on market | Period not stated, Redfin |
| Population and housing units, Rutherford CDP | 84 residents; 108 (±63) units on 1.7 sq mi | ACS 2020–2024, U.S. Census Bureau |
| Napa County Cabernet Sauvignon, average price | $8,645 a ton | 2025, Napa County crop report |
| Napa County median home price | $918,000 (up 2.0% year over year) | September 2026, C.A.R. |
The grape price matters because a Rutherford estate is usually also a farm. Napa County’s 2025 crop report put the county’s Cabernet Sauvignon at $8,645 a ton across 23,783 bearing acres, and the state’s crush report ranked Napa’s district first in the state at an average of $6,635.85 a ton for all varieties. Those are county averages; a specific vineyard’s contracts and yields set its own income.
How small is Rutherford, and who governs it?
Rutherford has no city or town government. Napa County Planning, Building & Environmental Services sets the zoning, issues building and well permits and enforces rental rules, so county codes apply to every parcel. The Census Bureau’s Rutherford census-designated place covers 1.7 square miles, and the Census area for ZIP code 94573 covers 1.5 square miles with the same 84 residents (Census Reporter).
Mailing addresses don’t follow the community’s edges. Both Rutherford listings on Redfin in October 2026 used Napa 94558 addresses, and nearby estates were listed under St. Helena 94574 and Rutherford 94573.
- Short-term rentals: stays of under 30 days are generally banned in unincorporated Napa County (County Code 18.104.410). Only bed and breakfasts that already hold use permits are excepted, and the county has stopped issuing those.
- Transfer tax: $1.10 per $1,000, the county rate, usually paid by the seller in Northern California. There’s no city tax because there’s no city.
- Dining and lodging: the MICHELIN Guide gives Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford one star (MICHELIN Guide). For the rest of the valley’s starred restaurants, see our Napa Valley Michelin guide.
For the county-wide rules in one place, see our Napa County real estate guide.
Where does the Rutherford AVA begin and end?
The Rutherford American Viticultural Area was established by Treasury Decision ATF-342, published in the Federal Register on July 2, 1993, and its boundary is written into 27 CFR 9.133 using the U.S. Geological Survey’s Yountville and Rutherford maps (eCFR). In plain terms:
- North edge: Zinfandel Lane, which the regulation calls Zinfandel Avenue, followed northeast for about 2.12 miles from its western end to the Silverado Trail; west of the lane, the line runs to the north fork of Bale Slough.
- South edge: Skellenger Lane, about 1.7 miles from the Silverado Trail past Conn Creek Road to the Napa River, then a short jog along the railroad to a point just north of the entry road to Robert Mondavi Winery. Below that line is Oakville.
- West edge: the 500-foot contour of the Mayacamas Range, up to an extension of Inglewood Avenue.
- East edge: the 380-foot and 500-foot contours of the eastern hills, past Conn Creek.
The Napa Valley Vintners put Rutherford at 155 to 500 feet, with gravelly, sandy soils on the western side and volcanic soils on the east, a moderately warm climate with early-morning fog, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Cabernet Franc as its main grapes. Our guide to Napa Valley’s 17 nested appellations compares it with its neighbours.
The Napa River restoration and riverfront parcels
The Napa River runs through Rutherford on its way south, and this stretch has been rebuilt with the landowners’ cooperation. The Napa River Rutherford Restoration Project covers 4.5 miles of river between the Zinfandel Lane and Oakville Cross Road bridges. Construction ran in five phases from 2009 to 2014 and was finished in October 2014, creating about 14,303 linear feet of setback berms and replanting 30.5 acres of riverside vegetation along about 41 parcels held by 30 owners (Napa County, 2025 monitoring report).
The effort began in 2002 with the Rutherford Dust Society, a nonprofit of local vintners and growers (Napa RCD).
Since spring 2018, upkeep of the restored reach has been paid for entirely by a Maintenance Assessment District made up of the riverfront landowners. If you’re buying a parcel on the river here, ask the seller for the current annual assessment and look for it on the property tax bill.
For a riverfront buyer, three more checks follow. Ask where the setback berm sits on the parcel and how much planted or buildable land lies between it and the river. Expect any earth-moving near the river to need a use permit exception under the county’s stream setback rules (Napa County Conservation Regulations). And look the parcel up on FEMA’s flood map before you talk to your lender.
