Typical 2025 California home seller made $265,000 vs. $107,000 for US

California home sellers made more than double what their American peers made last year – but that gap is shrinking.

My trusty spreadsheet took a peek at stats from Attom dating to 2008 that track the difference between the price a typical homeowner got when they sold vs. their purchase cost in 130 metropolitan areas, including 10 in California. This “profit” gap – and remember we’ve had years at a loss, too – does not include the cost of upgrades, maintenance, mortgage interest or transaction expenses.

For sellers in California’s 10 metros in 2025, the median gain was $265,000. Meanwhile, sellers in the 120 metros outside the nation saw a $107,000 profit.

Yes, that’s $158,000 extra for the typical California seller. But that’s the smallest geographic divide in five years – down from $185,000 in 2022 – as home prices appreciated more rapidly outside of California in recent years.

Price pains

Of course, California’s larger dollar gains come with a cost: purchase prices.

The typical Californian made the big bucks buying a $422,000 median-priced home and selling it for $687,000. Outside of the Golden State, it was a $215,000 purchase and a $322,000 sale.

Additionally, the diminishing profit disparity is seen when evaluating a seller’s gain as a portion of the purchase price.

A 2025 California seller realized a 63% raw gain vs. 50% elsewhere. But since 2008, the typical Golden State sale created a 50% gain, ...