REALTOR® · Keller Williams Realty Danville · DRE# 02238367
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Karla I. Vasquez logo Karla I. Vasquez Realtor® · Bilingual
Guide

Moving to Concord

By Karla I. Vasquez, REALTOR® · Keller Williams Realty Danville · Reviewed October 2026

Quick answer

Concord is one of the largest cities in Contra Costa County and a practical choice if you want BART access, a lively downtown plaza and a wide range of home styles. It has two BART stations, sits at the foot of Mount Diablo, and offers everything from condos and townhomes to single-family homes. Most of the city is served by Mt. Diablo Unified School District.

What's it like to live in Concord?

Concord's downtown centers on Todos Santos Plaza, a city park surrounded by restaurants and shops. The City hosts its summer Music & Market and Farmers' Market there, along with special events throughout the year, according to the City of Concord's events pages.

For entertainment, the Concord Pavilion is an outdoor concert venue in town, and the City also lists attractions such as Newhall Community Park, Clayton Valley Bowl, Round 1 and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor.

Outdoors, Concord is a gateway to Mount Diablo State Park for hiking and biking. The Iron Horse Regional Trail begins in Concord and runs south through Walnut Creek, Alamo, Danville, San Ramon and Dublin to Pleasanton, per the East Bay Regional Park District.

What's happening at the former Naval Weapons Station?

Part of the former Concord Naval Weapons Station is planned as Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50, a future regional park of roughly 2,500 acres in the Los Medanos Hills between Concord and Pittsburg. The park district adopted a land use plan in 2020 and began design work and public access tours in 2022. Check the park district for current access, since the page describes it as a future park.

Commute: BART and freeways

Concord is one of the easier East Bay cities for transit commuters:

  • Concord BART station near downtown.
  • North Concord/Martinez BART at 3700 Port Chicago Highway.
  • Both are on BART's Antioch to SFO/Millbrae service.

By car, Concord connects to Interstate 680 and Highway 4, which link you to Walnut Creek, the Tri-Valley, East County and the I-80 corridor. As always, test your commute at the actual time you'd travel.

Homes and schools

Housing types

Concord's housing is varied. You'll find mid-century single-family neighborhoods, larger lots in some hillside areas, plus townhomes, condos and apartments, especially closer to downtown and the BART stations. That mix gives buyers more options at different price points than many nearby cities. Many homes were built decades ago, so condition and updates vary widely from street to street.

School district

According to Mt. Diablo Unified School District, MDUSD serves Clayton, Concord, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek and parts of Martinez and Pittsburg, plus the unincorporated communities of Bay Point, Lafayette and Pacheco, with more than 50 school sites. Always confirm school assignment for a specific address directly with the district.

Help for first-time buyers

As reported in May 2026, the City of Concord runs a First Time Home Buyer (FTHB) program, administered by the Bay Area Affordable Homeownership Alliance (BAAHA), offering up to $60,000 for low- to moderate-income first-time buyers purchasing within Concord city limits, with homebuyer education required. Funding rounds open and close, so check current availability with BAAHA and the City before you count on it.

Karla's tips

  • Inspect the "bones." Many Concord homes are older. Through KCK Construction & Remodeling I know the common issues: aging sewer laterals, original electrical panels, single-pane windows and foundation settling. I'll help you decide what's a fix-it-later versus a dealbreaker.
  • Ask about remodel permits. Garage conversions and additions are common. Unpermitted work can affect insurance and appraisal.
  • Think about BART walkability. If you'll commute by train, compare homes by walking or biking time to the station, not just miles.
  • Line up education early if you want down payment assistance. Most programs require a homebuyer course before you can use the funds.
  • Bilingual support. I help buyers and sellers in Concord in English and Spanish. Call (510) 677-8695.

En español: lo básico

Concord es una de las ciudades más grandes del condado de Contra Costa, con dos estaciones de BART (Concord y North Concord/Martinez), la plaza Todos Santos en el centro y acceso al Monte Diablo. Hay casas unifamiliares, townhomes y condominios, y la mayor parte de la ciudad pertenece al distrito escolar Mt. Diablo Unified. La ciudad tiene un programa para compradores de primera vez administrado por BAAHA; confirme si hay fondos disponibles. Karla atiende en español y le ayuda a revisar la condición de casas más antiguas gracias a su experiencia en construcción.

Sources

General information only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules, programs and fees change; confirm with the agency, your lender, escrow, tax professional or an attorney. Karla I. Vasquez is a REALTOR® and Registered LDA, not an attorney.