What can you do with a Rutherford parcel?
Rutherford’s valley floor is part of the county’s Agricultural Preserve, set up in April 1968, so agriculture is the use the zoning protects. The rules a buyer runs into most:
- Lot size: new parcels under 40 acres aren’t allowed in Agricultural Preserve zoning, so an existing smaller lot is worth what it is, not what it might split into. Our Oakville guide sets out the Preserve’s zoning minimums in more detail.
- Winery: a new winery needs at least 10 acres and has to source at least 75% of its grapes from Napa County.
- Second unit: the county allows an ADU of up to 1,200 square feet, or a junior unit of up to 500 square feet if the owner lives on the property.
- Williamson Act: a contract can lower the tax bill on farmland of at least 10 acres of prime land or 40 acres of non-prime land, and it runs for at least ten years, renewing each year unless non-renewed. Check the title report for one.
- Voter protection: converting agricultural land to other uses needs a countywide vote, and the policies behind that rule can’t be changed without one until after December 31, 2058 (Napa County General Plan).
Water, septic and fire checks in Rutherford
- Well: expect a rural parcel to rely on a private well permitted by Napa County Environmental Health, and confirm the source for the address. Get the well log, a recent flow test and water-quality results. The valley floor sits over the Napa Valley Subbasin, whose groundwater sustainability plan the state approved in January 2023.
- Septic: ask Environmental Health (707-253-4135) for the septic permit and inspection history, and find out whether the system is conventional or one of the alternative types the county permits and inspects.
- Fire zone: check the parcel’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone on the state’s map. In a High or Very High zone, California’s AB 38 rule requires defensible-space documentation from the seller or a signed agreement that the buyer will comply within a year of closing (State Fire Marshal).
- Insurance: get a quote as soon as your offer is accepted, for the house and any farm buildings.
Rutherford compared with nearby areas
| Area | Government | What stands out |
|---|---|---|
| Rutherford | Unincorporated, Napa County | 84 residents (ACS); Rutherford AVA (1993); the river restoration reach and its assessment district |
| Oakville | Unincorporated, Napa County | The next appellation south, below Skellenger Lane; no usable ZIP statistics |
| St. Helena | Incorporated city | Up-valley city to the north; short-term rentals capped at 25 permits that can’t transfer |
| Yountville | Incorporated town | Town water and sewer; ZIP 94599 median $1,444,679 (3 months to July 2026, Redfin) |
How Diamond Real Estate Group helps Rutherford buyers
With so few sales, a Rutherford purchase depends on reading the land correctly. We map the parcel against the AVA lines and the river setbacks, pull the well, septic and permit records, check the tax bill for the restoration assessment and any Williamson Act contract, and build comparable sales from across the mid-valley instead of relying on a single Rutherford trade.
- Vineyard real estate guide: what to check on planted land.
- Napa County vineyards and wineries for sale.
- Luxury estates in Napa and Sonoma.
See how we help buyers from search to closing.
Selling a home in Rutherford
Rutherford has no city government. Napa County Planning, Building and Environmental Services holds the building, well and septic records, and county zoning governs what a buyer can do with the land. Most properties are vineyard estates, so a sale here is often part house, part farm.
Transfer tax
A Rutherford deed pays Napa County’s documentary transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000, and because the parcel is outside any city, no share goes to a municipality. On a $5.5 million estate that is $6,050. The county says the seller customarily pays in Northern California; the buyer and seller can still agree to split it. See California transfer tax.
Records to pull before listing
- Well and septic permits from county Environmental Health (707-253-4135 for inspections), plus a recent well flow test and water-quality results.
- Building permits for the house, guest units and farm buildings. The county’s public records portal is the place to search, with a request form if a file is missing.
- Any Williamson Act contract. It binds “all successors in interest of the owner,” so the buyer takes it on with the land.
- For riverfront parcels on the restored reach, the annual maintenance assessment as it appears on the tax bill.
- Grape contracts and whether they can be assigned, along with crop history. Our notes on selling a vineyard cover the rest.
Fire zone inspection
If the parcel lies in a High or Very High fire hazard severity zone, AB 38 requires proof of a passed defensible-space inspection dated within six months before you enter a contract. The Napa County Fire Marshal’s Office does this at no cost: email your name, phone and the address, and staff call back within 72 hours to schedule. A failed inspection brings a notice to abate with 14 days to correct, so clear vegetation before you ask. Our AB 38 guide explains the rule.
State items
The house still needs a signed smoke-alarm statement and a water-heater bracing certification, like any California sale.
Because Rutherford trades so rarely, value has to be built from the house, the planted acres and the water separately; a private valuation starts there.
Sources for this section: Napa County: Document Transfer Tax; Napa County Environmental Health: Well and Onsite Wastewater Treatment; Napa County: Williamson Act and Agricultural Preserve Contracts; California Public Law: Government Code section 51243; Napa County Fire Marshal: Real Estate Inspections (AB 38); Napa County: Public records search and requests; California Public Law: Health and Safety Code section 13113.8; California Public Law: Health and Safety Code section 19211.
Rutherford real estate FAQs
Is Rutherford, CA a town?
No. Rutherford is an unincorporated community, so Napa County sets its zoning, permits and rental rules. The Census Bureau tracks it as a census-designated place of 1.7 square miles.
How many people live in Rutherford?
The Census Bureau’s 2020–2024 survey counts 84 residents and about 108 housing units, with a margin of error of 63 on the housing count. With margins that wide, treat both numbers as approximate.
What do Rutherford homes and estates cost?
There’s no meaningful median. On October 23, 2026, Redfin showed two Rutherford listings asking $5.5 million and $7.3 million and one undated sale at $5.2 million. Each estate’s price depends on its planted acres, water and permits.
What ZIP code is Rutherford in?
Rutherford’s own ZIP code is 94573, but properties in and around it also use Napa 94558 and St. Helena 94574 addresses. Search by map, not by city name, to see everything nearby.
Where are the Rutherford AVA’s boundaries?
Roughly Zinfandel Lane on the north and Skellenger Lane on the south, with the 380- to 500-foot contours of the hills marking the east and west edges. The legal description is in 27 CFR 9.133.
Does the river restoration affect my property taxes?
It can, if the parcel fronts the restored reach. Since 2018 its upkeep has been funded entirely by a Maintenance Assessment District of riverfront landowners, so look for the charge on the tax bill.
What is the Rutherford Dust Society?
It’s a nonprofit of Rutherford vintners and growers. The Napa County Resource Conservation District credits it with starting the Napa River restoration here in 2002, a project that had every riverfront landowner taking part by 2014.
Can I rent a Rutherford home by the night?
No. Rentals of under 30 days are generally prohibited in unincorporated Napa County, apart from existing bed-and-breakfast permits, which the county no longer issues. Leases of 30 days or more are fine.
Can I build a winery or split land in Rutherford?
A new winery needs at least 10 acres and has to source at least 75% of its grapes from Napa County. Splitting land is limited by the 40-acre minimum for new parcels in Agricultural Preserve zoning.
Do Rutherford properties have wells and septic systems?
Generally yes, permitted by Napa County Environmental Health. Ask for the well log, flow test, water-quality results and septic records before you remove your inspection contingency.
Is there a bus to Rutherford?
VINE’s Route 10 runs up and down the valley but lists no timed stop in Rutherford; the nearest are the St Helena Post Office and the Yountville Veterans Home. Plan on driving.
Is there a Michelin-starred restaurant in Rutherford?
Yes. The MICHELIN Guide gives Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford one star. Yountville, a short way south, has The French Laundry with three.
What grapes grow in Rutherford, and what are they worth?
The Napa Valley Vintners list Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Across Napa County, Cabernet Sauvignon averaged $8,645 a ton in 2025, but a given vineyard’s contracts decide its income.
Sources & notes
- Census Reporter: Rutherford CDP and ZIP 94573 (ACS 2020–2024); Redfin: Rutherford (October 23, 2026); C.A.R.: September 2026
- 27 CFR 9.133 (Rutherford AVA) and Napa Valley Vintners: appellations
- Napa County: Rutherford Restoration Project 2025 monitoring report and Napa RCD: Rutherford Reach (2014)
- Napa County: General Plan, 2025 crop report, wells and septic, Conservation Regulations, ADUs and Williamson Act
- MICHELIN Guide, VINE Route 10 and State Fire Marshal: AB 38 guidance
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.
